Welcome to our Magical Moving Garden
Krewe des Fleurs is a NOLA-based costume and performance collective. When we’re not parading, we share creative and inspiring ideas from around the world on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Each year, our members build larger than life costumes in the image of a different flower, designed as one blank prototype and brought to life through their imagination and inspiration. Each chooses her own color scheme and embellishments to make her flower her own.
In 2015 (our inaugural year) we paraded as the Gilded Lilies. Our second year, we hit the route as Radical Roses. 2017 brought out a familiar Louisiana flower, the Iris, chosen to pay homage to Krewe of Iris’s 100 year anniversary. In 2018, we upped our costume game with Orchids, each flower seen on the route was the product of each member’s imagination, hard work, and dedication to costumery. For 2019, we debuted our new varietal, the Bleeding Heart, on January 6, AKA: 12th Night or Epiphany. This design features an all new silhouette for Krewe des Fleurs that includes a multi-flower design on an asymmetrical vine! 2020 welcomed our largest palette yet with the Passion Flower. This was also the year that we started working with some new materials that in turn, produced more durable and longer-lasting costumes. For the 2020-2021 season, we took the time during the Covid-19 Pandemic to focus on nurturing our existing garden and reworking and rebuilding our lily and iris costumes. In 2022, we revealed a flower that is known for growing in a wide variety of climates and circumstances, the Lotus, as an ode to all of us having collectively come through a very tough time. 2023 we brought back a reimagined blast from the past the Lily. In 2024 we spent countless hours perfecting the clematis, teaching us to forever reach to new heights. 2024 also marks Krewe des Fleurs’ 10th anniversary celebration, which will span 2024 and 2025. The krewe was officially
founded in 2014, with its first official parade appearance at Krewe Boheme in 2015. Since its founding, the krewe has
proudly participated in hundreds of parades, events, and appearances, and has debuted ten different flower varietals
through the years.
We are excited each season to debut a new flower on Twelfth Night, January 6th at Armstrong Park! Mark your calendar.
When we’re not in “full Fleur” you’ll see us around town in giant floral headdresses, designed and built by each member.
Our approach to leadership is collaborative. The Captain Team is known as Gilda Lily:
President: Leslie Lewis; Vice President: Mindie Kairdolf; Secretary: Ashley Lownik; PR & Marketing: Madeleine Briscoe; Treasurer: Shannon Atwater; Founder & Creative Director: Laura Dean-Shapiro
Our Commitment to Support Local Artists
In our first three years, we worked with Katherine Champagne (Sugarcane Costumes) to design and create each magnificent flower. Katie then worked with each members to see her own version and vision realized. Today, she is focused on individual costume projects and other artistic ventures.
We began working with Dana Beuhler in the Spring of 2017. Dana is a veteran sculptor who has worked with the big dogs of carnival for more than a decade. A expert designer, Dana splits her creative time between movie sets and her studio in Broadmoor. Dana supports our green-MG values by utilizing a Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) paper vendor, Mac Papers (www.macpapers.com), and low VOC paints and other supplies. You can own one of Dana’s pro flowers! Check out her work at Miette- 2038 Magazine St.
Our 2020 flower was designed by Emily Stein, a NOLA-local visual artist, and teacher. Emily introduced us to several new techniques and materials that encouraged members to embrace their creativity and imagination. The results are stunning. You can follow her Instagram HERE to learn more about her work and contact her for direct commissions.
In 2022, Krewe des Fleurs proudly unveiled its lotus varietal, designed by the talented Lindsay DeBlieux.
The 2023 season saw a fresh interpretation of the beloved Louisiana Lily, with Lindsay DeBlieux once again leading the design process for this captivating varietal.
Krewe des Fleurs announced its 2024 varietal as the clematis, a spectacular flowering vine symbolizing ambition and aspiration. Lindsay DeBlieux, a veteran member of the collective and a New Orleans native, brought the design to life. The clematis, known as the “queen of climbers,” reflects the Krewe’s pursuit of opportunity and expansion. We debuted this varietal in Crescent Park then the Joan of Arc Parade. While not specifically chosen for this parade the clematis aligns perfectly with the parade’s theme, honoring St. Joan of Arc, and thrives in both Louisiana and France.
Lindsay’s artistic journey, spanning from the lotus in 2022 to the clematis in 2024, showcases her continuous contributions to Krewe des Fleurs and her role in bringing each varietal to vibrant life. Lindsay DeBlieux, a Mardi Gras artist, left for Austin, Texas, after Hurricane Katrina, where she completed her BFA with a concentration in painting in 2012. She returned home immediately and currently resides in Chalmette, La., with her husband and two sons.
Contact Lindsay DeBlieux for commission requests via email at ljcdeblieux@gmail.com.
