The Crillon Ball: A Beginners Guide
An Indian Princess, A British Lady, and daughters of American Hollywood royalty are among the lucky 24 young ladies who are set to debut at Paris' annual Crillon Ball, known in Paris simply as "Le Bal".-
Clint Eastwood's daughter Francesca, Forrest Whitaker's daughter Autumn, and Lady Diana's niece Kitty will all be making their official debuts on Saturday night at the Hotel Crillon, which overlooks the Place de la Concorde. Unlike its (sometimes garish) American counterparts, don't expect white flouncy dresses and awkward father-daughter dances; these cosmopolitan ladies will be waltzing the night away in haute couture dresses "in the arms of their cavaliers" (the most old-fashioned sentence to be typed on a website, ever). Past debutantes include Dree Hemingway, Amanda and Lydia Hearst, and Lauren Bush. Popular blogger Jane Aldridge is currently in Paris, prepping for the big night. And you can bet Serena Bancroft is gonna be all over this in five years.
So what is it like being one of these impossibly beautiful, impossibly well-connected, and impossibly lucky debs?
Well, first, someone from the Crillon committee swings by to take some casual "at home" pictures of you and your family.
Nothing fancy, maybe just some shots of you on the front lawn....
Then maybe some pictures with your sisters in the living room, or with your dad, who happens to be a prince,hanging out in the Library. You know. Candid, casual shots.....
-
After that, you'll probably have to spend a Saturday or so popping across the Atlantic Ocean (either to New York, or Paris) for dress fittings with Oliver Theyskens, Vivienne Westwood, or Oscar De La Renta...
-
It's a total drag....
--
Every Crillon girl knows that they'll look practically naked in their custom-made Chanel Couture gown without the right accessories. So a trip to the jeweler is next.
-
-
-
Be it Prom or a Debutante Ball with 300 members of the international media, getting ready is the best part of going to a dance. It helps when you have Paris' best hair and makeup artists helping you out.
-
You DID remember to find a date, or "Cavalier", among your handsome, aristocratic friends, right?
Caveat: Cavaliers must know how to waltz.
The rest is relatively easy: waltz the night away like Cinderella, and try to remember that, at 18, this might be the best night of your life.
[All photos via lebal.fr]
Plovgh, the new online farmers market
Who knew that the farming world had a trend? Well, Mallory Sustick, a Brooklyn bartender, works like a dog to maintain, promote and advance the online farmer's market startup Plovgh that began after noticing a need for more local farm market distribution.
about 6 hours ago
about 7 hours ago
about 7 hours ago
about 8 hours ago
about 9 hours ago
about 12 hours ago
about 13 hours ago
about 14 hours ago
about 15 hours ago
05:45:48 PM February 13, 2012
Joyce
November 30, 2009
4:30pm
Who is he lovely young woman in front of that counry house?
hipnotik
May 14, 2010
12:27am
ewww... geezz...get a life people. how about get your millionarie lifestyle to help children who are bombarded and mutilated, let's say, in Palestine, or Afghanistan, or Africa? what's with the the girl inbetween two guys? is she giving the cornuto with BOTH HANDS? GET A LIFE!
August 10, 2010
5:13am
@hipnotik: umm the crillon ball benefits a charity. just so you know. so maybe you can stop with all you're "i'm better than rich people" condescension and do some research. k thanks.
elizabeliza
August 13, 2010
10:40pm
It is actually questionable if there really is charitable benefit. All lot of information is out there as to how it does not make money. Its bankrupt in a sense. The amount of money spent to attend the bal, far outweighs the actual amounts that supposedly are donated. Example, according to one source, the income in 2008 was around 30,000USD. This is pathetic. Considering all the money the organizers actually earn to create the bal. Don't forget, the dedicated office, the extravagant lifestyle of Ophelie Renouard to plan one event all year long and travel to see the girls and fawn over their parents. It would benefit any charity far more than 30g's if people just stayed home and sent the money directly. There is no awareness raising either. The event is run as a closed shop and very self-serving. It is pure elitist with very little if any redeeming quality. The organizers try to hide the charity reality because its ridiculous. Amfar raised 7 million in one night for a Cannes event. How dare these 'B' celebrity washouts even compare themselves.
Eugenia
November 24, 2010
1:35am
I agree with Elizabeliza. The Crillon Ball never really raised money for charity. - A donation was made that is all. It was a money making operation for the photo agency and PR for the hotel and designers. Magazines had pictures spoonfed to them and some snobbish people got excited.
Julia
September 3, 2011
4:09pm
The Crillon Ball used to invited only the daughters of high society. Now they get tacky bloggers like Jane Aldridge gracing the floor. And she's American too. Oh how the standards have fallen.