Davina ~ Dawn Devine is a belly dance costume designer, dance instructor and author of more than a dozen publications on Middle Eastern dance.
One of the projects for the book, Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut, was a lovely turquoise and blue bra for the illustrious dancer Princess Farhana of Hollywood. While I was vending at Cairo Caravan in June, I worked on this project. Here are some quickie phone snapshots of me working on this amazing bra! The final finished project will be featured on the back cover of the book. Princess Farhana will receive this lovely costume piece at Carnival of Stars in August!
Today is the last day of my Kickstarter campaign! As I type this, I have a mere 21 hours left and the frenzy of the last month will be over. It’s been quite an experience, like an exhilarating thrill ride. We made our minimum amount for funding in a mere 42 minutes. I’m completely gobsmacked over the results and the final tally exceeds 6K. The outpouring of support from the community has given me a tremendous sense of belonging, and I’m so happy that there are so many folks interested in the same subject, assiut cloth from Egypt.
Everyone who has donated to the Kickstarter campaign are listed in our sponsors page, both in the book, here on this website and in the upcoming magazine edition of Costumer’s Notes. I consider everyone who pledged money to be part of this grand collaboration! There are dozens of model/dancers, photographers, and fashion designers who have contributed images and designs to this book in concrete and tangible ways. The people who choose to back me via Kickstarter, are taking an even bigger risk, on a sight-unseen book. Each and everyone of you have helped me make this book better, by subsidizing the purchase of resources, photography, and computer resources. I’m looking forward to finishing this publication, and I invite you all to check back here on the Costumer’s Notes blog, to follow along with the project from where it stands today, until it is ready to ship sometime in late fall.
Lili Damita was photographed at Studio Menasse Foto Salon in Vienna in 1930. Lili, a celebrated French actress, is best known for her marriage to screen actor and Hollywood hunk Errol Flynn. She was captured in this bohemian, yet elegant photo shortly before her screen career ended and she became a mom. It was wildly popular for well travelled women to be artistically photographed nude or in this case, nearly nude. Her lovely geometrically patterned assiut shawl features the strong linear forms popular during the art deco era.
This is just an update for my readers – I sent a issue of Costumer’s Notes Newsletter! I’ve received quite a few emails from folks with questions, many of which are the same. If you’re having difficulty reading Costumer’s Notes or didn’t receive it all, one of the following things may have happened.
If all else fails, email me at davina@davina.us with RE: NEWSLETTER in the description and I will check on it for you! Thanks for your continued support!
Costumer’s Notes Reader Exclusive
Get a copy of “The Belly Dance Reader” for $20.
Special thanks to Lynette, editor of Gilded Serpent eZine for extending this fantastic offer.
Coupon code is in May 2013 Costumer’s Notes Newsletter
