- - Carolina Herrera's Granddaughter Paid a Subtle Homage to Her Family Legacy with Viral Debutante Dress (Exclusive)

Zoey LyttleDecember 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM

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Carolina Lansing

Carolina Lansing at Le Bal des Débutantes on Nov. 29, 2025. -

Last month, Carolina Lansing — the granddaughter of fashion designer Carolina Herrera — wowed the world in her custom couture gown at Le Bal des Débutantes

Lansing was among 18 other young women from around the world who gathered at the Hotel Shangri-La for the famed invite-only party on Nov. 29

The 21-year-old tells PEOPLE all about how the polka-dotted gown paid homage to both of her grandparents in subtle, meaningful ways

Of course, Carolina Lansing wore a gown from her fashion icon grandmother's brand to Le Bal des Débutantes, but there was even more to the ensemble than may have met the unknowing eye.

Carolina Herrera's granddaughter, 21, rocked the internet once the public glimpsed photos of her polka-dotted, black and white couture frock at the Hotel Shangri-La on Nov. 29. Lansing balanced both elegance and whimsy in the strapless, drop-waist gown designed by Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera, inspired by a 2025 collection.

Like many of her fellow debutantes, Lansing followed Le Bal tradition and helped create her dream dress for the event. She tells PEOPLE wearing one of her grandmother's designs was a no-brainer, but from there, Lansing needed to figure out what styles resonated most with her.

Carolina Lansing

Carolina Lansing (left) with a fellow debutante at Le Bal des Débutantes on Nov. 29, 2025

"Wes had me try on a bunch of stuff from recent collections that they had laying around the office to get an idea of what I liked," she recalls of the designing process. "He also was like, 'You have to tell me what you like from the past. Look through your mom's closet, look through your grandmother's closet, pick out dresses that you like, send it to us.'"

Ultimately, they landed on the spotted style, which Lansing says is "very true to Carolina Herrera," namely the label's older, more vintage looks. They added the drop waist and a dramatic bow to give the gown a "modern" feel, says the Chapman University student.

At the party, Lansing was in similarly stylish company. Originally launched in 1958 and then revived by Ophélie Renouard in 1992, Le Bal has maintained a reputation of being somewhat of a "Met Gala for teenagers." Historically, it's hosted young women from some of the world's most notable families, including royals of the monarchy, Hollywood and fashion world varieties.

Lansing's very silhouette served as an homage to Herrera, 86, and her work, but even more meaning could be found in the details. For example, the proud granddaughter tells PEOPLE that they sewed a "little yellow bow" onto the dress as an ode to the first perfume released by the fashion brand, which was sold in a black and white polka-dotted box strung with a little yellow band.

In an even more personal gesture, Lansing represented her grandparents' love story by opting to wear a floral broach strung on a velvet choker. The accessory felt especially poignant following her grandfather Reinaldo Herrera's death at age 91 this past March.

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"My grandfather did always used to give my grandmother flower broaches," Lansing shares. "It was more simple compared to what some of the other girls were wearing, but I was kind of like, 'This seems perfect.' I like that it was a little bit more simple.'"

It's no surprise that her jewelry gesture — and the broader tribute paid by her ensemble as a whole — warmed Herrera's heart.

"She texted me like, 'You looked so beautiful. We're so proud of you,'" says Lansing, who adds that Herrera invoked her late husband's memory as well. "She was just like, 'I know he would've been really happy.'"

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”