From the twilight of the Romanov dynasty through les années folles of Art Deco Paris to the jet-set seventies, Bals explores the nine most exceptional private costume parties of the twentieth century, in the most beautiful book ever produced on the subject. In addition to social commentary from (or about) colorful characters—including Paul Poiret, Truman Capote, and Cecil Beaton, who immortalized these extraordinary balls—Jacqueline de Ribes, Hélène David-Weill, and Marisa Berenson share their vivid souvenirs in first-person narratives. This is the ultimate book on such a unique and captivating theme.

Nicholas Foulkes is a British historian, author, and journalist who has written books on subjects as diverse as James Bond, porcelain, and the trench coat. He is best known for his critically acclaimed trilogy of nineteenth-century histories: Scandalous Society, a biography of Count d’Orsay; Dancing Into Battle; and Gentlemen and Blackguards. In addition to Bals and High Society, he has written four other books for Assouline. Foulkes is luxury editor of British GQ, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Finch’s Quarterly Review, and a contributing editor of Vanity Fair.