As the weather begins to change and the first thaw of winter arrives, it's only natural that we would want to celebrate the warmer temperatures, the greater abundance of food and the wine that we put down in the cellars after the harvest in the fall. But few are aware of the fact that Mardi Gras, as we know it today, originated not in New Orleans or France but rather in medieval Venice, where the early people of Northeastern Italy had established a city on a lagoon as they fled the Barbaric invasions from the north across the Alps. By the Renaissance, Venice - already a major political, mercantile, and cultural hub of Europe - had become the Las Vegas of its day, the European capital of partying and gambling! And what chicer way to celebrate the new season than by wearing elaborate masks to conceal ones identity! This Mardi Gras, we're celebrating the age old tradition of Masquerade, by releasing a limited-edition capsule collection.