Betty David (1938 – August 31, 2007) was a Native American fashion designer renowned for her handmade coats and leather goods.
Betty David | |
|---|---|
 Betty David dressing a mannequin | |
| Born | 1938 |
| Died | August 31, 2007 |
| Nationality | Spokane |
| Education | University of Oregon Marylhurst University |
| Occupation | fashion designer |
David was born in Nespelem, Washington; she attended the University of Oregon and Marylhurst College.[1] She was enrolled as a member of the Spokane Tribe of Indians, Wellpinit, Washington.[1]
In the 1970s, she received a shearling coat as a gift and decided she could design a better one.[2] She first began selling her hand-sewn coats decorated with painted designs in, in David's own words, "Northwest Coast Indian style," at the Santa Fe Art Market.[2] She had a loft studio in Seattle's Pioneer Square and had a traveling trunk show. She later sold her work at galleries in Spokane and New York City and received attention in major publications.[3][4][5][6]
Her work was acquired by the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston, Illinois and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.[1][7]
David described her designs as bridging the divide between nature and abstraction: "'I'm inspired by animals and parts of animals, but I'm not trying to make critters. They're abstract ... It's a new totem pole look.'"[5]