Queen Charlotte's Ball 2016
Lukas Kroulik - Creative Director, Visualiser and It-girl Maker
Charity: Children with Cancer UK
Location: One Whitehall Place
Theme: Alice in Wonderland - decor by Debbie Marks and dresses by Berketex
VIP: Lord and Lady Reay, Baroness Denise Kingsmill, Sir Benjamin Slade, Ms Wendy Yu, Mr and Mrs Dimitri Chandris, Ms Amy Lamb and Ms Sabrina Seckova.
For nearly ten years, I have been helping aspiring debutantes to make their entrance into British high society. Each year, I have had the opportunity to work closely with each girl and her family to train for the London Season, teaching them deportment and helping them to present themselves at their best at the revival of the Queen Charlotte’s Ball, a historic institution that began in 1780 with King George III’s celebrations for his wife’s birthday.
After years of donating my creative ideas and directorial efforts to this charitable cause, I had the honor of being made Executive Director of the event, and after trying to outdo myself with a better ball each year, I feel that with this year’s ball I truly made my mark as the one who made it all happen.
My vision for 2016 was to create a fantasy in the dreamlike location that is One Whitehall Place, like something out of Alice in Wonderland. I worked with each debutante individually, who arrived from countries all over the world for the season, for half a year to instruct them in hair, makeup, deportment, social skills, and above all the confidence for a flawless debut.
By working with designers to create the look and feel for the makeup and hair design as well as being in charge of creative design for the event as a whole while incorporating the efforts of Debbie Marks and Berketex, I was able to make dreams come to life at this event that debutantes and guests alike will remember for the rest of their lives.
One such debutante was Sabrina Ho, who went on to become an it-girl on the London social scene. I even helped to pair the young women with escorts for the ball so that they might be elegantly accompanied. Sabrina Ho was escorted by Archduke Alexander of Austria.
My work is all about making big statements on a foundation of creativity and inclusivity, and it all came together in this glamorous event in support of the charity Children with Cancer UK and in support of the very London Season itself.