This Bal des Debutantes, expect to see two Indians - a Bollywood star kid and a princess from Jaipur - make their high society debuts. Le Bal, as the fashion event is known in international shorthand, is held in Paris every November and helps raise funds for charity. Some 20-odd young women from across a dozen countries, aged between 16 and 22, are dressed by leading fashion houses and a jewellery brand. Typically, these young women belong to prominent families known for achievements in the arts, politics and business.
This year, the two young Indians headed to Paris are actor Chunky Pandey's teenaged daughter Ananya and Princess Gauravi Kumari of Jaipur. Ananya, often spotted around Mumbai with Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana, is being groomed for the spotlight and made headlines last month when director Farah Khan posted this comment on a picture of the 18-year-old Instagrammed by her mother Bhavana: "Do a DNA test please. She's too lovely to be Chunky's daughter."
At le Bal, Ananya Kapoor will wear Jean Paul Gaultier while Tarun Tahiliani will dress Princess Gauravi Kumari. Their jewellery will be provided by the brand Payal New York.
Bal des Debutantes founder Ophelie Renouard told news agency IANS in a statement: "India is such a major player in today's world. I am happy that for the first time, we have two debutantes from India and I would like this to happen every year."
Princess Gauravi's brother Maharaja Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur will also be at le Bal as the 'cavalier' or escort for another star kid, this time from Hollywood - actress Reese Witherspoon's daughter Ava Phillippe, 18, reports Vanity Fair.
Previous debutantes from India have included Mukesh and Nita Ambani's daughter Isha and Lalit Modi's niece Jayati. Navya Naveli Nanda, daughter of Shweta Bachchan and Nikhil Nanda, reportedly cancelled her debut two years ago after the terror attacks in Paris.
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