Best dressed stars and socialites at The Débutante Ball 2024: Lucia Ponti, Apple Martin and more

Apple Martin made a surprise appearance at the Debutante Ball this year. 

The blonde beauty, 20, wore a tiered, ruffled dress designed by Valentino's Alessandro Michele, which took 750 hours of hard work to complete.

Chris and Gwyneth's daughter was accompanied to the ball by Leo Cosima Henckel von Donnersmarck from the Austro-Hungarian noble family House of Henckel von Donnersmarck.

He is the son of film director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and Christiane Asschenfeldt, the first International Executive Director of Creative Commons.

Proud papa Chris Martin couldn't hide his glee as he watched the catwalk presentation. His daughter Apple is an honorary debutante this year, following in the footsteps of Ava Phillippe - Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe's daughter - and Emily in Paris star Lily Collins before her. 

Her grandmother Blythe Danner was also a guest at the prestigious event.

Naturally, Apple's mother Gwyneth Paltrow was also in attendance, cheering the young debs on from the sidelines and posing for photo opportunities with her daughter. 

The A-list actress joined her ex-husband Chris, son Moses, and famous mother Blythe Danner around the dinner table, later cutting loose on the dancefloor together.

The granddaughter of the legendary screen star Sophia Loren, Lucia Ponti made her big debut on the social scene in style.

Lucia, a student at Brown University, lives in Los Angeles with her famous family. She was dressed Armani, one of her grandmother's friends in a nod to her heritage. Her date was also Italian; Count Alberico di Carpegna Brivio walked her down the runway. 

Ahead of the ball, Lucia-Sofia told HELLO! how much her iconic grandmother Sophia Loren inspired her.

"My grandmother always believed in timeless elegance and the importance of wearing something that reflects your true self. Growing up, she taught me the value of simplicity, tailoring, and always adding a touch of uniqueness to your outfit," she said.

Sophie Kodjoe is the daughter of And Just Like That... star Nicole Ari Parker. While both her parents are models and actors, the youngster has no firm career plans yet. 

She divides her time between Ghana, Germany and the US. Her galant date was Toussaint Pierre-Vargas, who comes from the USA/Brasil.

The sole royal member of the line-up this year, HRH Princess Eugenia de Borbon Vargas put on a playful display during the catwalk presentation. 

Accompanied by H.I.R.H. Archduke of Austria Karl-Konstantin Habsburg-Lothringen of Hungary, the princess looked gorgeous in a pastel blue strapless dress designed by Carolina Herrera. She wore a glittering heirloom tiara to highlight her royal roots. 

Vargas is Spanish, the daughter of HRH Prince Luis Alfonso, Duc d'Anjou, who would be in line for the French throne if the monarchy hadn't been abolished.

Holland-born Olivia Meijer Albada looked gorgeous in a glittering strapless design, adorning herself in sparkling diamonds. Her date for the evening was Antonius Meijer, her brother.

Her family is known for their work in real estate and wine - they own the French vineyard Chateau Giscours. They live in Athens but Olivia is studying in Madrid. 

Ella Yam opted for a resplendent red ruffled dress with a mullet hem for her big moment in the spotlight. Arriving on the arm of Harris Husain from Pakistan, all eyes were on her in her Giambattista Valli couture, which she described as a "dream come true". 

Ella's parents are the actor Hong Kong Simon Yam and the model Qiqi Fei. The starlet combines her studies at the London School of Economics with a modelling career.

British debs Oona Finch's name might be familiar. That's because the London-based socialite is the granddaughter of iconic actor Peter Finch.

Dressed in an elegant Chanel design with a frothy tulle skirt paired with dazzling drop earrings, she arrived arm-in-arm with Count Ascanio di Carpegna Brivio, who comes from Italy. 

Mina Muniz Tschape looked ravishing in a puffball bridal-white designer by Gaultier Paris. Her dashing cavalier Zhining Zhao from China, planted a kiss on her hand as they entered the ballroom.  

She is the daughter of Vicente Muiz and Janaina Tschape, both artists from Brazil. Not just a beautiful face, she hopes to become a scientist. 

Wearing the most daring of all the ball's looks, Isabel De Poligny made a big statement in Stephane Rolland as she arrived alongside Count Nicolas de Poligny. She stood out from the crowd in a black silk bustier top topped with a topaz necklace and a very low-waited satin skirt adorned with a silver buckle.

Isabel comes from Argentina and is of French descent. She is following in her family's footsteps by pursuing a passion for art, studying at the prestigious Courtauld Institute in London in the hopes of becoming a curator. 

Wearing a princess-style Elie Saab couture number, Rysa Panday was a vision on the arm of Maarish Hinduja. The stunning dress boasted intricate gold and lace embroidery and a corseted bodice. 

Her father and sister are Bollywood actors but Rysa is aspiring to have a career combining film and fashion. 

Madelyn Netto ensured all eyes were on her in a scarlet satin George Hobeika dress. The daughter of interior designer David Netto grew up between the West and the East Coast of the US and is now studying in Scotland.

She was accompanied by William Dejoux, who hails from the States.

Sofía Yadigaroglu was loving her moment in the spotlight alongside her date, Konstantinos Manos of Greece. Wearing a shimmering black Iris van Herpen design with a floor-skimming train, the New York-based beauty played up for the cameras. 

Her mother, Inma Barrero, is a renowned artist from southern Spain while her father is Greek of Byzantine and Swiss descent, and is passionate about climate change.

Sienna Gallienne, the granddaughter of business mogul Albert Frere, kept things classic in a beige Dior gown with a structured bodice and tulle skirt.

The Belgian heiress was accompanied by Beltran Remiro Imaz of Spain. The Debs Ball is a family rite of passage; in fact, her mother also wore Dior to her own ball back in 1994. 

Angel Zhang, the daughter of Chinese movie director Zhang Yimou, modelled an Alexis Mabille design in blue satin with unique sleeve detailing. Her brother Daniel was chosen as her cavalier. 

Her passion is all things cinema and she plans to go to university in the US. Her mother Ting Chen was a ballerina and her older brother Ethan works in film. 

American beauty Peyton Spaht, who comes from San Francisco, chose the most extravagant dress of the evening. The Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda design made a big statement - and her sister and mother were also dressed by the fashion house for the ball.

Her father is a managing partner of the American private equity firm Thomas Bravo and her parents are mental health advocates. On her arm was France's H.R.H Prince Constantin d’Orléans.

French deb Aliénor Loppin de Montmort posed up a storm with her date, Count Rodolphe de Hemricourt Grunne of Belgium. 

The brunette brunette donned an Emanuel Ungaro dress and wore her hair pulled back in a high ponytail. The self-described animal lover comes from an aristocratic family with roots in Argentina.

Cornelia Manou opted for a Greek designer in tribute to her heritage. She donned a glittering silver Celia Kritarioti gown as a nod to her mother Ioana Martino's wedding dress designer. 

The Greek beauty, who was joined at the ball by date Leon Manos, aspires to become a scientist. 

Marilia Vamvakidi looked lovely in a blue Cinderella dress, accompanied by Prince Alexis Obolensky of Greece.

Marilia has a Greek father and her maternal grandmother is Princess Xenia Cheremeteff of Russia, the granddaughter of Prince Felix Yusupov, who famously killed Rasputin and started a couture house with his fortune. 

Apollonie Halard made a statement in a pink silk Schirapelli number with a draped bodice, teamed with pearls and long black gloves. 

The chic beauty's cavalier of choice was Gabriel de Kergorlay of France.

Nicole Ari Parker, the star of Sex and the City spin-off, And Just Like That..., proudly posed alongside her daughter Sophie.

Sophie's father is Austrian-born German actor, Boris Kodjoe. The couple are also doting parents to a son called Nicholas, 17.

Just because the illustrious ladies are society's brightest stars, it doesn't mean they don't know how to have fun! The girls cut loose for a fun photograph, with London-based deb Oona Finch taking centre stage in the image. 

Le Bal is linked to the 18th century English tradition of the débutante ball, which was a way for young ladies to be formally introduced into society.

Therefore, only the finest dates will do. This year's crop of cavaliers hail from royalty, nobility, and wealthy families from around 12 countries, from Europe to China.

Le Bal in Paris aims to empower young women and symbolise the harmony of nations. The world's most esteemed haute couture and couture houses each dress a Deb for the event.

It is the only débutante ball in the world that is invitation only - so exclusive that you can't buy your way in.