Dior Revives the 1951 ‘Ball of the Century’ With its Tiepolo Ball

68 years ago, world-famous art collector Charles de Beistegui hosted the extravagant Tiepolo Ball at his mythical palace. A legendary party of all-out grandeur and savoir-faire, the iconic event became known as the ‘Ball of the Century’, with an exclusive list of attendees that went from royalty, to A-list celebrities, and socialites. Among the guests of the original ball were Christian Dior and Salvador Dali, who together designed the magnificent costumes worn by the giants who opened the festivities.

This year, Dior finally ended the Tiepolo Ball’s near half-century hiatus with a stunning revival of the affair. Reconnecting with the magic of this legendary ball, Maria Grazia Chiuri collaborated with two renowned Venetian Houses Bevilacqua and Rubelli, to create exclusive designs for a handful of intimate friends of the brand. In tribute to Dior’s heritage, and the House’s inextricable ties with Venice, the beautiful masquerade party was brought back to Venice’s Palazzo Labia, and timed to coincide with the opening of the Venice Biennale. Not only was this a celebration of Dior and its longstanding love for gowns, but the ball also marked the Venetian Heritage foundation’s 20th anniversary and included a charity dinner, with proceeds going to the restoration and promotion of Venice’s cultural heritage.

To call the Tiepolo Ball opulent would be an understatement. Precious cloths based on the Fortuny archives dressed the tables of the charity dinner, and guests were entertained by an otherworldly performance of dancers and stilt walkers by Parolabianca. Italian artist Pietro Ruffo collaborated with the Artistic Director of Dior’s women’s collections to design sculptural reflective dresses, which adorned the performing tableaux in a breathtaking expression of the 12 zodiac signs. A slew of prominent, well-recognised faces were seen in attendance, including the likes of Karlie Kloss, Monica Bellucci, and Sienna Miller.