Black New Orleans artists help bring Mardi Gras to life
Black artisans help bring Mardi Gras to life
Black artisans help bring Mardi Gras to life
Black artisans help bring Mardi Gras to life
At a workshop tucked away in the Gentilly neighborhood, wooden chassis are blank canvases for Pierre Parade Productions, the only Black-owned float-building company in Carnival. It was the brainchild of Inez Pierre. She started the company along with her husband Renee, who is a master craftsman, float painter and builder.
"One of my main goals is to stop carnival from being so commercial where we are getting away from the artwork and from the skills," Inez Pierre said. "My goal is to have at least 14-20 floats and to help krewes that want to start up."
Their float-building company is a one-stop shop for the creative process. Renee Pierre does the sketches, designs, build-out and paint to bring the floats to life. It's a year-long process.
"About 360 days a year. You got five days you can relax," Renee Pierre said.
From float builders to float riders. Being carnival royalty does not happen often, so when it does, you have to be opulent. Laron Nelson owns Opulent Designs, and he's a founding member of the Krewe of Symphony. Nelson makes costumes and custom headpieces that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
"I'm always figuring out something new to make the details stand out from others," Nelson said.
The pomp and circumstance of Carnival is not the time to be modest; many Carnival royals pay a visit to the modiste.
"That's what you live for," Renee Johnson, designer and owner of Afri Modiste, said. "You live to make fashion that makes people happy, that pushes boundaries, and that changes the state of fashion as we know it right now."
The world of Carnival custom-made is key. And the Zulu coconut is always coveted.
"I get requests from people who tell me they want something very unique and special," Sheila Hudson said.
She's a lifelong artist who hand-paints dozens of coconuts for Zulu members each year.
All the pageantry and splendor are the result of ingenuity and craftsmanship. The makers of magic are now getting their time in the spotlight thanks to Melanin Mardi Gras.
"We are dedicated to showing the beauty, the splendor, the pageantry and the impact that African Americans have on carnival culture in New Orleans," Martresaca Howard, who started the lifestyle brand and social media platform, said.
"We want to celebrate them."
Melanin Mardi Gras highlights top carnival creatives like Marvin Million, who has become a go-to for Carnival queens. He’s outfitted almost a dozen so far.
"I find out what their niche is and what they love most," Millon said of his creative process in designing gowns for carnival royalty.
"We put our heart and soul into it. I think that's displayed throughout the carnival season," Millon said.
Back at Pierre’s workshop, creativity and wonder is a way of life. It's a livelihood that is built on our most treasured cultural traditions. They are committed to expanding access and opportunity for other Black creatives in the carnival industry.
"I just want to say that to the young aspiring African American art students who are wondering about participating in this phase of the culture of New Orleans. There is room for you. There's room for you to learn this craft, to become a part of this culture and make a decent living," Renee Pierre said.