Couture Week Opens With a Cinematic Bal d’Été, Directed by Sofia Coppola at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Paris slumped from sizzle to drizzle this weekend, but the sun broke through just in time for 300 guests—a mix of art patrons, collectors, couture clients, movie stars, and fashion luminaries—to turn out dressed to the nines for the summer ball at MAD, as the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is known. Officially called Le Bal d’Été, the gala has quickly become known, simply, as Le Bal.

For months, scoring an invitation to the fundraiser had been the hottest game in town. On Sunday night, the scene not only raised the curtain on Couture Week—it also marked the centenary of the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts. Proceeds from the evening—an estimated $2.8 million—will go toward supporting the highly anticipated exhibition 1925–2025: One Hundred Years of Art Deco, which opens October 22.

Once past the photo call, guests including Chanel ambassadors Keira Knightley, Kirsten Dunst, and Penélope Cruz; Betty Catroux, Marisa Berenson, Pieter Mulier, Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant, Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, Zac Posen, Christian Louboutin, Cindy Sherman, Léna Mahfouf, Chiara Mastroianni, Giambattista Valli, and Inez and Vinoodh stepped into a cinematic décor masterminded by Coppola. French wrought iron garden furnishings, shimmering crystal candelabras, and lavish floral displays set the scene. Among the early arrivals was Jordan Roth, who swept in wearing a dramatic sequined and pleated gown from Alessandro Michele’s debut couture collection for Valentino. “If you’re going to throw a couture party, I’m going all out,” he quipped.

Though MAD has hosted galas before, the museum’s president, Lionel Sauvage, described this one as its “first real family ball.”

“Everyone here is close to the museum,” he said of the event, which he hopes to stage every other year. He credited Jean-Victor Meyers, president of the gala’s honorary committee, with conceiving the idea of a festive summer ball in collaboration with Coppola. Describing a full-circle family moment, Sauvage recounted how, during the pandemic lockdowns, Thomas Mars—Coppola’s husband—used the museum’s great hall to rehearse with his band, Phoenix. “More than fundraising, that’s the kind of friendship and fun that defines this entire evening,” Sauvage said.

As artistic director, Coppola explained that her goal was to make guests feel at home—not as if they were attending a traditional fundraiser.

“I wanted to keep the theme of a summer ball and bring the garden inside,” Coppola offered, “and I approached it the same way I would a party scene in a movie.” One of her references? The legendary hostess Countess Jacqueline de Ribes as captured in an iconic 1980s Horst photograph, posed beside an exuberant flower arrangement. Rosy tablescapes, a menu composed by Bertrand Grébaut of Septime, and a performance by South African soprano Pretty Yende—dressed in a magenta vintage Balenciaga gown from the Nicolas Ghesquière era—rounded out the evening.

And, like many of her movies, Dunst (who explains she wouldn’t have missed the night, given that “Sofia is family to me!”) was, of course, present. Of Dunst’s favorite moment of the night? The Pretty Yende performance.

“I love the way hostesses did things then—big dresses, big flowers, color—while still being elegant and refined,” Coppola told Vogue. “I loved the idea of pale pink inspired by the Chanel archives—kind of Ginger Rogers—and I always loved Karl’s shirt dresses. I hope it feels personal, like a celebration of Paris and an occasion to dress up surrounded by beauty, art de vivre, and the great work of all the artisans who participated.”

The upbeat mood continued after dinner, as students from Paris’s top fashion and design schools joined an after-party featuring a performance by Phoenix, with legendary barman Colin Field overseeing the cocktails.

Inez said, “First of all, the most exciting thing for me was the dress code, because it meant you were expected to take care of how you look in a delicate and chic way. Seeing people feel chic and beautiful brought out this sense of I want to look amazing for me and have a good time. And then the way the space was transformed was just beautiful—you got the sense that people wanted to stay because they were happy.”

Added McGrath, who lingered until nearly midnight despite a pre-dawn call time for the Schiaparelli show: “I’m busy, so I’m not a woman who goes out every night. But tonight was beautiful. Wonderful scene, so many people I love all in the same place,” she said. “I keep thinking—why don’t we do this more often?”

This article was originally published on Vogue.com. 

Tina Isaac-Goizé

Author

Tina Isaac-Goizé is a journalist, editor, copywriter, and translator based in Paris. Her diverse portfolio hosts published work in esteemed outlets such as The New York Times, Vogue, The Telegraph, and Departures/Centurion (American Express Publishing). She also previously served as the Launch Editor for Vogue.com in France.

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