We would like to take a moment and thank Pam, co-founder of the Tower Event Space at Workzones. Pam believed in us from day one. Without Pam, Couture Pattern Museum would not have launched in the community, and we would exist solely as a digital museum.
It was Pam's vision and invitation to begin showing during 1st Thursday that pushed us to strive to become something more. We said yes to the opportunity. In 2022, with limited start-up funds, the museum was humbly funded by the dresses that the founder created and sold to private clients. With those savings, we rented an office at Workzones where we began testing out classes and events, building the database, and digitizing patterns. Within a month, we began launching exhibitions during 1st Thursday Artwalk. We had no idea if anyone would show up.
Experimenting under Pam helped us with market research, without having to risk thousands of dollars on a State Street retail space. We didn't want to become just another failed venture on State Street. We had to work humbly, and be smart with where and how we deployed the few funds we had. We had to learn quickly what the local market wanted and would best bear. Some of you have been along for the ride from the very beginning as we began offering courses, field trips, workshops, and high-tea gatherings.
With each succeeding exhibition, more and more people in the Santa Barbara community (and also many from further afar) came to support this new Couture Pattern Museum, even though the collaboration appeared unusual at first. A museum? At Workzones? We kept going...even in the face of confusion, criticism, erasure, and, sometimes, even a bit of outright mocking. We stayed humble and nimble. We observed and listened. We worked very, very hard. Our members stayed with us, ceasing judgment and listening to the remarkable story that we were trying to tell, no matter where or how we exhibited.
With each exhibition, the numbers grew in size. Visitors and members forgave our growing pains and could look beyond - to see the genuine, heart-filled story, one filled with beauty, passion, and historical significance. Our community is now witnessing, and increasingly becoming a part of, something elegantly special, innovative, and new. This has never been done in history before, anywhere in the world!
Now that we have secured our new location on State Street, we still see the value of continuing to work with Pam as the museum's needs continue to shift and further grow. Starting a museum with no government funding, museum collaborations, or city grant funding has been incredibly challenging, to say the least.
Working with Pam has allowed us to create a strong community by testing the market, pivoting, and adjusting, while launching on a shoestring (seamstress) budget.
We would like to thank the entire team at Workzones, especially, Pam, Kirk, Daniel, and Thomas, for helping to make the community exhibitions so welcoming and special.
We would also like to thank all of our early supporters, which includes Founding Members, Conservation Sponsors and Visitors, Exhibition Sponsors, Individual Donors, and Upholders of Couture Members. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, makes a significant difference to us. You matter in our community and you make a difference.
