Bamako Bride*

Less than a month to go in my Bamako adventure. My final month coincides with the opening our newest small business venture for his family - Bamako Bride. We are still proud taxi owners, but we figured it was time to diversify. We have opened a small bridal rental shop in the family's neighborhood -Niamakoro. It's a brightly painted (pink and blue) shop next to a newer Eco-bank with full length glass display windows in front. We have 14 wedding dresses (much thanks to my mom and wedding guru Viva Max!) and a whole bunch of "pret a porter" party dresses (many donated by friends and family- thanks!). We are shooting for a bride-friendly - queen for a day scene that mixes urban Bamako fashion with American bridal stamina.

Solo - my former driver - now mans the shop. Drissa's family brings him lunch everyday. Drissa's brother Yacouba helped us to secure and renovate the space. My neighbor, Nicole, and I arranged the display - wedding dresses along a long rack to the right and other dresses hung all around the left hand wall. We have a cheesy 1980s Macy's Dept style mannequin. Yacou and Solo bought an expensive mannequin and a wig and a hairnet that holds on the wig.

For our promotional shoot, Yacou asked his fiancee and her friends and his friends friends to come be in our catalog. I called on my friends Devon, who works for an NGO here, and Hillary, a teacher, as well as Nicole - to add some American models to the mix. I played photographer and stylist and all the girls worked together to model all 14 dresses. 8 models changing in a tiny room with one mirror. Trading jewlrey and dresses trying to to maximize both preferences and the the best fits. Everything accomplished in 3 hours - pretty amazing.

I used pics from that day to make a catalogue and business cards. I had limited photo-editing software, so I used old school "Paint" (an early 90s relic found in the accessories tab.) Those who took computer class in the early 90s will appreciate the way I used the eraser to delete the background images of this photo so that just Bintou (host niece) and the model remain.

Drissa has just started distributing business cards. My friend Sam is working on a logo (yeahhhhhh Sam)! Next step is posting fliers and sotramas that go to Niamakoro and a lottery for a free wedding dress rental for university students on campus.

So if anyone knows anyone who needs to rent a wedding dress in Bamako - send them our way!

*Rock'n crazy microsoft paint skills on this photo.