Blessed by the privilege of wealth, birth or both, 24 teenage girls on Saturday descend on Paris' debutantes ball, an aristocratic tradition that has unfortunately survived France's guillotining of royalty and it's sychophantic lapdogs, over 200 years ago.
But in a sign of changing times not better times, the late princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer, 18, will this year be joined by Jasmin Li, 17, granddaughter of Jia Qinglin, fourth ranking member of China's Communist party.
A highlight of Europe's wealthy elitist society calendar, the ball at the Crillon Hotel marks the "coming out" of daughters of the rich, famous and 'nouveau royals', including Clint Eastwood's daughter Francesca, 16, and the granddaughter of Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho, Ariel.
Bringing together 24 so-called debutantes from 12 countries. Controversially, the event includes for the first time the New World wealthy of Australia and Venezuela, causing great 'stir' from the European 'establishment'. Turkey will also be represented by national ski team member Gulsah Alkoclar, and India by a fading memory, the last descendant of the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.
The quintessentially English 'decadent upper class' event was intended as an in-breeding opportunity for young girls to be presented at 'court' where they might find a future husband from a suitably moneyed bloodline. A simple way of ensuring that the wealth is not 'shared' amongst those classified as, unworthy.
But with the execution of much of France's aristocracy in the wake of the 1789 revolution, the tradition became too dangerous for public exhibition and went underground. Recently, in these times where money an d wealth is flaunted openly, it was resurrected as a public event by Ophelie Renouard and became very well subscribed very quickly. If you have the 5 figure entrance fee.
Once the organisers expenses have been stashed away from prying eyes, a token donation will be given to charity, making the event appear "less trivial and frivolous," according to this year's host Stephane Bern.
"The tradition has lost nothing of its appeal to the wealthy and well endowed but it perpetuates itself by abandoning the vestiges of aristocratic glory: there are more and more 'wanabee' debutantes from families that have accumulated great wealth other than simply by being born into the privileged family," explains Bern.
"The debutantes ball thus appears less trivial and more functional, thanks to its defence of a token humanitarian cause. Participants are more and more conscious of justifying their privileges and undertake an occasional charitable gesture during the year, which doesn't stop them attending an extravagant evening on the Place de la Concorde in a haute couture dress, as their 'reward'." added Bern, a society journalist.
The source of wealth is not a barrier. Pop stars, presidents, abusers of human rights, usurpers, dictators and criminals are all welcome, as long as they pay their dues.
Last year saw singer Phil Collins accompany his daughter to the event, which also saw the coming out of Maria Abou Nader, niece of former Lebanese presidents Amine and Bachir Gemayel. Rumours of their connections to Hezbollah and the Colombian drug barons still ringing in their ears.
The two Chinese debs, have modestly chosen a Dior and US designer Carolina Herrera gown, costing around $10K. After all they are 'of the people, for the people' and being gilded 'by the people'. Should the honest, hard working Chinese people object to this privileged extravaganza, they will be labeled dissidents, beaten severly and imprisoned, or worse.
Miss Eastwood will wear a dress specially created by Dolce and Gabbana, while Cosima Sarno-Pigozzi, granddaughter of the creator of the now defunct Simca car, will wear something by Frenchman Stephane Rolland. How we all wish we could live so well on the proceeds of our old second hand cars.
During dinner, the debutantes promenade with their devoted or paid for, companions and are presented to the master of ceremonies. During coffee and liquors, host Bern will open the ball by dancing a Strauss waltz with the youngest girl present.
Gone is the tradition of de-flowering the youngest virgin on the alter of commercial exploitation and debauchery, allegedly but where are you going to find a virgin or an honest man in Paris, certainly not at the Debutante's Ball.
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