Two of our Swarovski & Crystal Venetian Masksfeature in HELLO on Page 150 as the magazine celebrates its 25th Anniversary Edition with an All That Glitters Lifestyle article.
Showing us how to party in style this summer, the Bumper Edition out on May 13th features sparkly gowns and dainty accessories; and naturally our luxury ‘One of a Kind ‘‘ masks were just perfect for their photo-shoot!
The gorgeous slim Swarovski Venetian** shown in the photo is a genuine Venetian mask, hand covered in a luxury beaded fabric, painted silver & decorated with Swarovski crystals. This mask ties with dainty ribbons or can be held with a Wooden Stick available from our Accessories range.
Our fabulous Luxury Silver and Pink Crystal Venetian Mask ** has been handmade using heavily beaded fabric pieces, covered in sequins, rhinestones, Swarovski crystals & beads on a very pale pink background. The base is genuine Venetian and it ties with dainty silver ribbons.
** All our One of a Kind masks are unique. We can make very similar ones when these are out of stock. However as each one is handmade, they are all slightly different.
If you’re shaking out your gown and dusting off those high heels ready to take to the floor at a May Ball this summer, you are in good company.
May Balls were the highlight of the Summer Season when the social elite of society came together to mingle. If you were a young lady of marriageable age you might even receive a proposal from a suitable young man!
Trinity College Boat Club Cambridge really put May Balls on the social calendar with their first official ball in 1866. Once a time for students to dress up and socialise before tackling their finals; now it’s a chance to really let your hair down in style after the exams.
May Week is a circuit of balls and garden parties hosted by Cambridge colleges in the week before final exams. May Ball Madness(How many can you go to?) kicks off on June 14th 2013 with colleges competing to put on the most extravagant and memorable events with headlining acts a well-kept secret until the night itself. You can see the May Week Calendar 2013 here.
And… even if you don’t go to Cambridge, many other universities and colleges now host their own May Week Madness in June. Go Google for tickets!
Hang On….Why Should the Grown-Ups Have All the Fun?
Quite right too!
Along comes the Promwith its British Twist. UK teens took the name along with the theme, the glamour, the dress, the black tie, the heels …and of course the car. The Prom is the closing event of the year for students leaving high school, secondary school or college.
With the Masked Ball Themed Prom is increasingly popular – see my earlier Blogfor some brilliant ideas for themes.
Do You Dare to be Different?
Not all summer balls are formal black tie affairs. Thankfully, many Charity Balls, May Balls and Prom Balls don’t have rigid dress code, so you can dare to be different.Masquerade Themesabound: colour, costume, style, drama and glitz are in…. and a touch of mystery will always set you apart from the crowd.
Take a trip to Italy to see how Masquerade masksand luxurious costumes add spice, excitement and mystery to the occasion.
Shakespeare’s famous lovers: ‘Romeo and Juliet’ met at a masked ball. While Juliet dances, her suitor Paris waits patiently. Then, Romeo, masked and with all the daring of a burglar, slides on to the dance floor, steals a dance with Juliet and captures her heart!
At Masque Boutique we can’t promise we will find your Romeo or Juliet but we’re certain one of our masks will improve your chances!
Have a look at the Gallerybelow or browse our range for one of our Prom or Summer Ball Masquerade Eye Masks to create your look: demure, daring or downright dangerous!
Can’t see what you want then? Choose our Custom Service and we will adaptany mask you especially like to suit your preferred colour scheme. We can decorate it with your choice of feathers, flowers and jewels.
Try our Bespoke DesignService if you want something truly original and eye catching; We will design and make something exclusive to you to match your dress or outfit…. and will happily do this with no design fee.
Discover the history of Venetian Masquerade Masks and Masked Balls and how they are back in vogue once more.
If you need an idea for a School Prom, A Summer Ball or a Fundraiser event then read on….
The surge in popularity of modern day Masked Balls, Masquerade Theme Weddings, College Prom Balls and Charity Ball events all stem from a Venetian tradition which started as early as the 11th Century. It was a regular part of life well into the 15th Century – peaking in the 18th Century.
The masquerade masks themselves were originally created for the ‘masques’ or shows/theatre depicting various characters such as ‘El Captiano’, ‘El Dottore’ and ‘Pantalone’ who represented arrogance, stupidity, and greed. They then became popular as everyday disguises where mixing with different social classes, romantic affairs and anonymity were needed. This led to the Mascereri (the Masquerade Mask Makers) being officially recognized with their own guild as Master Craftsmen in 1436.
The range of masquerade masks increased to include the well known ‘Bauta’ (which was worn by both women and men), the ‘Arlecchino’ (the joker) and the ‘Moretta’ (a full faced masquerade mask favoured by women and usually black in colour). Of course, masks were not only used for disguises but as practical solutions to the influx of diseases. The famous ‘Medico della Peste’ (Doctor of the Plague Mask) was designed with a long beak like nose which would house aromatic grasses or herbs, thought to ward off disease or infections.
As mask wearing increased, so too did debauchery and crime. This forced a decree in the 14th Century, restricting the wearing of the Venetian masks to carnivals and special events. One such event is the famous Venetian ‘Carnivale’, held every February in Venice and celebrated with street entertainers, masked balls, costumes and an abundance of gorgeous masquerade masks.
Back to modern day, the popularity of masked balls has been seen in literature, film and theatre, recognizing the important role masks plays in changing our lives for the short period of time we wear them. Films such as ‘Labyrinth’, ‘Mask of the Red Death’ (Edgar Allan Poe), ‘Casanova’, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (Stanley Kubrick), have all featured a masquerade of some description, and of course Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (opening with a masked ball scene) couldn’t have explained the intrigue of a masquerade better than from its lyrics “Masquerade, paper faces on parade. Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you”.
As masked balls moved into England and increased in popularity, we see a change from the wearing of the traditional Venetian mask to more contemporary versions – suitable to our attire than of the complimentary period dress. However, a mask in any form, achieves what the Mascereri originally intended, that it be used as a way to be someone else for the time that you wear it.
If you happen to have read the March edition of ELLE already, you couldn’t fail to have noticed a photo shoot of the stunning Barbara Palvin as a sultry “Dark Angel” (styled by Anne-Marie Curtis). But what really stands out are the masks that she is wearing (provided by yours truly!). Both Metal Filigree Masks; one is our ever popular luxury Vampire Diaries mask in black which undoubtedly adds just the right touch of Gothic Elegance to the shoot, and the luxury white Katherine mask which bequeaths a beautiful contrast to an otherwise deliciously shadowy shot. Both masks looked stunning on Barbara Palvin and credit must go to photographer, Jem Mitchell, for her artful use of light and shade which truly brought these masks to life. The close up really showed off the exquisite quality of the mask; they are both beautifully made, being crafted in Venice and adorned with genuine Swarovski crystals for just that touch of decadence. If you want the Dark Angel look, the luxury Black Vampire Diaries mask can be found here, and the luxury white Katherine mask here, (£59.99 each)
For those who regulary visit my Facebook page, you will know that I am to attend this years Bram Stoker Film Festival in Whitby – birthplace of the famous Dracula novel. Not only will I be running a stall selling some of my creations (including some special Gothic themed masks just for the event) over the 3 days, but I will also be creating some pieces for the Alternative Fashion Show which starts on the Thursday in lead up to the amazing event-filled weekend.
Venetian Metal Filigree Gothic Mask – only £32.99!
Aside from all the independant films and shows lined up, the most exciting event I’m looking forward to is the Vampire’s Ball on the Saturday, which will be Masked!
![venetian bird mask [800x600]](http://masqueboutique.com/content/uploads/2011/06/venetian-bird-mask-800x600.jpg)
If you happen to have read the March edition of ELLE already, you couldn’t fail to have noticed a photo shoot of the stunning Barbara Palvin as a sultry “Dark Angel” (styled by Anne-Marie Curtis). But what really stands out are the masks that she is wearing (provided by yours truly!). Both Metal Filigree Masks; one is our ever popular luxury Vampire Diaries mask in black which undoubtedly adds just the right touch of Gothic Elegance to the shoot, and the luxury white Katherine mask which bequeaths a beautiful contrast to an otherwise deliciously shadowy shot. Both masks looked stunning on Barbara Palvin and credit must go to photographer, Jem Mitchell, for her artful use of light and shade which truly brought these masks to life. The close up really showed off the exquisite quality of the mask; they are both beautifully made, being crafted in Venice and adorned with genuine Swarovski crystals for just that touch of decadence. If you want the Dark Angel look, the luxury Black Vampire Diaries mask can be found 
