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Enchanting, Le Bal des Débutantes with Alexandre de Paris!
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Every year, young girls with a famous surname or from a good family, wearing a crown or not, go to the bal des débutantes in Paris wearing high couture dresses and styled by the reference of the Gotha: Alexandre de Paris. Elites at the Péninsula.
Laure Delvigo -
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Formerly, the people of Auteuil-Neuilly-Passy, would gather once a year at the Crillon and introduce their children to the “social elite” to open the bal des débutantes. Today, the Bal des Débutantes is more for hipster youths than a show of elegance. Gone are the times when one could only see crinolines and old lace in the ball room. For a few years, the young girls are victims of fashion with fashionable designer dresses like Alexis Mabille.
The hairstyles by Alexandre de Paris, the famous hairdresser of stars and princesses (salon avenue Matignon), have remained the symbol of French elegance for the past 60 years. Transmitted by Jean-Luc Minetti, Alexandre de Paris’s artistic director, his know-how is reflected in the work of his colleagues who received the same training.
One can find the vivacious Frédéric Pavard, that we met at the Coulisses du Mariage but also Yves Galler, Inda Bladin, Valérie Issmann, Romain Ogier, Camille Staron and Bénédicte Renverseau, who designed tailor made creations of the 19 débutantes. -
First step: Selecting a suitable young-girl-creator match and choosing the ball dress. Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parme, who represents one of the biggest families of the French aristocracy, will choose a sumptuous haute couture dress by Zuhair Murad and a bun worthy of her station designed by Jean-Luc Minetti and Valérie Issmann, while Yu Huang, incredible ballerina elected “ Chinese star of the year 2016” will go for perfect romantic lengths by Inda Ablin, on an Alexander Mc Queen dress. Really nice dresses, far from the traditional floaty frill. With a cup of tea, hairdressing elements are suggested.
Long-term partner of the Bal des Débutantes, the house of Alexandre de Paris showcase all of their expertise in hairdressing. It is important to remember that Monsieur Alexandre wouldn't define himself as a hairdresser but more like a French luxury artisan considering hairdressing as a unique experience and a means of promoting the French art of living abroad, like the Haute Couture or the Gastronomy. This night, favorite hairdressers of the crowned guests will make the young girls beautiful and will turn them into a modern princess for the night.
The girls keep coming from 2pm at the hairdressing salon recreated by Jean-Luc Minetti and his team. For these young girls, Le Bal des Débutantes is the opportunity to go to a big party, an incursion into a world beyond that of daily life. A way of going back in time until the era of the princess. The shy ones hide, others hold back and smile. “You’re beautiful” , “this is so nice!” , “what time did you come back?” , there are Indian, American and French people and most of them stay at the Péninsula. They gossip like old friends chatting about a previous party. High buns, Louboutin and painted nails, they have their choice of dance partners. Despite living in the media age with applications like Tinder it is still possible to live a fairy tale life but only for those who dare to pursue it. These are the struggles of the high society in the modern world. The discussion is open on the elites in 2016. The significance of Andy Warhol and his works is more apparent now than ever.
Then the families and the guests sit at their tables. Everyone judges the outfits, the hairstyles and the behavior of the young girls. “I wouldn't have recognized Elie Saab!” “She looks like a queen with this bun!” “The Alexandre Vauthier girl has proper behaviour!” In the salons, the conversations are in full swing. Behind the scenes, some remove their 10 cm heels and talk about the after party, ready to change their ball dresses for disco outfits. Be careful Cinderella, it is midnight, let’s Dance!
Copyright photos: AURELIA TIERNEY
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