Mardi Gras 2022 Collection
Maria Etkind
Handmade hat collection made to order for Mardi Gras 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
All hats are custom one of a kind and were worn during Mardi Gras day.
Journal
Maria Etkind Millinery is a Panamanian millinery living in New Orleans. She loves to share some of her millinery adventures in her journal. If you are a hat enthusiast or a millinery you will love to read her musings.
St. Catherine's Day Hat Parade 2021
Maria Etkind
This was our first year back after the COVID lockdown of 2020! The theme this year was Pundemic and although some folks followed the theme I think must people just wanted an opportunity to dress up and wear a fun costume! In New Orleans we love to dress up!
Read MoreAnne Rice's 33rd Annual Lestat Vampire Ball 2021
Maria Etkind
The whole gang was in attendance. We are now “The Coven”.
This year was my first time attending The 33rd Annual Anne Rice Vampire Ball in New Orleans. The theme this year was Masque De La Mort Rouge.
I must say it was an amazing night. The weather was perfect for costuming and the fact that all my friends were in attendance was also a huge plus. There were so many amazing things from that night, but my favorite was the decor. My friend Belinda who owns Blue Gardenia Events knocked the decor out of the park or should I say, the cemetery. The floral arrangements she used as the center pieces were wilted beautiful red roses that were wilted to perfection! The first time I have appreciated floral decay! The Elms Mansion became the perfect venue for a faux cemetery and the stone gazebo was perfect for a display of beautiful Egyptian seated statues. The mansion was built in 1864.
“All of the florals were provided by Kim Starr Wise were actually from a wedding the previous week. We saved all of them and let them do their natural decaying and then we reused all of them for the ball, which was absolutely perfect!”
The night was filled with glamour, splendor, Goth and 80’s music and entertainment. The costumes were top notch! There were of course vampires, werewolves, demons, sun queens, women in period costumes with velvet red capes, and even the Pope came to save our damned souls! We toasted with Lestat in the ritual “blood toast” and danced the night away in our beautiful velvet gowns, crowns, wigs and fangs! I am sure we made Anne Rice proud! Her passing this year was a huge blow to the city that she loved and loved her. She will truly be missed!
I wore a a vintage 1920’s inspired black velvet dress with deco style beading. The crown I made was also 1920 Gatsby inspired. The crown was trimmed with vintage black ribbons and black feathers.
I can’t wait to go next year!
Photo Credits: Maria Etkind, Leah Blake, and Mateo & Co @mateoandcompany @themateodiaz
Venue: @elmsmansion
Hosts: Mary Dugas @marycaveaux & Shane Garner, The House of Medusa @shanegarner
Planner/Designer: Blue Gardenia Events @bluegardeniaevents
Videographer: Studio Vieux Carre @studiovieuxcarre
Florist: Kim Starr Wise @kimstarrwise
Decor, lighting, dance floor decal: Firefly Ambiance @fireflyambiance
Rentals: Element @exploreelement
Props: Shane Garner, The House of Medusa @shanegarner
Charity: Save our Cemeteries @saveourcemetaries
String Trio: Harry Hardin @harry.hardin.5
DJ: Angel @djseraph11
Band: Seven Shadows @seven_shadows_band
Performance director & BGE event producer: @realestaceynola
Actors:
MC: Juneaux Mayfaire @juneauxspillbox
Casting: Ben Fox @thebenfox
Emily Bagwill @emilybagwill
Alesondra Davis @afrosondra
Kirkland Green @_riffdaddy_
Garrin Mesa @garrinmesa
Emily Ricalde @emiricalde
Makeup Artist: Noelle LeDoux @noelleledouxx
Costuming: Mary Dugas @marycaveaux and Southern Costume Company @southerncostumecompany_nola
Sponsors: @darkgardencorsetry; @boutiqueduvampyre; @nolavampirecafe; @FreelanceSirProductions; House of Medusa @shanegarner
Mentions: @annericeauthor; @annericevampireball