Last weekend marked the 65th anniversary of Monaco’s most prestigious social event, the Bal de la Rose.
It was established by Princess Grace in 1954 to launch the party season in the Principality. The idea was to connect the event with a Rose, a show and a country and then mirroring this theme in the décor.
When the Princess Grace Foundation was created in 1964, the Bal de la Rose became a charity event, of which the profits would be donated to the foundation. 100% of the donations are dedicated to humanitarian projects which benefit children and students through cultural projects.
Some of the raffles items included: white gold and diamonds Repossi bracelet, two-night stay at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo with dinner at Le Grill and two entries to Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, two-night stay for two people at Monte-Carlo Beach with dinner at Restaurant Elsa, Marc Newson designed Louis Vuitton cabin luggage, Dior tote in embroidered canvas.
For the past five years, Princess Caroline’s friend Karl Lagerfeld was there, supporting, often responsible for the artistic direction and his hand-designed illustrations on the invitations. Likewise, for this year’s theme ‘Riviera’ was based on his idea.
To illustrate the splendour of the Riviera, a reknown graphic designer Richard Zielenkiewic produced a number of immersive decorations. The famous walkway that leads to the diving board of the Monte-Carlo Beach swimming pool fully embraced the Salle des Etoiles.
Inspired by the painting of deckchairs on the beach, the table cloths repeat the pastel shades, like emblems and symbols of the Dolce Vita. In the centre of each table are symbolic elements that recall the Riviera spirit of the evening. Under the hip-swaying rhythms of the 1950s, VIP guests were transported to another era.
The 2019 edition of Le Bal de la Rose delivered light, sunshine, the coastal atmosphere, all wrapped up in a glamorous and minimalist vision of the Riviera.