News
|Discover the world of the debutante
An exhibition exploring this intriguing culture of yesteryear opened at Kensington Palace on June 11th, to mark the 50th anniversary of the last time debutantes were presented at court.
Being a debutante was a right restricted to girls from the aristocracy and upper classes, who would be given a formal presentation known as a debut or 'coming out' ceremony, when they would be presented at court to curtsey to the king or queen.
This tradition had its final season in 1958 and the Last Debutantes exhibition at Kensington Palace will explore the customs and conventions that defined the life of the debutante.
The items on display will include fashionable afternoon dresses and ball gowns, including garments by Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain, as well as accessories that were worn in the final season of 1958.
Photographs and memoirs will provide a personal perspective on an era of expiring traditions and social change.
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