A
Princess
Monica Concepcion talks about
being a debutante at the le Bal des
Débutantes—three days of couture
Diary
A debutante
in paris
Monica
Concepcion in
her Marchesa
couture gown
outside the
venue; jewellery
by Payal New
York
gowns, bespoke jewellery, and a whole
lot of attention from around the world
Photography Tim Griffiths Words eana maniebo
Art Direction Anton san diego
186
philippine tatler . february 2017
philippine tatler . february 2017
187
Call it a stroke of
coincidence or a
trick of fate,
Monica Concepcion
was vacationing in Paris, France during the summer
when she received the news that she was chosen to
represent the Philippines at the annual le Bal des
Débutantes. “It was surreal,” said the second to the
youngest child of Joey and Marissa Concepcion.
“I was in the middle of a family vacation in
Europe when I found out. I couldn’t believe it was
happening. Receiving the invite was truly the cherry
on top of that trip!”
The doe-eyed 20-year-old lady was one
of the 16 international debutantes chosen to
participate in the prestigious ball held at The
Peninsula Paris last November. The exclusive
event takes its roots from the old-world
tradition of presenting young ladies from noble
and illustrious families to society to signify
that they are ready for marriage. The Ball,
commonly known around the world as le Bal,
was first organised in 1992 by French public
relations maven Ophélie Renouard as a posh,
invitation-only gala cum charity event.
It was only when Monica returned to Manila
that the enormous honour of being a le Bal
188
debutante dawned upon her.
Her next step was to set a
positive mindset; after all, such
a high-profile event would
surely tie a knot in one’s gut.
“I was a bundle of nerves.
When I came back to Manila
after enjoying my vacation,
I told myself, ‘I need to take
this more seriously now.’
Representing the country is a
big thing and I didn’t want to
be a disappointment. I knew I
could do it. Still, there was
a bit of doubt and fear of
failure; but I was confident,
especially with the support I got from family
and friends,” she says.
Her biggest supporters were her parents.
Her mother Marissa is a former fashion
designer; her father Joey is the CEO of
the food and beverage company RFM
Corporation, and the founder of GoNegosyo,
a non-profit organisation that helps budding
entrepreneurs in the country. He recently
took on his former appointment as the
presidential consultant on entrepreneurship.
“I had to go over that hump I call fear. It’s
a big deal to know that you have so many
philippine tatler . february 2017
people rooting for you back home. It helped
a lot in dealing with the butterflies in my
stomach,” she shares.
Rigour and Glamour
The debutante credits her “funky” mum for
keeping her in check and helping her through
the craziness that ensued. For the days leading
to the Ball were insane, in a fabulous way.
On the morning of 24 November 2016,
Monica was back in Paris with her mum. What
followed were a series of photo shoots and
interviews for numerous publications around
the world, all held at The Peninsula Paris, which
was transformed into a candy land for young
ladies who love to play dress up.
“There were five rooms just for make-up, hair,
dresses, and refreshments,” Monica describes.
“When you enter one, there are five makeup artists and hairstylists. You can just walk
up to any of them and start preparing for the
day. Walking in and getting ready—this was
our routine for three straight days. It’s like The
Princess Diaries, it was amazing!”
The debutantes ranged from ages 16 to 22.
They came from countries like Spain, Italy,
Portugal, Brazil, Vietnam, China, Belgium,
Austria, India, France, and the USA. “These girls
came from well-off families from around the
philippine tatler . february 2017
world. You’d think they would be snobs but no,
they were very down to earth,” she says.
But not everything was glamorous,
according to Monica. The schedule was also
tiring, “especially with the four- to five-inch
heel Louboutins we were made to wear. My
feet have never hurt as they did!” However, she
said she would gladly go through the pain again.
“When else does one get to wear Louboutins
for three straight days and enjoy all these
perks?” she says.
Her busy but supportive father arrived the
next day, on the 25th, just in time for the waltz
rehearsal where the debutantes also met their
cavaliers, or partners, for the first time. “I had
no clue how to waltz. Surprisingly, my dad, who
didn’t know how to waltz either, got it right off
the bat. He was so serious about it and after just
a few takes, he was twirling me and leading me
through the dance floor,” she says. They then
had the chance to meet the other debutantes’
parents and cavaliers.
The most-awaited evening came; it was
magical in every way possible. Everything went
smoothly, thanks to the extraordinary planning
skill of Renouard.
Monica stunned everyone at the Ball as she
donned a pink gown adorned with intricate
flowers and leaves by Marchesa, the New
LADIES OF
LE BAL
Monica with
Ella Beatty,
Alexina Fontes
Williams, Maïa
Twombly,
and Marquise
Altea Patrizi
Naro Montoro;
(inset) Monica
with her
cavalier Guelfo
Gucci Ludolf
189
“When else does one get to wear
Louboutins for three straight days and
enjoy all these perks?”
York-based fashion house created by Georgina
Chapman and Keren Craig. “Their designs
are so youthful, simple yet elegant, and super
timeless. If I had the chance, I would wear all
their gowns every day,” she gushes. Apart from
Louboutins, the debutantes wore bespoke
jewellery by Payal New York and Payal Mehta,
the event’s official jeweller, chose a pair of
dangling emerald earrings for Monica. “It
worked perfectly with the dress,” she says. “I
wanted to highlight the earrings so I decided
to put my hair up for the Ball. I’m really happy
with how everything was put together and I got
a lot of good feedback.”
The debutantes regally descended the stairs
as Stéphane Bern called their names twice.
They entered the grand ballroom, first, on the
arms of their handsome cavaliers, and second
on their own, marking their debut into the
world of couture and international circles
of society.
“All eyes were on us as we walked,” recalls
Monica. “To my pleasant surprise, everyone
was clapping and smiling, which really helped a
lot. It’s fun being sophisticated and elegant in a
gown. It’s like a fairy tale.”
The ladies waltzed with their fathers and
cavaliers, and were served an exquisite and
delectable dinner. The night was a blur of
lovely women in couture gowns and handsome
gentlemen in tailored suits oozing with
grandeur—all gathered, apart from celebrating
the French way of life, for a good cause.
Philanthropic Roots
peacock
tales
Monica
embodies
modern
Philippine
glamour in
a stunning
Cary Santiago
dress;
jewellery by
Payal New
York
190
“My family background had a lot to do with me
becoming a humanitarian,” says Monica. She
has been involved with outreach programmes
and other charity works even at a young age.
Her grandfather, the industrialist Jose “Joecon”
Concepcion, has been sponsoring the White
Cross Orphanage in San Juan ever since she can
remember, while her mum supports the Laura
Vicuña Foundation, an NGO that empowers the
vulnerable youth (out-of-school children, the
sexually abused, and victims of child labour).
“Every Christmas, we give goods to the
children and spend time with them. When we
were young, we would go every Saturday and
teach the kids what we learnt from school that
week,” Monica says.
Her father has made it his life advocacy
to help lessen poverty in the country by
helping people with their microbusinesses.
He established GoNegosyo to foster
a friendlier and more attainable
entrepreneurial industry for common
Filipinos with brilliant ideas and an
optimistic and passionate attitude. “I
want to be like my dad. He always told
his children, ‘Study here, make your
connections here, and build here because
this is your home.’ He wants us to contribute
to our country. That’s the next big challenge
I will face: what can I do to give back to
my country?”
Her passion to help others is aligned with
le Bal’s charity causes as it supports the Seleni
Institute, an organisation that addresses the
mental health of adult women and teenage
mothers with research as well as making
mental health care more accessible. Another
beneficiary of the Ball is Enfants d’Asie, a
humanitarian association that funds the
education of more than 1,000 underprivileged
young women in Southeast Asia including
the Philippines.
“I was invited for a reason. I met these girls
for a reason. They influenced me in many ways.
It’s our responsibility to make the event known
and to gather as much support as we can for
these charities,” she says passionately.
“When I came back from the Ball, I was
more determined than ever to grasp the
opportunities I have to find a purpose in life.
It’s so much more than finding my career path.
I want my endeavours to create a ripple effect
on my fellow Filipinos. I don’t know how I will
yet, but whenever I think of what I want to do
in the future, I always ask myself: How will it
benefit others?”
Greatest Takeaway
Apart from a more fervent desire to give back
to the community, Monica took home with
her priceless experiences shared among her
newfound friends.
“Can you imagine? I arrived in Paris on
Thursday, met the girls on Friday, and in a
span of three days, I was able to make lifelong
friends. I wouldn’t have met these people if it
hadn’t been for le Bal,” Monica says.
Many would say that putting 16 girls
together would be inviting trouble, but not for
these debutantes. But what made such a diverse
group of smart and classy young ladies click?
According to Monica, it was only about being
true to yourself.
On bonding with the other ladies, Monica
says, “We all came from different cultures and
we’re all nervous about being able to get along.
But everyone was basically in the same boat.
Every single one got along. Not just the girls,
but the guys as well. We are still in contact with
each other until now. I’m very blessed to belong
to this batch of debutantes and cavaliers.”
philippine tatler . february 2017
philippine tatler . february 2017
191
in the
blood
The debutante
takes after
her generous
father Joey
Concepcion
and her stylish
mum Marissa
OrosaConcepcion;
jewellery
by Payal
New York
“There are language barriers, of course, but
our friendship transcends them,” she adds.
Several debutantes had to leave the
day after the Ball, but Monica extended
her stay as she met up with the rest who
stayed as well in London to visit the Winter
Wonderland in Hyde Park and enjoy the
city’s white Christmas. They still send
messages to each other every day through
their Whatsapp groups where they have
already lined up several trips to visit each
other in the future. “I’m planning to go to
Singapore to visit Jayati [from India] and
Nam Phuong [from Vietnam]. I invited
them to come to the Philippines in April.
We are planning so many trips!”
“I want my endeavours to create a ripple
effect on my fellow Filipinos”
Her advice for the next debutante
from the Philippines? Eat a heavy breakfast
because you’ll never know when the whirlwind
of activities before the Ball will allow you to
eat. “It’s going to go by fast so make the most
out of it. Put yourself out there, socialise, and
show them who you are as a person because
these people will be your lifetime friends and
they are the best people you can have by your
side from around the world.”
T
he founder of le Bal des
Débutantes, Ophélie
Renouard, has maintained the
prestige of this event in the
international social calendar. It is not a
walk in the park but a task that demands
amazing organisational skills, astute
judgement, and limitless creativity.
She reveals a few of her secrets as she
answers questions from Philippine Tatler.
in le Bal are the Asians and the
Americans. So I chose Enfants d’Asie
that helps put young girls to school,
and the New York-based Seleni
Institute that cares for women’s
mental health and teenage mothers.
PT: What do you think is the
relevance of le Bal in the 21st century?
OR: Le Bal in Paris works like a
private club on a global scale. The
debs come from all over the world
PHILIPPINE TATLER: How would you
and there is not too much difference
compare this year’s Ball with the
between them: they wear the same
previous ones?
clothes, listen to the same music,
OPHELIE RENOUARD: I would be
read the same books…and they
curious to hear what everyone thinks;
communicate with one another
but to me, it was a very relaxed Bal,
instantly and constantly. The debs
very well organised even though the
are proud to be invited and be part
space was new. We [my team] have
of a special, very small, group. They
been working together for so long,
stay in touch for a very long time.
it feels like [we’re] a family that gets
Some of the debs who follow us on
together once a year!
Instagram [lebal.paris] did le Bal 20
PT: Why the move to the Peninsula Paris,
years ago!
and will this be the new home?
PT: Are you already preparing for the
OR: I organised le Bal outside a hotel
next ball?
for three years and the logistic was too
OR: We already have 10 debs
much for the debs, the cavaliers, and my
confirmed for 2017, a special year as
team. The best solution is definitely a
it is le Bal’s 25th anniversary. I like
with ophÉlie
5-star Parisian hotel. Le Bal was at the
to keep the same partners for as long
Crillon from 1992 to 2012 but it is now
as possible. In 2017, they remain the
renouard
under renovation. I have known the
same: the Indian jeweller Payal Mehta,
Peninsula for years, and it seemed like
the Renault car, and the Peninsula.
the natural choice.
PT: A message to the Philippine Tatler readers, and
PT: What are you looking for in an international debutante?
especially those who would like to be part of the
OR: We have two main criteria: physical attributes, as the debs
debutantes’ ball?
have to fit into the haute couture gowns that are lent to them
OR: We are very happy to have one deb from the
and this is not as easy as it may sound; good character, as I
Philippines every year but one should not be offended
prefer debs to be good students, concerned about charity and
if not accepted. Unfortunately, we can only have one
the environment, and share common values.
[representative from each country] a year, out of 20
PT: Why did you choose your two charities for le Bal?
debutantes worldwide! We receive lots of requests and I
OR: I selected them because they help young women. The
always try to answer to each one of them personally and
main donors and the two biggest groups of [participants]
find a solution.
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. february
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philippine
hong kong
tatler
tatler
2017
Photo by Tim Griffiths
HAIR: ALEXANDRE DE PARIS; MAke-UP: Mac Cosmetics
Q&A
philippine tatler . february 2017
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