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It all started in Paris at a time when AIDS was claiming more and more victims in the fashion and art scenes. The rudimentary medication that was available in the first years of its appearance often fought only the symptoms of the incurable auto-immune deficiency and AIDS very often led to a quick death. The first charity events took place and soon after, make-up artist Gery Keszler, who was very well connected in the world of fashion along with his close friend Torgom Petrosian, himself suffering from AIDS, had the visionary idea of organizing an AIDS Life Ball in Vienna. The ball,
which was initially meant to be a oneoff event, took place for the first time at the Rathaus in Vienna in 1993 and is best described with two words: mad and libertine. This hadn’t really been the plan. After all, the event had been permitted by Mayor Helmut Zilk and sponsored by the city. Petrosian died of AIDS the following year, but shortly before his death, Keszler made him a promise that would have far-reaching consequences: to carry on their visionary project. The Life Ball was born, an outsider event that pulled in an impressive 79,940 euros in donations in just its very first year.