One of the most famous debutante events in Paris was attended by a young woman bearing a name steeped in South Asian history.
Ella Wadia, the great-great-granddaughter of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, took part in this year’s Le Bal des Débutantes, joining a select group of women from distinguished families worldwide.
Le Bal is held each year at the Shangri-La Paris hotel, which once served as the home of Prince Roland Bonaparte. Each year, only 20 participants under 21 are invited, making it one of the most exclusive social gatherings of its type.
Ella’s involvement captured attention as her lineage connecting her to Jinnah through his daughter Dina Wadia, who married Neville Wadia from the Parsi Wadia family, came up. Their son, Nusli Wadia, eventually became the chairman of the Wadia Group. Nusli’s son Jehangir Wadia is Ella’s father, while her mother, Celina Wadia, is a fashion designer.
Ella donned a strapless dress created in partnership with Elie Saab. She was among debutantes from various parts of the world, including Carolina Lansing, Isabelle d’Orleans, Lady Araminta Spencer-Churchill, Jillian Chan, Eulalia de Orleans-Borbón, Almudena Dailly de Orleans, Ruby Kemper, Alice Wang, Eugenia of Hohenzollern, Bronwyn Vance, and Eliza Lindroth.
The event’s dress code permitted any colour aside from black or white, with each participant collaborating with a couture house to craft a bespoke gown for the event.
The origins of the event date back to 1958, when it was known as the Crillon Ball. It has served as a meeting place for young women from prominent families, including those connected to entertainment, business, and public roles.
Previous editions have featured participants such as Margaret Qualley, Lily Collins, Lori Harvey, Ava Phillippe, and Scout and Tallulah Willis.
Le Bal is coordinated by event planner Ophélie Renouard, who manages the selection process. In an interview with ELLE regarding the criteria for selection, she remarked, “It’s like casting a play,” highlighting that the decision involves assessing each individual’s fashion sense, uniqueness, and academic achievements.
Renouard has emphasized that the event is not based on marital customs traditionally associated with debutante balls. Rather, she frames it as an event focused on the participants and their experiences.
Ella participated in the event with her contemporaries at the 2025 edition, continuing a family legacy that has traversed Karachi, Bombay, and now Paris over several generations.