Parties

These are the best parties I have discovered, and I'd like to think that they are among the best ever thrown.

Each one of them has inspired me, and I hope they might inspire you as well.

Party

The Rothschild's Last Great Ball

A party of the modern world, designed to be experiential, it was only possible because of the lessons of the historic grand balls that came before it.

Discover the Rothschild's Ball

Party

Legendary Parties Book

One of the most coveted books in 20th century social history, Legendary Parties captures the glory of the most spectacular balls of the past.

Discover Legendary Parties

Great Private Balls

February 11, 1903

The Romanov Ball

Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra Romanov

Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia

June 24, 1911

The Thousand and Second Night

Paul Poiret

Maison des Pages, Paris, France

February 27, 1922

Bals des Jeux (Games Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

May 30, 1923

Bal Louis XIV (Louis XIV Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

1925

Le Bal des Entrees d'Opera (Opera Entrances Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

1927

The Future Age, Futurism

Viscount Charles and Viscountess Marie Laure de Noailles

Paris, France

1928

Bal de la Mer (Sea Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

1928

Bal Proust (Proust Ball)

Princess Jean-Louis de Faucigny-Lucinge

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

March 10, 1929

Bal Bibliothèque Rose (Pink Library Ball)

Adrien Drian

Le Moulin, Orsay, France

April 13, 1929

1799 Ball

Duke Fulco de Verdura

Palazzo Verdura, Palermo, Italy

June 19, 1929

Bal des Matières (Materials Ball)

Viscount Charles and Viscountess Marie Laure de Noailles

Paris, France

June 1, 1930

Bal Blanc (White Ball)

Countess Pecci-Blunt

1931

Bal Colonial (Colonial Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

July 1, 1931

Bal Champêtre (Country Ball)

Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg with Elsa Maxwell

Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France

1934

Nuit à Schönbrunn / Bal Second Empire (Second Empire Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith and Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg

Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France

1935

Bal Oriental (Oriental Ball)

Mrs. Reginald (Daisy) Fellowes

1935

Bal des Tableaux Célèbres (Famous Paintings Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

October 1, 1938

Bal de la Forêt (Forest Ball)

André Durst

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

June 28, 1939

Bal du Tricenenaire de Racine (Racine Tricentenary Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

July 2, 1938

The First Circus Ball

Elsie de Wolfe (Lady Mendl)

Villa Trianon, Versailles, France

July 1, 1939

The Last Circus Ball

Elsie de Wolfe (Lady Mendl)

Villa Trianon, Versailles, France

1946

Nuit du Pré Catelan (Night of Pré Catelan)

Paris, France

March 1, 1949

Bal des Rois et Reines (Kings and Queens Ball)

Count Étienne de Beaumont and Edith

Rue Masseran, Paris, France

1949

The Mistress Ball

Duff Cooper

Paris, France

January 16, 1951

Bal de la Lune sur Mer (Moon Over the Sea Ball)

Viscount Charles and Viscountess Marie Laure de Noailles

Paris, France

September 3, 1951

Bals des Masques et Dominos du XVIIIe Siècle (18th Century Masks and Dominoes Ball)

Monsieur Carlos de Beistegui

Palazzo Labia, Venice, Italy

September 1, 1953

Bal Goya (Goya Ball)

Marquis de Cuevas

Biarritz, France

February 11, 1956

Bal des Artistes (Artists' Ball)

Viscount Charles and Viscountess Marie Laure de Noailles

Paris, France

1956

Bal des Tètes (Headdress Ball)

Baron Alexis de Redé

Hôtel Lambert, Paris, France

June 23, 1965

Bal My Fair Lady (My Fair Lady Ball)

Madame Hélène Rochas

Grande Cascade in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France

June 27, 1966

Bal du Centenaire (Centenary Ball)

Monaco

November 28, 1966

Black and White Ball

Truman Capote

Plaza Hotel, New York City, USA

July 3, 1969

The White Ball

Prince Rupert and Princess Josephine Loewenstein

Holland Park, London, United Kingdom

December 5, 1969

Bal Oriental (Oriental Ball)

Baron Alexis de Redé

Hôtel Lambert, Paris, France

December 2, 1971

Bal Proust (Proust Ball)

Baron Guy de Rothschild and Baroness Marie Hélène de Rothschild

Château de Ferrières, France

December 12, 1972

Bal Surréaliste (Surrealist Ball)

Baron Guy de Rothschild and Baroness Marie Hélène de Rothschild

Château de Ferrières, France

see The Rothschild's Last Great Ball