Paris' rich kids were out and about that night at L'Arc, a highly prestigious club in the Champs-Elysées area (16th arrondissement of Paris), where you might stumble across Cardi B, Burna Boy or Leonardo DiCaprio. Throughout the evening, women dressed provocatively paraded through the VIP area of the nightclub, carrying outrageously expensive champagne magnums topped with giant sparklers. This pyrotechnic display attracted attention – that was precisely its purpose. On the garden terrace overlooking Place de l'Etoile, at a particularly well-positioned table, a man was surrounded by a dozen young women. Relaxed, they poured themselves flutes of golden liquid, which they emptied in a few minutes. No need to take out your wallet. For these "chosen ones" partying thanks to a promoter, the alcohol flowed freely.
A promoter? Even though the name evokes the world of real estate, promoters aren't there to sell you a 200-square-meter property overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Promoters, who are very much a part of the nightlife scene, are independent contractors, paid on commission, sometimes discreetly, by clubs to attract as many "girls" as possible – the use of this term is deliberate, as they often look young. Promoters are generally people who started going out for fun, then made contacts in the nightlife world and decided to make the most of them. After a period out of school and a job in an insurance company, 25-year-old Evan (all first names changed), the son of a teacher, set about making "a lot of money, very quickly" by entering this career. "At first, you're not paid. Organizers first assess the quality of the girls you bring, and then word of mouth spreads quickly."
The promoter attracts clients of varying degrees of wealth to the VIP sections by promising them attractive girls, and attractive girls by enticing them with the possibility of meeting celebrities and entering an exclusive world. "One night, [rapper] Travis Scott, after his showcase, barricaded himself in a room of the club where he was playing. Outside the door, his buddy, who was as large as 'The Mountain' in Game of Thrones, filtered the girls based on their beauty. They lined up to spend time with him inside," said Evan.
Liam, another Parisian promoter, connects with the "girls" via social media, attracted by the hedonism of his Instagram account, which posts shots of parties all over the world. He then asks them for a photo, their age and height. "Above all, don't forget to wear heels, a sexy dress and, if possible, straightened hair," said the promoter, who meets his recruits at midnight outside the club.
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