Le Bal des Débutantes: World's most glamorous debutante ball

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.

Welcome to Le Bal des Débutantes, the most prestigious and Parisian of soiree, an evening where actual royalty flirts with Hollywood royalty, where new money and old money rub shoulders and where everyone is the proud owner of a famous surname, a listed company or an ancient palace—or all three.

Photography: Crazy Rouge

Elly Lam, Alexandra Louey and Emily Madrigal pose with a car made by Renault, an official sponsor of the Bal

Margot Massenet and Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein

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

(L-R) Isabel Beatty, Elle Mountbatten and Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein

Naomi Schroeder (left) and friend choosing the best shoes for the ball.

Margot Massenet in the Christian Louboutin room

Princess Elisabeth de Bourbon-Parme and Mélanie Hottinguer

(L-R) Tommaso Crimi, Lodovico Gritti and Sixte de l’Espée

Margot Massenet (left) and Emily Madrigal (right) with their friend

Ginevra Fontes Williams and Victor Belmondo

Photographer Crazy Rouge and one of the cavaliers

Viola Jacobsen Mikkelsen (right) and her cavalier

(L-R) Margot Massenet, Elly Lam and Emily Madrigal

Tommaso Crimi and Princess Larissa of Windisch-Graetz

Victor Belmondo and Ginevra Fontes Williams

(L-R) Isabel Beatty, Viola Jacobsen Mikkelsen and Ella Mountbatten

Princess Alexia von Auersperg-Breunner and her father, Prince Karl von Auersperg-Breunner

The band plays with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop

The debutantes and their cavaliers dance the waltz

Photo 1 of 37 Elly Lam, Alexandra Louey and Emily Madrigal pose with a car made by Renault, an official sponsor of the Bal

Photo 2 of 37 Margot Massenet and Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein

Photo 3 of 37 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

Photo 4 of 37 Princess Alexia von Auersperg-Breunner

Photo 5 of 37 (L-R) Isabel Beatty, Elle Mountbatten and Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein

Photo 6 of 37 Princess Elisabeth de Bourbon-Parme

Photo 7 of 37 Naomi Schroeder (left) and friend choosing the best shoes for the ball.

Photo 8 of 37 Margot Massenet in the Christian Louboutin room

Photo 9 of 37 Princess Elisabeth de Bourbon-Parme and Mélanie Hottinguer

Photo 10 of 37 Elly Lam

Photo 11 of 37 Naomi Schroeder

Photo 12 of 37 (L-R) Tommaso Crimi, Lodovico Gritti and Sixte de l’Espée

Photo 13 of 37 Margot Massenet (left) and Emily Madrigal (right) with their friend

Photo 14 of 37 Inside the Palais de Chaillot

Photo 15 of 37 Cavaliers of Le Bal des Débutantes

Photo 16 of 37 Ginevra Fontes Williams and Victor Belmondo

Photo 17 of 37 Photographer Crazy Rouge and one of the cavaliers

Photo 18 of 37 Guests of Le Bal des Débutantes

Photo 19 of 37 Viola Jacobsen Mikkelsen (right) and her cavalier

Photo 20 of 37 (L-R) Margot Massenet, Elly Lam and Emily Madrigal

Photo 21 of 37 Tommaso Crimi and Princess Larissa of Windisch-Graetz

Photo 22 of 37 Guests of Le Bal des Débutantes

Photo 23 of 37 Victor Belmondo and Ginevra Fontes Williams

Photo 24 of 37 (L-R) Isabel Beatty, Viola Jacobsen Mikkelsen and Ella Mountbatten

Photo 25 of 37 Cavaliers of Le Bal des Débutantes

Photo 26 of 37 Elly Lam and Alexandra Louey

Photo 27 of 37 Princess Alexia von Auersperg-Breunner and her father, Prince Karl von Auersperg-Breunner

Photo 28 of 37 Guests of Le Bal des Débutantes

Photo 29 of 37 The band plays with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop

Photo 30 of 37 The debutantes and their cavaliers dance the waltz

Photo 31 of 37 Guests of Le Bal des Débutantes

Photo 32 of 37 Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein

Photo 33 of 37 Barney Harris and Sophie Coleridge

Photo 34 of 37 Annette Bening and Ophélie Renouard

Photo 35 of 37 Guests of Le Bal des Débutantes

Photo 36 of 37 Ginevra Fontes Williams

Photo 37 of 37 Diane de Chabot-Tramecourt

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Le Bal des Débutantes: World's most glamorous debutante ball