Program cover from the 1924 Beaux-Arts Ball "Carnival de Paris"
An invitation to the 1920 Beaux Arts Ball. The event was held at the Hotel Astor each year
Program from the "Cirque De'Hiver" themed Beaux-Arts Ball held in 1925
The Paris Prize was funded by private donors (J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, and others) until Lloyd Warren organized the "Venetian Fete" which became the yearly Beaux-Arts Ball. The event would raise enough money in one night to fund the Institute for an entire year.
The costumes of the society ladies at the Beaux-Arts Ball were always something to look forward to. Mrs. Menken in particular was famed for her costumes. In 1928 her outfit cost a whopping $7,000. Called Le Paradis Blanc, the dress took weeks of labor to create under the supervision of jewelers and historians.
For the 1931 Beaux-Arts Ball, William Van Alen and his architect friends dressed as buildings they had designed. From left, A. Stewart Walker as the Fuller Building, Leonard Schultze as the Waldorf-Astoria, Ely Jacques Kahn as the Squibb Building, William Van Alen as the Chrysler Building, Ralph Walker as the Wall Street Building, and Joseph Freedlander as the Museum of the City of New York.
Costume portraits from the 1934 "Marco Polo" Beaux-Arts Ball
Program for the Marco Polo themed Ball in 1934. The costume guidelines were strict, "the guest of the Beaux-Arts Ball must attend in costume, Chinese, Persian, or Venetian Preferred. No modern dress of any description whatsoever will be permitted on the floor or in the boxes."
A program for the 1935 Ball, "Quat'z Arts Circus Party"
Graphics from the wine list at the 1936 Ball
1936 program cover for "Fete de Rayon" where guests were required to come dressed in rayon
This review of the "Fete de Rayon" recounts that the ballroom in the Hotel Astor was decorated with 5,000 feet of rayon fabric
Burlesque dancer Gypsy Lee preformed at the 1936 Ball and was the talk of the town
A list of all the Beaux-Arts Balls themes throughout the years. Highlights include "The Birth of Venus" in 1922 and "George III Regrets" in 1935
Program cover for the Corkscrew Cotillion in 1941
Costumes from the Corkscrew Cotillion. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Barger as cork and cork-screw, for which they won first prize
Photo of winning costumes at the Beaux-Arts Student Ball
Party goers in costume, including Miss Florence Weicke as the snow queen
The Beaux-Arts Ball was the Society of Beaux-Arts Architect’s annual fundraiser and main source of revenue. The themed party was based on the raucous year-end party at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. By all accounts the New York version was no less exuberant, complete with elaborate costumes and entertainment.
Throngs of onlookers would crowd the hotel lobby to glimpse the outrageous outfits, while newspapers later reported on what society women wore. There are even accounts of guests being turned away for lack luster costume.