Swarovski Shines At The 2025 Vienna Opera Ball

The 160 debutantes at the 2025 Vienna Opera Ball wore Swarovski tiaras and their escorts wore Swarovski tie pins on their lapels

Leni Klum, Candice Swanepoel, Ed Westwick in Swarvoski jewels at the 2025 Vienna Opera Ball

Austrian president, Alexander Van der Bellen, and his entourage are seated at one end of the ornate and historic Vienna Opera House while seemingly endless amounts champagne flows in the loges surrounding the hardwood dance floor that covers the orchestra seating. They and others are in joyful anticipation of the Thursday Night opening of the Vienna Opera Ball, one of the most prestigious cultural events on the Austrian social calendar.

The music begins and 160 debutantes and their escorts in four rows stroll in a slow graceful procession. Two lines of women in the center have their arms outstretched holding hands with their escorts on one side and with the women beside them on the other. As they reach the end of the dance floor, they split into two rows and gradually move along the side of the opera house floor.

The Swarvoski tiara for the 2025 Vienna Opera Ball inspired by the brand's swan logo

It marks the beginning of an hour-long celebration of Austrian culture and heritage with a strong flavor of fairy tale romance.

The women are dressed in long white floor-length gowns but it’s what’s on top their heads that draws much of the attention. It’s a glittering silver tiara made by the Austrian luxury brand, Swarovski.

The Swarovski Tiara And Tie Pin

The silver tiara is inspired by Swarovski’s Hyperbola jewelry collection—which combines organic and structural forms in sweeping shapes with crystals that appear to float. The other inspiration is the company’s iconic symbol: the swan.

MORE FOR YOU

Google Warns My Old Gmail And Photos To Be Deleted April 3—How To Save Yours

Trump Reveals U.S. ‘Crypto Reserve’ Price Bombshell—Sending XRP, Solana, Cardano And Bitcoin Soaring

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Sunday, March 2nd

Each tiara is set with 233 baguette and round cut Swarovski Zirconia and crystal stones. Nine silver loops represent an artistic interpretation of the swan logo. The loops are in different sizes, which gives additional perspective and a sense of balance to the overall design. Inside eight of the loops is a Swarovski pear-shaped crystal. The central loop has a similar crystal but this one dangles from the top giving it constant movement when worn. It took Swarovski’s craftspeople a day to create each tiara.

The Swarvoski tie pin for the 2025 Vienna Opera Ball

For the first time the escorts received a Swarovski jewel, a tie pin in the form of the swan inspired loop with a dangling crystal. However, there is a strict white tie (bow tie) and tails requirement for all men participating or attending the opera ball. Therefore, the pins were worn on the escorts’ lapels.

Swarovski also brought some star power to the event. Among the invited guests were Victoria Secrets model, Candice Swanepoel, actor and musician, Ed Westwick, and model, Leni Klum, the daughter of Heidi Klum. She is particularly popular in the Germanic countries. Cameras and reporters trailed her for much of the evening.

The ‘Beautiful Symbiosis’ Between the Vienna Opera Ball And Swarovski

Alexis Nasard, Swarovski CEO, describes the company’s long association with the Opera Ball as “a beautiful symbiosis" for several reasons.

"First, because we are one of the very few luxury brands from Austria. And the Vienna Opera Ball is one of the most beautiful and visible manifestations of Austria’s glory, its history, its artistry, its music and its elegance. That’s one element of our symbiosis.”

Nasard continues, “The other thing is that every strong brand in the luxury space needs to have is cultural capital that gives it substance and credibility. For us, the Vienna Opera Ball is a fundamental part of the credibility and capital of the brand. And when we show the tiara, it is not a commercial thing for us. It is a manifestation of the savoir faire that Swarovski has in a beautiful setting like the Vienna Opera House amongst the beauty of the Opera House and the dancers and everything else. So, you have culture, you have provenance, you have savoir faire. And the last thing I would say is the positioning of the brand, which is ‘joyful extravagance.’”

Alexis Nasard, Swarovski CEO

If nothing else, the Vienna Opera Ball is joyfully extravagant. The performance begins at 10 p.m., following dinners held by the attendees throughout the city. It doesn’t end until 5 a.m. It’s the high point of the social calendar for Austria and attracts admiring fans throughout the world, with many attending at great effort and cost.

The chosen few who participate as debutantes and escorts represent some of Austria’s wealthiest and most connected families. However, many more come from varied backgrounds and other countries. Regardless of your social status, the process is democratic and based on meritocracy. There are stringent rules that all much pass to be accepted. First, they must have knowledge of the Austrian left-hand waltz. Because of this, many of the participants are exceptional dancers, with at least a few on the professional level. There are age requirements as well. All women must be from 18 and no more than 25 years of age with the men up to 28 years of age. A person can only participate once.

Then there are the strict dress codes for the participating couples and all who attend. Floor length gowns for the women and white tie and tails for the men.

A Night of Austrian Cultural Heritage

While the debutantes and their escorts are the main attraction, the Vienna Opera Ball celebrates Austrian cultural heritage, a source of pride in this country. The program, as one would expect, is slanted toward musical compositions by “the Waltz King,” Johann Strauss II, the man most synonymous with the Austrian waltz.

Among the performers, the dancers of the Vienna State Ballet showcased their grace and strength paired with Strauss’ “Imperial Waltz.”

A debutant and her escort wearing the Swarvoski tiara and tie pin Anthony DeMarco

This was followed by Soprano Nadine Sierra who commanded the large staging area singing Strauss’ “Spring’s Voices,” while gracefully moving across the dance floor. She was followed by tenor, Juan Diego Florez, who performed Bella Enamorada by Reveriano Soutullo and Juan Vert. Two more singers joined and all four performed “All masked” from “A Night in Venice,” another Strauss composition.

There were constant rounds of applause and cheers throughout the performances. Meanwhile, the couples are on the side of the floor, standing poised and patient until it was their turn to perform. Led by two dance choreographers they execute performances to waltzes, with a polka thrown in for fun.

The debutantes and escorts dancing at the 2025 Vienna Opera Ball Anthony DeMarco

The couples gradually perform more complicated moves weaving in out of one another creating circles and other shapes. With each successful movement the crowd cheered wildly.

The performance ends appropriately with the most recognized waltz of all: Strauss’ “By the Beautiful Blue Danube.” By this time the crowd is in throes of ecstasy.

The entire performance from the Austrian National Anthem to the Beautiful Blue Danube, takes an hour. However, the night has just begun.

The 2025 Vienna Opera Ball After Party

From a place unknown a voice yells, “alles walzer,” inviting all on the dance floor. There’s a mad rush to the floor. The first group was the standing room crowd who were on the edges of the dance floor at their position for upwards of three hours, restrained behind a red rope. They were immediately followed by those in the seating areas. The debutantes and escorts remain on the floor as well. All the carefully choreographed performances quickly turns to mayhem.

Not everyone goes to the dance floor though. Within the opera house’s hallowed halls of gold trim, hand-painted ceiling murals, statues and artistic millwork, there are rooms that turn into after-hour party zones, each with a different theme and most offering food and drink. Two bands in one room played popular songs. Another room featured a small group performing older dance standards. In one room there’s conversation with background music. The top floor is the “Disco Room” where a dancing DJ spins hits from the 1970s and ’80s.

Meanwhile, the dance floor remains packed with dancers and wannabees. There’s an instructor counting out proper steps for the next dance. The dance begin and the people are hopeless, bumping into one another but totally enjoying the experience.

It is crowded throughout the opera house but that doesn’t stop the Austrians from partying. Some of the people who spent a great deal of money and hours of preparation to attend the ball are leaning against a wall devouring boiled hotdogs from a cart. The event ends at 5 a.m. when the women can remove flowers from the acres of bouquets throughout the opera house. It’s a tradition that caps a marathon evening of artistry, fantasy and fun.

Swarovski’s CEO, Nasard, says the Vienna Opera Ball is the company’s most important event and it is the one that most represents the brand.

“The Vienna Opera Ball is the embodiment of Swarovski being an Austrian company and being part of Austrian heritage for all these years,” he said. “It’s joyful extravagance, in every aspect. Maximalism, while being refined.”

Follow me on LinkedIn. Editorial StandardsForbes Accolades

"https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonydemarco/2025/03/02/swarovski-shines-at-the-2025-vienna-opera-ball/">Anthony DeMarco,Senior Contributor