Meet Ella Wadia, Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s great-granddaughter, makes debut at Le Bal

The historic Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris again brought together the young women of the world’s most influential families, and this year, all eyes were on Ella Wadia. Hailing from one of India’s most influential business dynasties, Ella made an enchanting debut at the annual high-society fashion gala.

Ella Wadia debuts at Le Bal 2025

Dressed in a bespoke strapless gown by Lebanese couturier Elie Saab, Ella’s look was the very essence of modern elegance, featuring intricate embellishments that wowed under the lights at the Shangri-La hotel. Her striking presence was accentuated by her unusual family history, which ties her directly to a pivotal figure in South Asian history.

The Jinnah connection

Ella Wadia is the great-great-granddaughter of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan and the country’s first Governor-General following the partition of 1947. The remarkable lineage traces back through Jinnah’s only child, Dina Jinnah, who married into the famous Parsi Wadia family-a union that reportedly caused a rift with her father.

Dina’s son is Indian industrialist Nusli Wadia, Chairman of the Wadia Group, whose vast conglomerate includes companies like Bombay Dyeing and Britannia Industries. Ella’s parents are Nusli’s son, Jehangir Wadia, who leads Bombay Dyeing and Bombay Realty, and fashion designer Celina Wadia. This powerful background, which melded political history with modern industrial wealth, made Ella one of the most talked-about debutantes.

Le Bal, which supports charitable causes, boasted a star-studded list of participants hailing from worldwide aristocratic and influential circles. Ella joined peers like Lady Araminta Spencer-Churchill, the daughter of the Duke of Marlborough, and Bronwyn Vance, daughter of Hollywood stars Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance. The fact that Ella Wadia made her debut in Elie Saab confirms the strong and continuing representation of young Indian women at this exclusive Parisian tradition, joining the ranks of other debutantes such as Rysa Panday in Elie Saab in 2024.

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