Maskarade

Wonderful 2 room mask shop with a great array of artist designed masks as well imported masks. The artist designed masks in the front room were fabulous and you can literally try on all of them (but I recommend being choosy). It’s a fun shop to visit and it’s easy to suddenly find you’ve been there for a half hour, but hopefully you are narrowing down to your final selection. Well worth the stop and the shopkeeper is very nice and helpful.

Maskarade is more than just a souvenir mask shop. After talking to the lady that greeted us, this place is like a gallery displaying one of a kind masks designed and created by local artists. The prices can get pretty high, but worth it if you know you’re the only one with this mask. My favorites were the Swarovski crystal masks in the locked case. They were so beautiful. They sell the standard «Made in China» souvenir masks too, however, you can find them cheaper at other shops.

My fiancé needed a mask that he could wear with his glasses. We spent half an hour trying on all of the handmade pieces in the front of the store. Fortunately we were able to find a few leather masks to fit over his specs. He chose a one-​of a kind leather piece for $ 50.
The back of the store is full of manufactured pieces. Some of these seem similar to what you will find in other shops and the price varies from $ 20 – 50. I selected a large, feathered mask that was tousled a bit on the flight home. Maskarade provides a better shopping experience than picking up a mask on the street, however it is much pricier and the quality is questionably better.

Would have been a 5 star review. Researched a bunch to find an authentic mask shop so I wouldn’t end up buying the same over produced tourist crap that was all over the city. Found this place because it claimed to be all artist made, real masks. Purchased 3 masks that were $ 10/​each (pretty cheap) even though I really wanted the $ 100 masks, but these were gifts and I couldn’t spend that much. Was really happy until I walked by a tourist stand in the market only to see the exact same masks I purchased, which were being sold for $ 4 each, with all the other junky fake tourist masks. Really upset that I thought I was giving my money to the real deal only to be taken for a fool by a fake «authentic» shop. Would never recommend.

There are so many places to buy masks in New Orleans, but you will probably find some of the best quality masks in Maskarade.
There is so much variety in terms of selection and price range. I assure you that your mask needs can be met there.
You are only allowed to take one photo of yourself wearing a mask, but you can try on as many as you like. That’s fair. Otherwise people would come in and just take selfies in masks all day.
The woman working the store was friendly and helpful.
I wish I bought one, but I couldn’t really justify buying a mask without an occasion to wear it.

I had Maskarade bookmarked ahead of my New Orleans trip. I LOVE masks and I display them at home, so I knew I had to bring home a new mask for my collection.
We happened to stop in after consuming hand grenades, so I ended up having a long conversation with the super nice lady working at the time. I don’t remember what we talked about, but she did point me to a gorgeous purple mask within my price range. (Note: This was after visiting the vampire shop nearby.)
I’m happy with my purchase, and I could have spent hours in here trying on masks. It’s such a lovely little shop! Go!

The shop is loaded with a lot of New Orleans high-​quality, professionally made Mardi Gras/​Masquerade masks.
We actually stumbled upon this inconspicuous looking place only because other tourists walked into their front door. After that, we realize they were a whole bunch of goodies inside.
This place features an array of different face masks some creepy, some beautiful, or both. There are many different styles of them; half face, full face, on a stick, the kind that has a band to wrap around your head, etc. The shop it’s self is relatively small with two small rooms, but large enough for small groups to make their way around.
If you happen to be in New Orleans, check this place out.

The best quality and most unique masks in the quarter. The prices will reflect the quality but these ladies know their craft. It’s worth stopping by, even just to look

We stopped by to check out the lovely masks and my husband had a lot of questions about the different styles of masks and the artists. The woman who had helped us was so nice and answered all his questions, it was not only a history lesson but an art and theater lesson as well. Great selection and these masks are really special and long lasting for someone who wants to keep their masks for either art of fun usage.
The pricing had an excellent range depending on what you were looking for.

This is a gem of a mask shop. No mass-​produced, made-​in –China stuff here. Beautiful leather masks made by local artisans. Skip the tourist traps and visit this charming shop instead.

The last day in New Orleans I needed to buy some masks for My Fiancé and I, so I googled ‘mask shop’ near Bourbon street and this one came up.
SO HAPPY I came here. The proprietor had a variety of masks, everything from the one in Eyes Wide Shut (How cool is that?!) to smaller, less expensive ones.
I was able to get two really nice masks for $ 50 total. I liked how she had a huge selection and that most of them came from local artists and people, rather than ‘Made in China’.
She was also nice enough to put them in a bag, and a heavy duty box so I could take them back on the plane and they would not get crushed.
The hard part is deciding which one to buy, there are sooo many good ones. I will definitely be back the next time I am in NO.

Really amazing masks and store. The owner is an amazing lady with great stories. PRices seen good for the artistic nature of the items. I’d consider it a must — see, if only to look. But, support the owner as she seems to really love her store and New Orleans!

Very much worth a visit and the money if you’re looking to buy. Their masks are not cheap. But they also are not the «Made in China» masks you will find elsewhere in New Orleans. These masks are handmade and high quality and unique. The only way to buy a mask while in New Orleans.

I was elated to find Maskarade by simply walking through the French Quarter. I became aware of them on my first leisure trip to NOLA but at that time was on a tight budget. I promised that upon returning, I would make it a point to stop back by and get whatever may appeal to me. Lets be clear, there is plenty in their stock to find appealing.
I was so joyed to see not only such variety, but that the variety is sourced from actual artists around the globe. I saw masks crafted by artists from Europe, Canada, points in America, and beyond. The mask I settled on comes from a Canadian gal, and I LOVE my selection. It fit my face, and facets of my personality.
The prices are totally justifiable and reasonable for the great quality and unique artistry I saw. The lady I was traveling with found a wonderful feather and bead combination hair band. My mask was on the low end of price as it worked out, but that did not drive my selection, it just made my selection that much better.
Marian, who was working the counter on both visits was helpful, kind, and patient. I never felt pressure to ‘buy or get out’ but rather I felt very comfortable there, looking over their inventory.
Other shops I wandered into before Maskarade all had the same basic generic made in China crap. AFTER Maskarade, I didn’t even bother to look elsewhere as Maskarade is top notch.
Maskarades wears are high quality, and beautiful, very unique. As a courtesy to the store, please make sure your hands are clean before handling, and that children are behaved. It was not issue to try on and look over their selection, but this should be treated as a privilege and not a run about toy store.
I intend to return in the future. I wish my home city had store of this quality, but then I wouldn’t get the joy of actually going to Maskarade.

I love this store! And it’s not just for tourists. I’m too clumsy to wear one of these beautiful masks on Mardi Gras, but it’s a great spot for unique gifts. And I always make a point to stop in whenever I happen to be carousing in the FQ. The Owner is lovely too.

The store opened over an hour late the day I went, but once it opened up, the sales person was very helpful. I bought two beautiful masks.
Definitely bring your wallet – these are not the cheap Made In China masks you’ll find elsewhere in the Quarter. They are handmade using quality materials.

Upon entrance into this unassuming, little shop on Saint Ann St., I knew that the masks were going to be pricey. A cursory glance of the products here — high quality materials and unique, evocative designs. A closer look revealed an array of imaginative veneers — I fell in love with a mask that transformed me from a sunburnt tourist to a garden fairy. It was exquisite, featuring beautiful colors, silky materials, and unique embroidery… alas, I was not there for myself. I was there to choose an out-​of-​this-​world souvenir for my sister.
The customer service here is beyond exemplary. The lady at the counter encouraged both the boyfriend and I to try on the masks, as well as to handle the more expensive ones in the glass cases. It was literally nothing at all like the obnoxious tourist/​souvenir shops where trying on the plastic masks and taking pictures is actively discouraged.
With the help of the sales lady and my boyfriend, I chose the perfect mask for my sister — a farfallina design — black, laser-​cut metal with intricate filigree and Swarovski crystal accents.
An excellent shopping experience — I would definitely come here again.

If you are looking for individually crafted masks in NO, this is the place.
They have a huge selection of very pretty masks and very nicely priced.

Located in the mother of all United States Mardi Gras cities, Maskarade is the place you might want to go to get yourself decked out in a very special mask for that very special party.
Mardi Gras 2011 is coming up!
If you don’t celebrate Mardi Gras, then certainly get a mask for Halloween if that’s how you roll.
This is a small shop filled to the rafters with one gorgeous hand-​made mask after another. The designs and colors are spectacular.
You can get full and partial masks in an array of styles that will knock your socks off.
Examples are animal, bird, Venetian style, and an assortment of leather masks. The website doesn’t do this store justice but will show you a few styles.
These are made by both local and national artists.
Even if you don’t plan on buying a mask, the craftwork and artistry of these pieces is worth a stop in to admire them.
And imagine our surprise to be greeted by the sincerely friendly shop-​keeper who invited us repeatedly to try masks on, to take photos of them if we wished and to not to feel afraid to take whatever interested us off the wall to examine!
It’s the kind of place that looks like: «Don’t touch!!» would be written on signs all over. Instead this is a have fun, hands-​on experience.
The masks are pricey but when you see them you’ll understand why.
These are keepers and nothing at all like the inexpensive, mass-​produced, made in China Mardi Gras masks that you see everywhere else in New Orleans.
Sadly, I resisted buying one on this trip. I have several of those mass-​produced ones and I just didn’t think I needed another mask despite how cool these are.
Opportunities for mask-​wearing are in short supply here in Boston.
But now that I’m back home and planning to attend a friend’s upcoming Mardi Gras party, I’m sorry I didn’t get something here.
I would certainly have been the belle of the ball in one of these stunners.
What I always say about my trips to New Orleans however, is there’s always a next time.
And next time, I’m getting myself one of these beauties.
P. S.***Happy Valentine’s Day to all my Unilocal friends!*** xoxo

This is a beautiful small boutique, where the owner is a consignor that sells a myriad of masks from different local designers.
We walked in hesitantly, because a lot of stores do not let you «play» and take pictures, but the minute we stepped in, she told us that we were welcome to take as many pics as we wanted. With that said, we spent a good 30 minutes or so goofing around in there.
The prices range from like $ 50 to some masks that were in cases so those must be super expensive. They are all quality handemade products.