Angela Bassett's Daughter Shines At Le Bal des Débutantes
What Is A Debutante? Angela Bassett And Courtney B. Vance’s Daughter Bronwyn Shines At Le Bal Des Débutantes
- Le Bal des Debutantes is a prestigious, invitation-only event for young women from high society and celebrity families.
- Bronwyn Vance wore a stunning ivory tulle gown designed by French haute couturier Stéphane Rolland.
- The event celebrates the empowerment of young women, international camaraderie, and cultural exchange while raising funds for charity.
Bronwyn Golden Vance, the 19-year-old daughter of Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance, had a weekend to remember in Paris after attending the prestigious Le Bal des Débutantes with her family on Nov. 29. According to Vogue, the Harvard student made her highly anticipated debut at the invitation-only event, which took place at the swanky Shangri-La Paris hotel on Sunday, sharing the evening with princesses, heiresses and Hollywood royalty.
Here’s What Bronwyn Golden Vance Wore For The Exclusive Le Bal des Débutantes Event
Known simply as Le Bal, the ball has been described as the Met Gala for teenagers, attracting children of high society, aristocracy, and celebrities. For the exclusive evening, Bronwyn dazzled in an ivory tulle gown decorated with delicate flecks of gold cascading down the skirt. Designed by French haute couturier Stéphane Rolland, the ensemble was complemented by pearl earrings and a gold necklace, giving her a truly ethereal look. Vogue noted that Bronwyn helped kick off the festivities in the Shangri-La’s rococo-style ballroom with a traditional father-daughter dance with her famous dad.
Adorably, her twin brother, Slater Vance, served as her cavalier for the evening, wearing a classic tailcoat tuxedo reminiscent of their father. A video obtained by Hello! Magazine also captured Angela standing alongside the teen, smiling for a photo op as Bronwyn dazzled in her gown during the event.
Ahead of the ball, Bronywn told Vogue that she was excited to take part in the festivities.
“I think Le Bal is about being in a space with successful women who are around my age from all over the world—it’s very rare that you can share such a beautiful night with accomplished young girls who are slowly reaching adulthood,” Bronwyn gushed in the interview published Nov. 30. “It’s a moment to cherish friendships with women who have similar aspirations in life. But yet we are all so different, so it’s a chance to blossom and meet a lot of new people, which I feel like a lot of people don’t get to do. I feel very blessed that I have this opportunity.”
During an interview with Hello! Magazine on Nov. 29, Bronwyn added that her “love of fashion and feeling like a princess” were also big drivers for her participation this year.
“I also recognized some of the girls who did it years prior and knew if they were doing it, it was a great event,” she said.
What Is A Debutante?
So you’re probably asking yourself: What is a debutante anyway? A debutante is traditionally a young woman of upper-class or aristocratic background who makes a formal entrance into society, usually at a debutante ball. Historically, these events were designed to introduce young women to eligible bachelors and their families, though today the focus is more on fashion, charity, and networking.
The term comes from the French word débutante, meaning “beginner.” Le Bal des Débutantes traces its origins to the 18th-century English debutante ball, where young women were formally presented to society. However, in France, traditional debutante balls started much later, running from 1957 until 1973. The culture in France would pick up steam again in 1994, when Ophélie Renouard reinvented the tradition with the modern “Le Bal,” a charitable event designed to support young women, according to the event’s website.
Each year, Le Bal brings together around 20 young women and their cavaliers from roughly a dozen countries. The debutantes are dressed by haute couture or couture houses, while the cavaliers wear white tie. It is the only charity ball in the world where the Debs wear haute couture, and the only debutante ball that is by invitation only, with no tickets available for purchase. The event celebrates the empowerment of young women, international camaraderie, and cultural exchange while also raising funds for charitable causes. This year, the gala supported the Association of Cardiology Research From Fetus to Adult, which works to improve care for children with heart defects at Necker-Enfants Malades, and the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Reflecting on her daughter’s milestone, Angela Bassett told Hello! Magazine on Saturday that the invitation “felt a little out of the blue initially.”
She explained, “I wouldn’t think it a normal occurrence to be vetted and invited onto a world stage at such an age,” but added that she has “no trepidations whatsoever,” and “was swept away” by her daughter’s excitement.
“Bronwyn has a spirit of graciousness,” the 67-year-old continued. “She is at ease and seeks to put others at ease in whatever situation she finds herself.”
Bronwyn’s introduction to the world of debutante balls came through a family friend, and the family later received a personal invitation from Le Bal organizer Ophélie Renouard. She shared the spotlight with other notable debutantes, including Carolina Lansing, daughter of designer Carolina Herrera; Eliza Lindroth, daughter of interior designer, Amanda Lindroth and Bahamian developer Orjan Lindroth; and Sarah Bae, daughter of acclaimed author Janice Lee and billionaire private equity executive Joseph Bae.
NYC And London Are Cities Where Balls Take Place, Too
In addition to Paris, other famous cities that host debutante balls include New York and London: The International Debutante Ball and the revived Queen Charlotte’s Ball, respectively. Notably, for the New York event, attendees are required to wear white and must pay a significant entrance fee. Margaret Hedberg, the director and general chairman of NYC’s International Debutante Ball, revealed during an interview with ABC News in 2015 that the entry fee alone was $17,000 for one table. But that isn’t the only cost. Attendees have to pay for travel and their stay at the upscale Waldorf Astoria hotel, where the event takes place. Hedberg said the girls and their families stay for about a week to attend “warm-up” events, or smaller parties for everyone to get to know each other.
When asked why the girls have to wear white, Hedberg said, “Back in the days of the robber barons and the Gilded Age, I think it was a very expensive thing… I think that the purity quality back in the old day was part of it.”
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