Chinese Debutante Ball Mimics Fading Old-Money Western Tradition
By wchung | 10 May, 2025

The rich and famous of Shanghai are embracing a coming-of-age ceremony for young women that evokes the debutante balls that were once a symbol of social status and old money in western society.

Today the debutante ball has fallen out of fashion among the better part of American, British and European society though there remain some exceptions, especially in the South or in upper-crust New York society which still holds exclusive annual events like the International Debutante Ball at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Eager for events that allow opportunities that may help them translate newfound wealth into social status, some of China’s business tycoons, celebrities and high-ranking officials are introducing their daughters at a ceremony held each March that features costly gowns, gracious manners and the earmarks of exclusivity, according to the US-based Chinese-language news site DW News.

A committee that calls itself Grace decides which young women between the ages of 15 and 24 are worthy of being presented at the ceremony. One criterion is that they must come from a family of wealth, celebrity or power. Another is that the girls must not be arrogant or conceited, according to a representative of a firm that provides planning service for family participating in the ceremony.

Once the women are chosen they are required to receive 12-hours of etiquette and manners training to prepare for the ceremony. They are also expected to adorn themselves in an extravagant gown befitting the occasion. The price tag for a suitable dress is said to average about 100,000 yuan ($16,000).

Some young women must wait several years before they receive an invitation. Apparently one limiting factor in the number of girls who can be presented each year is the scarcity of eligible young men with whom they can be paired.

It’s hardly surprising that a society that has been producing millions of nouveau riche people each year would produce some yearning to spend lavishly on new ways to deck their families in the trappings of social status. The trend may even be a positive development if it can help some elements of Chinese society learn the value of pairing gracious manners with their newfound material wealth.