Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker’s daughter Sophie recently attended the prestigious and elitist Bal des Débutantes in Paris. Hosted on Nov. 30 at the Shangri-La hotel, the event features 20 young women between ages16 and 22.
For the special occasion, Sophie wore a burgundy gown designed by none other than Oscar de la Renta; her accessories included a gold collar necklace. Kodjoe served as her chaperone and danced with her on the floor.
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“My heart is soooo full ❤️ A magical night indeed,” Parker wrote in an Instagram post.
This year’s ball introduced other celebrity children, including Apple Martin, the daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, as well as Lucia Ponti, Sophia Loren’s granddaughter, People reported. Past attendees have included Lily Collins and Margaret Qualley.
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“I wanted to honor the tradition of being a debutante,” Sophie told Vogue ahead of the ball. “I think its history is rooted in sending young women off to the world to be married, but in this case, it showcases how individual all of the women participating are and how diverse and creative everyone is. I think it’s a great opportunity to meet new people from all over the world and I’m just really honored to be a part of that.”
Hosted in several European countries, debutante balls first appeared in the late 18th century as a way to introduce daughters of aristocratic families into society in hopes of finding them a husband within their social circle.
The tradition has been upheld to this day and features the participation of aristocratic families and celebrities. It has been further popularized in hit TV shows like Bridgerton and Gossip Girl.
