Launched in 1923, Maskée by Ciro embodied the electrifying energy of Carnival, a time of masked revelry, music, and unrestrained joy. The name Maskée is derived from the French word "masqué" (pronounced mah-SKAY), meaning "masked"—a fitting title for a perfume inspired by the world of masquerades, revelry, and hidden identities. The name itself conjures images of elaborate Venetian masks, swirling silk gowns, and candlelit ballrooms, where intrigue and passion unfold behind veiled disguises. Maskée was designed to transport its wearer into a world of fantasy, where the boundaries of reality and illusion blurred, much like the intoxicating effect of a Carnival night.
Ciro’s choice to infuse Maskée with the spirit of Carnival was a bold and imaginative move. Carnival is renowned for its vibrant excess, dazzling costumes, and intoxicating atmosphere, making it the perfect inspiration for a perfume meant to exude "a gay, reckless odeur," as contemporary advertisements described it. This was an era when women were stepping into new freedoms—flappers were dancing in jazz clubs, hemlines were rising, and the old constraints of Edwardian propriety were being cast aside. Maskée would have appealed to this modern, adventurous woman—one who was not afraid to embrace excitement, glamour, and even a hint of mischief.
