The Couture Pattern Museum Reopens for Private Tours After Extensive Deck Renovations

The Couture Pattern Museum reopens for private, curator-led tours with couture artifacts, outdoor tea, and digital archive access.

SANTA BARBARA, CA, UNITED STATES, April 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- After a year of deck repairs due to extensive storm damage, the Couture Pattern Museum has officially reopened for private, curator-led tours by appointment. Located at 1525 State Street, in the Plaza Linda Vista building, just a block and a half from the Arlington Theatre and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the museum offers an intimate look at the art of couture construction and preservation.

The museum has shifted the context of costume and fashion preservation by focusing on the information behind the cloth by preserving the methods, structure, and design thinking, not just the garments themselves.

According to Museum Founder and Curator Cara Austine-Rademaker, “The couture patterns in the museum’s collection offer tremendous educational value and capture the creative and technical processes of fashion, making them an essential resource for future generations.”

Due to limited display space, the current exhibition features key pieces that tell the story of the museum’s founding and mission. Visitors will see garments worn by Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn, authentic James Galanos dresses sewn in his Los Angeles atelier, a piece from the estate of Edith Head’s seamstress, and designs by Balenciaga, Madame Grès, Givenchy, and Christian Dior from the 1950s. The exhibit also includes a coronation robe released for Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 coronation, a Jean Dessès gown, and Yves Saint Laurent's Mondrian dress patterns.

Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour and concludes with tea and a French treat served outdoors on the museum’s private patio, overlooking the red-tiled rooftops of downtown Santa Barbara. Entry is complimentary for Founding Members, who may also bring one guest free of charge. Non-member visits are priced at $125 per person.

To extend the experience beyond the physical space, each visitor receives one year of digital access to the museum’s couture pattern archive. Guests also receive a small parting gift and will have their name listed next to a digitized pattern as a sponsor as recognition for their support.

Tours are designed for safety and comfort. Each visit is private, with only the curator and your group. Tea service is outdoors with open airflow throughout the tour.

To schedule a tour, call 805-303-4775, visit www.couturepatternmuseum.com or email contact@couturepatternmuseum.com.

About the Couture Pattern Museum
Founded in Santa Barbara, the Couture Pattern Museum holds a growing collection of haute couture and designer patterns, garments, and ephemera from the 20th century. Its mission is to educate, preserve design thinking, and make the techniques of couture understandable and accessible to future generations.

Reginald Parker
Couture Pattern Museum
+1 805-303-4775
email us here
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