The road to the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ is paved with beads, the lively sounds of brass bands, and the unstoppable spirit of the Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale. For the fourth time, ESSENCE, Femme Fatale, and Coca-Cola® are joining forces to UPLIFT AND SHARE THE MOMENT—launching an unforgettable journey to EFOC with a spectacular Mardi Gras celebration like no other! This year, we’re cranking up the excitement by giving you an exclusive peek behind the scenes for the very first time!
Video
Founded in 2013, the groundbreaking all-female Mardi Gras krewe made history as the first established by African American women for African American women—but its spirit of inclusivity welcomes everyone to join the fun!
Femme Fatale goes beyond the parade route, fostering a year-round sisterhood rooted in service, mentorship, and cultural pride. Through leadership programs, community outreach, and signature initiatives like Say Yes to the Prom Dress, the krewe uplifts and supports women of all ages. The hard work and dedication put into preparing for Mardi Gras is just as important as their year-round efforts.
Year after year, Femme Fatale goes all-in to refresh their floats, costumes, and throws, ensuring that each parade is an unforgettable experience. The process starts months before the parade, with members brainstorming ideas, designing intricate costumes, and collaborating with artisans to create custom throws.
The work that goes into it is a true labor of love—each costume, throw, and float serves as a reflection of the krewe’s creativity, passion, and dedication to putting on a show that reflects their commitment to the community.
And when it all comes together, the result is nothing short of pure joy! Like the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, Mardi Gras is a celebration of life, culture, and unity—an explosion of color, music, and energy that brings people together in a way that’s truly unforgettable.
Video
Founded in 2013, the groundbreaking all-female Mardi Gras krewe made history as the first established by African American women for African American women—but its spirit of inclusivity welcomes everyone to join the fun!
Femme Fatale goes beyond the parade route, fostering a year-round sisterhood rooted in service, mentorship, and cultural pride. Through leadership programs, community outreach, and signature initiatives like Say Yes to the Prom Dress, the krewe uplifts and supports women of all ages. The hard work and dedication put into preparing for Mardi Gras is just as important as their year-round efforts.
Year after year, Femme Fatale goes all-in to refresh their floats, costumes, and throws, ensuring that each parade is an unforgettable experience. The process starts months before the parade, with members brainstorming ideas, designing intricate costumes, and collaborating with artisans to create custom throws.
The work that goes into it is a true labor of love—each costume, throw, and float serves as a reflection of the krewe’s creativity, passion, and dedication to putting on a show that reflects their commitment to the community.
And when it all comes together, the result is nothing short of pure joy! Like the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, Mardi Gras is a celebration of life, culture, and unity—an explosion of color, music, and energy that brings people together in a way that’s truly unforgettable.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00All hail Femme Fatale on our 10th Anniversary Parade!
00:06We got Ashton's, we got Mystic Crew of Femme Fatale and Coca-Cola of Regional Taste and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
00:12coming together to uplift and share the moment and celebrate Mardi Gras.
00:17This, for the fourth year in a row, has been our kickoff to Ashton's Festival of Culture
00:21and I am so excited! Happy Mardi Gras, y'all! Let's go!
00:26So the vision came to me in 2012 and it was a vision where I looked around and I saw
00:31that in this rich culture that we have in New Orleans, in Mardi Gras,
00:35there was not a place for black women or women of color to call their own.
00:39Femme Fatale is a true sisterhood.
00:42We have women from all walks of life, from 30 cities across the United States,
00:49from all different ages.
00:52What you throw is the compact and what it symbolizes for us is that you look inward and give outward.
00:58You want everyone to kind of look within themselves because once you look into yourself,
01:01then you can give out to others.
01:03This year's theme is I Am Every Woman and our floats will represent women as artists,
01:08attorneys, every field that there is.
01:11To just show women, young girls, that we can do anything that we put our minds to.
01:17I always love to see how Mystic Crew of Femme Fatale re-expresses what they throw out to the community.
01:23And this year, Essence and Coca-Cola will ride on our manicurist beautician floats.
01:29And let me tell you, the ladies of the Mystic Crew of Femme Fatale like to look good.
01:34And Essence is going to represent that for us.
01:37Let's give it up! Representing the Essence Festival of Culture, sponsored by Coca-Cola,
01:43we appreciate what you do, especially working with the Mystic Crew of Femme Fatale.
01:49We thank you so very much.
01:52We've had such an incredible day today.
01:54Connecting with the community of New Orleans and seeing the pure joy on their face.
01:59And speaking of joy, I hope I see y'all at the Essence Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola.
02:03Be express!