hong kong tatler . march 2014 32 hong kong tatler . march 2014

It’s a romantic night of youthful exuberance and haute couture in the City of Light. Melissa Twigg goes to Paris for an insider’s view of one of the world’s most glamorous events, the annual Bal des Débutantes

tepping utQUEENS FOR A NIGHT From left, back row: Princess Lavinia Boncompagni Ludovisi; Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein; Naomi Schroeder; Alexandra Louey; Elly Lam; Isabel Beatty; Ella Mountbatten; and Emily Madrigal. Front row: Margot Massenet and Princess Larissa Windisch-Graetz

Photography CRAZY ROUGE

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strikeskikesstrtrst cloclmidnightmidmand the Eiffel Tower’s light show begins,illuminating the interior of the Palais deChaillot. A waltz starts to play and Princewa t stCharles-Emmanuel de Bourbon-Parme, a Emmanuel de Bdirect descendant of Louis XIV, steps forwardescendant of Louto take the hand of his daughter, Princessthe hand of his dauElisabeth, to open the dancing for the night.th, to open the danWelcome to Le Bal des Débutantes, the most e to Le Bal des Déprestigious and Parisian of events, an evening n ofwhere actual royalty flirts with Hollywoodctual irtsroyalty, where new money and old money rubwher moneshoulders and where everyone is the proud ers an ere evowner of a famous surname, a listed companyowner of mous sor an ancient palace—or all three.or an ancient pal

Inspired by British debutante balls of the British depast, where young women from aristocratic womfamilies were presented to the queen atnteBuckingham Palace, the Bal, as it’s commonlyknown, is in fact a modern concept and thebrainchild of Ophélie Renouard, an extremelydetermined French PR with a deft touch for networking and a not-so-little black book.

Renouard has masterminded the Bal since1992 when she was given a one-year contractto organise events for the Hôtel de Crillon and hit on an idea that would capture theworld’s imagination. “Well, it has all the right

ingredients for success,” says Renouard. “The girls are beautiful and look and feel like princesses for a night. And Paris is, well, Paris. Modern life is not so filled with glamour but at the Bal, glamour and romance are everything. I think that is whyeverybody loves it so much—it gives them an experience they cannot find elsewhere.”

Like the heroines of the Disney fantasiesthey grew up watching, these 24 well-born young women are transformed from typical teenagers into glossy, couture-clad goddesses for one night. The elaborate process begins the day before the Bal, on a cold Friday at the end of November. “Even though most of them come from privileged backgrounds, the Bal is usually their couture and media debut,” says Renouard. “They wear gowns and haute jewellery [by Bucherer] for the first time and it is a special moment for them.”

The Hôtel de Crillon has always been the venue for the event (in English it is usually

referred to as the Crillon Ball), but it wasrecently acquired by Rosewood Hotels &Resorts and is being renovated ahead of agrand reopening later this year. In the interim, the Bal is being held at the Palais de Chaillotin Trocadéro, and the debutantes stay at plushHôtel Raphael near the Arc de Triomphe.

It’s in this old-world Parisian buildingwhere the young women, daughters of aristocrats, film stars, politicians and billionaires, meet for the first time. Walking into one of their richly decorated sitting rooms, I pick my way over a sea of discardedLouboutin shoes and am hit by a wall of sound. Teenage laughter mixes with mobile phone ring tones, the whine of hairdryers and excited chatter in a medley of languages.

There are three Asian debs this year: from Hong Kong, Elly Lam, the daughter of Peter Lam and Lynn Hsieh, and Alexandra Louey,daughter of William Louey and Marie-Christine Lee; and from the Philippines,

Madrigal. “I am having so much fun,” says Lam. “I love doing photo shoots and I really feel like this is my moment to shine.” Loueyagrees, saying, “I imagine this is what getting married feels like, getting to look beautifuland be the centre of attention all weekend.”

Lam, inspired by her sister’s wedding dress choice, is wearing Dior Haute Couture, Loueyis resplendent in a purple Georges Chakragown, and Madrigal wears a full-skirted pink dress by J Mendel. “It was so exciting gettingto talk to J Mendel and work out exactly what suited me,” says Madrigal. “This dress is likesomething out of a fairy tale.”

But for many of these young women, interacting with celebrated designers isno rarity. Princess Larissa of Windisch-Graetz lives in an ancient palace off the Piazza Navona in Rome with her parents,Archduchess Sophie of Austria and Prince Mariano Hugo of Windisch-Graetz, and looks

IN THEIR PRIME Clockwise from bottom left: Naomi Schroeder; Elly Lam and Alexandra Louey; Ginevra roFontes Williams and Victor Belmondo; Isabel Beatty, Viola Jacobsen Mikkelsen and Ella Mountbatten; Tommaso Crimi, Lodovico Gritti, Sixte de l’Espée, Emilion de Roquefeuil and Octave le Gouvello

LIFE’S A BALL Clockwise from top left: Inside the Palais de Chaillot;Princess Alexia von Auersperg-Breunner and her father, Prince Karlvon Auersperg-Breunner; Tommaso Crimi and Princess Larissa ofWindisch-Graetz; Rose Fisher and Count Pierrot du Saillant

FANCY FOOTWORK Margot Massenet in the Christian Louboutin room

like a princess from a storybook, with longblonde curls, huge blue eyes and perfectmilky-white skin. “Oh, Valentino helped mepick out my dress,” she says casually. “He is anold friend of my mother’s and when he heardI was coming to the ball, he chose a gown forme from the latest collection.“

Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein, thedaughter of model Pat Cleveland andphotographer Paul van Ravenstein, is alsoremarkably relaxed about her relationshipwith one of fashion’s giants. “I’ve just movedto Paris to live with my boyfriend, and UncleKarl thought it would be a good idea for me to come to the ball to make my namein French society,” she says. “Uncle Karl…Lagerfeld?” I venture. “Who else?” she replieswith a bemused expression. “Uncle Karl hasbeen so good to me. I’ve known him since Iwas two months old and I started modelling

“When a deb wants us to find her acavalier, we look at the ages, the languagethey speak, their heights and possiblytheir backgrounds and usually it works,”says Renouard. “We certainly do not planromance, but the beauty of it is that itoften happens unexpectedly. One Germandebutante married hercavalier and they now have a young daughter who I will certainlyinvite to the ball assoon as she turns 16. It really is a veryromantic night.”

As I arrive at thePalais de Chaillot thefollowing evening, Ican see why the Bal isa breeding ground for young love. The diningroom and dancefloor are dominated by theview of the Eiffel Tower just outside the baywindows, and huge vases of white roses scentthe room. As princes and princesses, dukesand duchesses, film stars and CEOs mingle inthe cavernous hallway, I slip downstairs to see

“I imagine this is what getting married feels like, getting to look beautiful and be the centre of attention all weekend”

for Chanel when I was 13. He picked this vintage Chanel dress for me.”

Sophie Coleridge, the daughter of Condé Nast president Nicholas Coleridge, had a Kate Middleton moment when she picked out her Alexander McQueen dress. “I met Sarah Burton [creative director of Alexander McQueen] and we chatted about how she had to sneak into the palace for wedding dress fittings in the run-up to the royal wedding,” she says. “Thankfully my dress wasn’t so top secret, but I am thrilled with it—I’m notreally a princess gown kind of girl.”

Friday is also the day when most of thedebutantes meet their dashing young cavaliers for the first time. They are allowed to invite friends, boyfriends and brothers to act as their cavaliers but more often than not they ask Renouard to pick a date for them—usually princes or barons from old European families.

the debutantes and their dates before theirmoment in the spotlight.

“I’m a bit nervous, but mainly really excited. And luckily my cavalier is supernice,” says Lam, who has been paired withViscount Emilion de Roquefeuil. “I met him at the waltz rehearsal. It was definitely

awkward to meetsomeone and then haveto hold their hand fortwo hours, but he wassuper charming and kept saying ‘look into my eyes’ because I was a bit shy. Everyone has been swooning over himand saying how much he looks like Chuck Bassfrom Gossip Girl.”

Isabel Beatty, the willowy, dark-haired daughter of Warren Beatty and AnnetteBening, is also rather taken by her cavalier,r cavalier,Brandolino Gritti. “We’ve only just met but y jushe’s lovely and we’re good friends already,”nds she says. “He’s Italian and it’s so nice to get too nicknow someone a bit different. I feel a million

Elly Lam, AlexandraLouey and Emily Madrigal pose with acar made by Renault, anofficial sponsor of the Bal

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miles away from LA and all my friends.LA anes Someone back home just texted me asking if Someone back home jeoI wanted to grab a smoothie, and I was like,wanted to grab a nt‘Erm, I can’t, I’m in a haute couture gown by, Elie Saab at a ball in Paris.’”S

Victor Belmondo, grandson of French film Vstar Jean-Paul Belmondo and the cavalier for staBrazilian beauty Ginevra Fontes Williams, ispouring champagne for the debs and chattingto his blonde date, who looks dazzling in a scarlet gown by Chinese designer Guo Pei. “She is super beautiful tonight. I feel like a very lucky man,” he says. Alexandra Louey, vmeanwhile, is giggling in the corner with her mcavalier, Octave le Gouvello du Timat. “Hereminds me of Robert Pattinson,” she whispersto me as we make our way upstairs for dinner.

Once everyone is seated, one by one thelovely young women are introduced to theguests by French TV personality Stéphane Bern. They look radiant as they glide through the room on their cavaliers’ arms. One of the thmore admired dresses is by Jean Paul Gaultier morand belongs to Rose Fisher, granddaughter nd of Gap founder Don Fisher. “I love Gaultier,” f Gshe says. “He has taught me to embrace thehe beauty in androgyny, menswear and grunge.”bea

gaze on their daughters with love and pride at the young women they have become, there are a few misty eyes in the room. “Dancing with my dad was my favourite of theevening,” says Madrigal. “He’s my best friendand I love him so much.” As the first danceends, the cavaliers step in and the young menand women twirl around the room, showing off their newfound waltzing skill.

The mood changes with the opening chords of Happy by Pharrell Williams. Viola Jacobsen yMikkelsen, daughter of Danish actor MadsMikkelsen, whoops with delight and grabsthe arm of Ella Mountbatten, a great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Diane de Chabot-Tramecourt, daughter of a French count, twirls around the pair in herbreathtaking Ralph Lauren gown. AnnetteBening and Pat Cleveland shimmy onto thedancefloor with their daughters and a circle of admiring men forms around them. William

Another strikingly modern yet utterly feminine dress belongs to Margot Massenet,whose mother is a nose for Lancôme andChloé. She wears a two-piece shirt and skirtby Schiaparelli Haute Couture that stands outin a sea of ball gowns. But perhaps the mostbreathtaking dress is that of German polo player and heiress Naomi Schroeder, who is in a netted number by Stéphane Rolland Haute Couture that draws gasps from thecrowd. “As soon as I saw this dress online I fellcompletely in love with it,” she says.

Once the presentation is over, the debs sitdown and we all enjoy a lavish five-course meal prepared by the Crillon’s head chef, Christophe Hache. Profits from the nightare donated to Enfants d’Asie, a charity that helps girls from impoverished families inSoutheast Asia receive an education, and Bern gives a touching speech while we eat on the impressive work the organisation is doing.

As the last plate is cleared, everyone moves towards the dancefloor and the fathers anddaughters line up, all looking rather nervous about the waltz ahead. Prince Charles-Emmanuel and his daughter open the dance,followed by the other pairs. As the fathers

SAY YES TO THE DRESS SAY S TO T Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein

Louey and Marie-Christine Lee dance with Lynn Hsieh and Victor Wu, and soon the flooris packed.

At 2am, the music stops and the olderguests make their way to the line of cars waiting outside in the frosty Parisian night. But the party is far from over for the debutantes and their cavaliers, who stop off at the Raphael to change and then head to L’ArcParis, an exclusive nightclub overlooking theArc de Triomphe. Shots are downed, lips arelocked, selfies are taken as the next generationof the international jetset makes the most of being young, rich and beautiful.

“I feel like a flower in bloom,” says Cleveland van Ravenstein, who is by nowwrapped around her handsome French boyfriend. “I think all the girls are in bloom.It’s such a special age as we’re all on the cuspof everything. I wish I could take this feeling and bottle it forever.”

PARTY PEOPLE Clockwise from top left: Barney Harris and Sophie dColeridge; the debutantes and their cavaliers dance the waltz; Annette Bening and Ophélie Renouard; Diane de Chabot-Tramecourt; the band plays with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop

For more photos otosmoof thehe Bal, visitvisithongkongtatler.ongtaongcom/feb15om/febco