Watch out world! Forest Whitaker's daughter True leads a host of elite young women making a dazzling debut in stunning couture gowns at the annual Debutante Ball in Paris

  • The 25th annual Bal des Débutantes was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris on November 24
  • 19 young women age 16 to 22 made their debuts in designer gowns
  • Among them were the daughters and granddaughters of actors, magnates, and ambassadors

Advertisement

Society darlings came out in their best couture this weekend to party the night away at Paris' 25th annual Bal des Débutantes.

Nineteen young women, age 16 to 22, donned designer ballgowns and danced alongside handsome — and sometimes royal — dates, as their wealthy parents presented them to society at the Shangri-La Hotel on November 24. 

Among the bevy of well-off beauties this year were David Koch's daughter, Berry Gordy's granddaughter, and Forest Whitaker's daughter, who opened the dancing with her Oscar winner father.

Fancy, huh? The 25th annual Bal des Débutantes was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris on Saturday, November 24

Fancy, huh? The 25th annual Bal des Débutantes was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris on Saturday, November 24

Coming out: Among the Debs this year was Forest Whitaker’s 20-year-old daughter True, who was was escorted by Giacomo Belmondo, the grandson of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo

Coming out: Among the Debs this year was Forest Whitaker’s 20-year-old daughter True, who was was escorted by Giacomo Belmondo, the grandson of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo

Rolling up in style: Debs Anna Pei and Julia McCaw, and escort Count Rufus d'Hauteville, arrive in a Renault car

Rolling up in style: Debs Anna Pei and Julia McCaw, and escort Count Rufus d'Hauteville, arrive in a Renault car

Celebrity moment: True and her famous dad opened the ball with the first dance

Celebrity moment: True and her famous dad opened the ball with the first dance

The dudes: The escorts this year included Gregory Peck’s grandson, a Belgian prince, and an Indian prince

The dudes: The escorts this year included Gregory Peck’s grandson, a Belgian prince, and an Indian prince

The ball is organized every year by French publicist Ophelie Renouard, who dreamed up the fete in the early 90s.

'The original idea for the first debutante balls was to bring together young people from the same social background so they could get married,' she told WWD.

Supported by private sponsors, the ball raises money for two charities: the Seleni Institute, which supports teen mothers' reproductive and mental health, and Enfants d'Asie, which promotes the education of girls in Southeast Asia.

But while it certainly helps some worthy causes, it's ultimately a chance for young, monied women to dress up in fancy ball gowns and parade in front of the cameras with their well-bred escorts.

This year, among the young women making their debut was Forest Whitaker’s 20-year-old daughter True.

Lavish: The ball is organized every year by French publicist Ophelie Renouard, who dreamed up the fete in the early 90s. Supported by private sponsors, the ball raises money for two charities

Lavish: The ball is organized every year by French publicist Ophelie Renouard, who dreamed up the fete in the early 90s. Supported by private sponsors, the ball raises money for two charities

Alice Maxey wore Gucci and came in on the arm of Reid McCaw
Annabel Yao wore J Mendel and had cavalier Count Gaspard de Limburg Stirum as her date

Dressed up! Alice Maxey wore Gucci and came in on the arm of Reid McCaw (left) while Annabel Yao wore J Mendel and had cavalier Count Gaspard de Limburg Stirum as her date (right)

All the titles: Baroness Ludmilla von Oppenheim (wearing a Stephane Rolland Haute Couture gown and Payal New york jewels) was escorted by HSH Prince Philippe-Emmanuel de Croÿ-Solre

All the titles: Baroness Ludmilla von Oppenheim (wearing a Stephane Rolland Haute Couture gown and Payal New york jewels) was escorted by HSH Prince Philippe-Emmanuel de Croÿ-Solre

Angel Lee (wearing a Dorian Ho gown) was escorted by Edouard Lanvin
Anna Pei (wearing Emanuel Ungaro) came with Henry Gans

Pictured: Angel Lee (wearing a Dorian Ho gown) with Edouard Lanvin (left) and Anna Pei (wearing Emanuel Ungaro) with Henry Gans (right)

Double the royals: HH Princess Ananya Raje Scindia of Gwalior was escorted by her brother, HH Yuvraj Mahanaaryamanrao J. Scindia of Gwalior

Double the royals: HH Princess Ananya Raje Scindia of Gwalior was escorted by her brother, HH Yuvraj Mahanaaryamanrao J. Scindia of Gwalior

Countess Hermine de Hemricourt de Grunne with Duke of Crussol
Countess Gabrielle de Pourtalès with HRH Prince Mirko Sajonia-Coburgo-Gotha

Pictured: Countess Hermine de Hemricourt de Grunne with Duke of Crussol (left) and Countess Gabrielle de Pourtalès with HRH Prince Mirko Sajonia-Coburgo-Gotha (right)

Marine Depaz with Count Côme de Germay de Cirfontaine
Bella Kaplan with Nicholas Mortimer
Elizabeth Terrien with Baron Waldemar von Oppenheim

Pictured: Marine Depaz with Count Côme de Germay de Cirfontaine (left), Bella Kaplan with Nicholas Mortimer (center), and Elizabeth Terrien with Baron Waldemar von Oppenheim (right)

True is currently studying screenwriting and composing at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, but this weekend she tossed aside books in favor of a Jean-Paul Gaultier, which the designer fit himself.

She was escorted by Giacomo Belmondo, the grandson of French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, and opened the ball with her father.

'Dad and I are opening the dancing at tonight’s ball and dad is more worried than I am! He’s a brilliant actor but he’s not so confident about his dancing skills,' she said, according to Hong Kong Tatler.  

'I’m so proud of her,' Forest gushed to WWD, admitting that he practiced his dancing for hours the night before. 'I want everything to go well for her. It’s a really special day.'

Mary Julia Koch, the daughter of Koch Industries VP David Koch, turned up in Valentino Haute Couture.

And Juliet Gordy, grandfather is Motown producer Berry Gordy, glittered in a sequined and feathered Elie Saab.

'Paris is like a second home to me,' she told Hong Kong Tatler at the event. 'I was baptized here and stayed here all the time as a child with my mom’s best friend, who is French—so doing the Bal feels like the perfect way to start my adult life of visiting Paris,' she said.

Dona Maria do Carmo Calem  with her cavalier HRH Prince Dinis de Bragança
Julia McCaw with Gregory Peck's grandson Harper Peck

Pictured: Dona Maria do Carmo Calem with her cavalier HRH Prince Dinis de Bragança (left) and Julia McCaw with Gregory Peck's grandson Harper Peck (right)

Glamorous: Elizabeth Starling Louis wore Ralph and Russo Couture and was escorted by John Jeffry Louis IV

Glamorous: Elizabeth Starling Louis wore Ralph and Russo Couture and was escorted by John Jeffry Louis IV

Shloka Birla with her cavalier HSH Prince Jean de Croÿ-Solre
Kayla Uytgensu  with Chase McCaw

Pictured: Shloka Birla with her cavalier HSH Prince Jean de Croÿ-Solre (left) and Kayla Uytgensu with Chase McCaw (right)

Music royalty: Berry Gordy's granddaughter Julie James Gordy wore Elie Saab and was escorted by Paul Lenain

Music royalty: Berry Gordy's granddaughter Julie James Gordy wore Elie Saab and was escorted by Paul Lenain

Julia McCaw, the daughter of AT&T founder Craig McCaw, came in Giambattista Valli and walked in on the arm of Gregory Peck’s grandson.

There were titled young ladies, too, including Baroness Ludmilla von Oppenheim from Germany, who wore a Stephane Rolland gown, and Countess Hermine de Hemricourt de Grunne from Belgium.

Countess Gabrielle de Pourtalès of France, another attendee, told WWD she chose to make her debut because of the family tradition.

'My cousin did it before me, as well as a lot of my friends,' she said while wearing a Christian Dior dress. 'It was a dream to take part in it, and I’m living a real princess moment.'  

Annabel Yao, whose father started Huawei, the largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer in the world, wore J Mendel number and was escorted by a Belgian prince.

And Elizabeth Starling Louis, whose grandfather was the US Ambassador to the UK under Ronald Reagan, wore Ralph & Russo.

'I really do feel like a princess in this dress — I don’t want this evening to end. Although I’m also quite excited about going out to a club with the debs after the ball is over,' she said.

Society: Nineteen young women, age 16 to 22, donned designer ballgowns and danced as their wealthy parents presented them to society (pictured: True Whitaker)

Society: Nineteen young women, age 16 to 22, donned designer ballgowns and danced as their wealthy parents presented them to society (pictured: True Whitaker)

Couture: True wore a gown by Jean-Paul Gaultier, which the designer fit himself

Couture: True wore a gown by Jean-Paul Gaultier, which the designer fit himself

Across the floor: Countess Gabrielle de Pourtalès dances with Stéphane Bern

Across the floor: Countess Gabrielle de Pourtalès dances with Stéphane Bern

Admirers: Julia McCaw laughs with Elizabeth Starling Louis as young men look on

Admirers: Julia McCaw laughs with Elizabeth Starling Louis as young men look on

Family moments: Juliet James Gordy dances with her father, Kerry Gordy

Family moments: Juliet James Gordy dances with her father, Kerry Gordy

Privilege: Some of the Debs hung out and posted pictures on social media, posing on a balcony in front of the Eiffel Tower

Privilege: Some of the Debs hung out and posted pictures on social media, posing on a balcony in front of the Eiffel Tower

From India, 16-year-old Princess Ananya Raje Scindia of Gwalior was accompanied her brother, Prince Yuvaraj Mahanaryaman Scindia of Gwalior, while Aria Mehta, daughter of le Bal’s official jeweler Payal Mehta, also attended.

Shloka Birla, another debutante from India, was escorted by HSH Prince Jean De Croy Solre.

This year's class of debutantes also included Anna Pei, granddaughter of architect I.M. Pei (who wore Emanuel Ungaro), Angel Lee, daughter of Hong Kong art collector Robert Lee and Hong Kong actress Iwanbeo Leung, and Bella Kaplan, great-granddaughter of financier André Meyer.

There was Elizabeth Terrien, stepdaughter of Condé Nast France president Yves Bougon, Marine Depaz, granddaughter of French industrialist Francis Bouygues, Dona Maria do Carmo Calem from Portugal, Kayla Uytengsu from the Philippines, and Alice Maxey, great-granddaughter of newspaper publisher David Tennant Bryan.

The official hairdresser was Alexandre de Paris, while By Terry headed up makeup. 

The ball is known for attracting celebrity offspring, and in past years has included  Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe’s daughter Ava Phillippe, Sylvester Stallone’s daughter Sophia Rose Stallone, Andie MacDowell’s daughter Margaret Qualley, and Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s daughter Tallulah Willis.

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.