In 1949, the film “Sampson and Delilah” took the world by storm.  Starring legendary beauty Hedy Lamarr and Hollywood hunk Victor Mature it was an absolute blockbuster!

Costume designer Edith Head used Egyptian Assiut cloth to create this slinky two-piece ensemble. I previously wrote about this costume in the post: An Assiut Gown: Heady Lamarr, Edith Head, and Delilah.

Since then, I’ve found this fantastic film clip of the movie scene from Samson & Delilah where you can see this ensemble in action.

Delilah’s/ Hedy Lamarr’s Assiut Dress: Selling Beauty

Paramount knew it had a hit on its hands when the movie debuted in late 1949. Hedy’s image as the exquisite Delilah sold beauty products from basic soap to glamourous face powder. Paramount Pictures capitalized on their beautiful star, leasing her image out through their marketing and sales departments for global advertising.

It is unlikely that Hedy would have consented willingly to have her image used with sketchy products like diet pills and weight loss supplements. You can spot Hedy wearing the iconic assiut gown on the right of the image bar right below the text, “Listen to Hedy Lamarr!”

When an image is too generic, some companies boldly state the actress’s name, film, and production company. Here Hollywood makeup artist Max Factor has a beauty product launch with the film introducing different shades of “Amber.”

Of course, while beautiful, Hedy is now better known for her biggest role – the inventor of the internet.  You can read more about her contributions and innovations in technology widely around the web. Here’s an article to get you started.

I’m always delighted when I spot this gown in new places.  Thanks for joining me in this delightful journey of this Cloth of Egypt, Assiut aka Al-Tally.

Happy Dance and Costuming,
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
June, 2024

Two London Fashion Exhibits in 8 Hours?

I wound up in London for a mere 50 hours on a recent work gig.  The team arrived late on Friday and left early on Monday.  I only had eight free hours and four items on my “must-do” list.  The list included some sightseeing, shopping, and not one, but TWO fashion history exhibitions.

Could I do two London fashion exhibits in one day? With careful planning ahead of the trip, I maximized my experience in a minimum amount of time.  Here’s a rundown of how the day went.

“Sargent and Fashion”
Tate Britain, London

My first stop on my day out was at the Tate Britain for “Sargent and Fashion.”  John Singer Sargent redefined society portraiture during the Belle Epoch. He worked in an “alla prima” style, quickly setting paint without the benefit of underpainting, or even sketches on the canvas. Sargent had an uncanny power to capture the essence of an individual in a few bold strokes. This painter was a true creative genius.

In this show, society portraits are paired with the surviving fashion artifacts that have survived the years. Placed side-by-side, you can reach a fuller and richer understanding of how Sargent interpreted these garments in paint on canvas.

The exhibition is sublime – If you can get to it, GO.  If you can’t, but share my twin loves of art and fashion history, get the book. I felt very fortunate this was on while I was there.  What an experience!

Sargent and Fashion @ Tate Britain, London  through July 7, 2024 More Tickets and Info

Boat Ride:
from Battersea to Canary Wharf

After having a snack in the cafe at the Tate Britain, I walked down to the river and caught an Uber Boat for an extended trip on the river.  I paid for an all-day pass that allowed me to go from one end of the purple line at Battersea down to Canary Wharf and back.

Unlike a formal boat tour with a guide, the Uber Boat is like a water bus. It moves quickly from one station to another up and down the river. It was a beautiful method to get from the Tate Britain in Pimlico to the Museum of London, Docklands. More Info on the Uber Boat

“Fashion City”
Museum of London, Docklands

While “Sargent and Fashion” was about aristocracy and haute couture, “Fashion City” explored the history of the Jewish garment workers, seamstresses, and couturiers who lived and worked in London.

This exhibit was set up like a timeline and as you explored each room, you moved forward in time, beginning with late 19th century immigrants, through war rationing, 50’s glamour, and the 60s mods. The exhibits featured a mix of objects, garments, and ephemera including everything from fashion magazines to sewing machines.

The one caveat is that all the garments are behind glass, so my photos showed reflections of lights and other exhibition components. Fortunately, there’s a very well-written and complete exhibition guide for purchase.

Fashion City @ Museum of London, Docklands through July 7, 2024.  More Info and Tickets

Food & Fun

After the fashion exhibitions, it was time for quality shopping time, tea and scones at Marks and Spencer, a visit to a few bookstores, and a walk around the area near my hotel at King’s Cross. Believe me when I say I slept very well that night despite the sudden change in time.

If you want to see more photos of these exhibitions, join me on Patreon for the July 2024 coffee chat.

Happy Dance and Costuming,
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
June 2024

PS: If you love a good Fashion Exhibit Review – check out “Guo Pei”

Clockwork Alchemy 2024, April 19-21

I’m pleased to announce that I’m heading to the Bay Area’s premier steampunk event, Clockwork Alchemy on April 19-21. I’m presenting two historical slide shows and serving as MC for the Belly Dance Show.

If you’re interested in learning more about this event, visit their website for schedule, location, pricing, and more.

• Clockwork Alchemy – Main Page
• Clockwork Alchemy – Schedule

“By the Sea” – Theatrical Victorian Bathing Attire – Part 1

True Confession: I have a strange hobby – I cosplay as a college professor at steampunk conventions.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve traveled to conventions up and down the West Coast presenting slide history talks focused on 1850 – 1920.

This year, I’m doing something I haven’t done in many years. I’m going to make a costume to attend one of my talks!

“By The Sea”

This year, Clockwork Alchemy has a fun theme, the Aetheric Ocean.  For this event, I’ve put together two 50-minute slide-show talks.  The first, “By The Sea” is a survey of Victorian and Edwardian bathing customs and costumes.

As I have pulled out primary source materials, I’ve been bitten by the bug to make a historically inspired bathing suit to wear while I give the presentation. 

“By The Sea”
Costume Design: First Five Steps

• Step One: Do some research – When I’m making a theatrical costume with a period impression, I always start with research. Since the slide deck is filled with period images, I’m already done!
• Step Two: Cash Budget – When it comes to costumes, I always take a moment at the beginning to set a budget.  The first thing I consider is the cash.  For this look, I’m setting a budget of around $100.  I’m sure I’ll get to wear this ensemble 4 times, that’s $25 a wearing which is my goal for costuming
• Step Three: Time Budget – Then I take a good hard look at what I can realistically accomplish in the amount of time I have available.  I have a three-week window before the event. I’ll take as many shortcuts as possible!
• Step Four: Mood Board – Then I set up a mood board using Pinterest.  It’s just the easiest tool for whipping up a mood board.

• Step Five: Sketch or Photo – Next, I will pick one image, or make a composite sketch of the features I want to include.  Since this is a period-inspired, theatrically made costume, I’ve selected a representative historic image to serve as my style guide.

Design is all about making decisions, since I’m my own customer for this one, I’ll spend a couple of days musing and thinking about what I’m going to make, how I’m going to make it within the parameters of my cash budget $100 and time budget 3 weeks.

In the next post, I’ll share my design brief and the approach I chose for getting this job done fast and under budget!

Happy Costuming!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
March, 2024