Apple Martin's Debutante Ball Dress Had Heads Turning

Unless you were living under a rock this past weekend (or simply too full of turkey to care — we get it), you heard that Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow and musician Chris Martin's daughter, Apple Martin, made her majestic debut at the 2024 Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris, France, on Saturday, November 30. If you follow the annual ball, you probably already know that other notable nepo babies, including style icons Lily Collins, Margaret Qualley, and Ava Phillippe, have also debuted at the prestigious ball in years past.

This year, in addition to Apple, the event was graced by Italian diva Sophia Loren's granddaughter, Lucia Sofia Ponti, and Sophie Kodjoe, the daughter of actor Nicole Ari Parker of "Remember the Titans" fame. But back to Apple, who has had everyone talking about her dress in the days following the event. "Blue was the perfect color! Beautiful," one user commented on Paltrow's Instagram post about the weekend. "Love Apple's gown," another wrote. One commenter even spoke about Apple as a whole, writing, "WOW! The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree! Her face could launch a million perfumes and I would buy all of them ..." 

Whose fashion design did the young star wear, and was her dress really that impressive? Here's what we know.

Apple Martin is one of many celebrity kids who has borrowed iconic outfits from their famous parents, but her look this time around was no such closet grab. Instead, she looked stunning at the Le Bal des Débutantes thanks to a Valentino Haute Couture design that reportedly took a whopping 750 hours for the brand's creative director, Alessandro Michele, and his team to hand-make (via Vogue). The powder-blue, floor-length gown was a showstopper, and Martin kept the rest of her accessories simple by going for matching $1,070 Valentino heels and subtle jewelry — namely, a dainty bracelet, a cute but not overwhelming ring, and elegant earrings. Martin paired the look with a loose updo with face-framing pieces, which perfectly matched the movement of her dress.

Sky blue was the "it" color of this spring's fashion, and if Martin and Valentino are as trendy as we think they are, it'll continue to be just as popular this winter. On the Maison Valentino Instagram, the gown was described as "a long evening dress made from ciel bleu silk plissé chiffon. The bodice features intricate vertical plissé detailing, while the waist is elegantly accentuated with a black silk bow." Martin's entire family also attended the ball, and Gwyneth Paltrow even shared glimpses of the evening on her Instagram, describing her time in The City of Love as "[a] special long weekend in Paris."

Now, if you're wondering why Martin decided to go with Valentino on her big day, the answer might be a family affair. In 2018, Paltrow walked down the aisle in a beautiful Valentino wedding dress to marry writer and director Brad Falchuk. It seems that when it comes to the mother-daughter duo, the two share their love for this luxury brand. Perhaps needless to say, Paltrow showed up to support her daughter at the ball in a Valentino look as well.

If you haven't heard of Paris' annual Le Bal des Débutantes, don't worry — you're not the only one. The prestigious event is held annually, and according to its website, it "is culturally linked to the 18th century English tradition of the debutante ball, in which the young ladies were introduced into society." This, of course, explains its "Bridgerton"-like nature, and the fashion we see at the ball each year could easily give the Netflix series a run for its money.

Originally, the ball was held in Paris from 1957 to 1973, but in 1994, it experienced a modern revamp thanks to renowned luxury event organizer Ophélie Renouard. Ever since, it's been known as "le Bal." And in case you're wondering how one gets to attend the ball: To this day, Renouard handpicks 20 or so young ladies from across the globe to attend her event each year. While le Bal doesn't really do much as an introduction to society anymore — after all, we were all very aware of Apple Martin prior to this year's ball — it does serve as a charity event to uplift organizations that directly aid young women.