【09.11.26 AFP】Chinese cadre's family at Paris debutantes ball

maji

Chinese cadre's family at Paris debutantes ball
Thu Nov 26, 9:40 pm ET

PARIS (AFP) – Blessed by the privilege of wealth, birth or both, 24 teenage girls on Saturday descend on Paris' debutantes ball, an aristocratic tradition that survived France's guillotining of royalty over 200 years ago.

But in a sign of changing times, the likes of 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 society calendar, the ball at the Crillon Hotel marks the "coming out" of daughters of the rich and famous, including Clint Eastwood's daughter Francesca, 16, and the granddaughter of Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho, Ariel.

Bringing together 24 debutantes from 12 countries, the event includes for the first time Australia and Venezuela.
Turkey will be represented by national ski team member Gulsah Alkoclar, and India by the last descendant of the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.

The quintessentially English event was intended as an opportunity for young girls to be presented at court where they might find a future husband from a suitable bloodline.

But with the execution of much of France's aristocracy in the wake of the 1789 revolution, the tradition also died out, until it was resurrected as a public relations event by Ophelie Renouard.

The proceeds will be donated to charity, making the event "less trivial," according to host Stephane Bern.

"The tradition has lost nothing of its appeal but it perpetuates itself by abandoning the vestiges of aristocratic glory: there are more and more debutantes from families that have made a name for themselves other than simply by being born," explains Bern.

"The debutantes ball is thus less trivial and more useful thanks to its defence of a humanitarian cause. Participants are more and more conscious of their privileges and undertake a lot of things during the year, which doesn't stop them dreaming of an evening on the Place de la Concorde in a haute couture dress," added Bern, a society journalist.

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.

This year, the likes of Angelica Hicks, great granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten, the late British statesman, will choose their own fashion stylist for the evening but all will wear jewellery from Adler, one of the ball's sponsors.

The two Chinese debs, for instance, have chosen Dior and US designer Carolina Herrera.

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.

During dinner, the debutantes walk around with their devoted companions and are presented to the master of ceremonies. During coffee, host Bern will open the ball by dancing a Strauss waltz with the youngest girl present.

vivicat

翻译来自网络：http://www.i21st.cn/story/674.html

Chinese girls at Paris debutantes ball
名门有女初长成

FROM Internet
PUBLISHED: 2009-12-01

导读：每年的11月，位于法国巴黎的克利翁酒店总会有一个特殊的夜晚——巴黎成年舞会(Paris' debutantes ball)。届时，世界各地的名门贵族、各界名人明星会聚集在一起，庆祝这些名门少女初涉社交圈。本年度有两位中国少女受邀出席该舞会。

上周六，或来自豪门、或出身贵族的24位少女名媛翩然降临巴黎成年舞会。200多年前法国人将王室送上断头台，而这项贵族传统却历经考验，流传至今。

Blessed by the privilege of wealth, birth or both, 24 teenage girls on Saturday descend on Paris' debutantes ball, an aristocratic tradition that survived France's guillotining of royalty over 200 years ago.

这项传统也透露出时代的变迁。今年，已故黛安娜王妃的18岁侄女凯蒂•史宾塞，以及来自中国的17岁少女李茉莉都将出席该舞会。
But in a sign of changing times, the likes of the late princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer, 18, will this year be joined by a Chinese girl Jasmin Li, 17.  

作为欧洲社交圈的年度盛事，在克利翁酒店举行的这场舞会旨在庆祝这些富豪名流之女首度亮相社交圈，此次宴会的名单上包括名导演克林特伊斯特伍德的16岁掌上明珠弗朗西斯卡，与澳门赌王何鸿燊的外孙女——艾瑞儿。

A highlight of Europe's society calendar, the ball at the Crillon Hotel marks the "coming out" of daughters of the rich and famous, including Clint Eastwood's daughter Francesca, 16, and the granddaughter of Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho, Ariel.

共有来自12个国家的24位佳丽出席，其中包括首次获邀的澳洲与委内瑞拉。代表土耳其出席的是国家滑雪队队员艾可克拉。查谟和克什米尔王朝的后裔则代表印度出席。

Bringing together 24 debutantes from 12 countries, the event includes for the first time Australia and Venezuela. Turkey will be represented by national ski team member Gulsah Alkoclar, and India by the last descendant of the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.

这项典型的英式活动曾是年轻女孩踏入宫廷的大好机会，她们可在舞会上找到门当户对的金龟婿。

The quintessentially English event was intended as an opportunity for young girls to be presented at court where they might find a future husband from a suitable bloodline.  

不过随着1789年法国大革命中大部分贵族被处决后，这项传统也逐渐失传，直到奥菲莉•雷努阿重新将舞会以社交活动形式复兴。

But with the execution of much of France's aristocracy in the wake of the 1789 revolution, the tradition also died out, until it was resurrected as a public relations event by Ophelie Renouard.  

主办人斯蒂芬•柏恩表示，舞会收益将捐给慈善团体，以彰显此次活动“并非毫无意义”。

The proceeds will be donated to charity, making the event "less trivial," according to host Stephane Bern.

“这项传统完全没有失去它的魅力，甚至因蜕去其残存的贵族荣耀而让人难忘；越来越多的各界名媛，她们并不依仗自己的出身，而是靠自己的努力而得到认可。”柏恩解释说。

"The tradition has lost nothing of its appeal but it perpetuates itself by abandoning the vestiges of aristocratic glory: there are more and more debutantes from families that have made a name for themselves other than simply by being born," explains Bern.  

今年，已故英国政治家——蒙巴顿勋爵的曾孙女安洁莉娜•希克斯也会出席该舞会，她将同其他佳丽一起亲自挑选当晚的造型师，不过所有人都将配戴由赞助商艾德勒提供的珠宝首饰。  

This year, the likes of Angelica Hicks, great granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten, the late British statesman, will choose their own fashion stylist for the evening but all will wear jewellery from Adler, one of the ball's sponsors.  

两位来自中国的佳丽分别选择了迪奥的礼服以及美国设计师卡罗琳娜•海莱娜的作品。  

The two Chinese debs, for instance, have chosen Dior and US designer Carolina Herrera.  

晚宴上，名媛们将与贴身男伴绕场一周，舞伴会将她引见给舞会的主持人。茶点时间，主持人将与全场最年轻的女孩跳一曲华尔兹作为舞会的开场。  

During dinner, the debutantes walk around with their devoted companions and are presented to the master of ceremonies. During coffee, host Bern will open the ball by dancing a Strauss waltz with the youngest girl present.  
(Translator & Editor: Aaron & Grace）