Less than two weeks away! 100th Birthday Tribute to Designer James Galanos in Santa Barbara

We wish to inform you that scheduled and ticketed visitations to our museum location at 1525 State Street will not be offered until July. This is due to the exciting transition of the exhibit to Paseo Nuevo Mall.

Starting this weekend, we will begin dismantling the current exhibit in preparation for two special 1st Thursday exhibitions at the grand Tower Event space inside the Workzones building. You might wonder why these events are not held at our new location on State Street. The decision was made to accommodate a larger audience, secure a larger event space, and to ensure easier access. There will be ample, 75-min complimentary parking and wine and beverages will be offered.

Our journey began in 2022 in a modest office within Workzones. As a startup, we relied solely on our vision and some start-up support from our early founding members and from local individuals such as Pam Tanase and Kirk Peacock, co-founders of Workzones. Without any initial funding, memberships, or broader support, we launched our first exhibitions. These were uncertain times; we were not sure who would attend or how they would be received. However, we believed deeply in our mission.

Many have asked, "Can you truly be a museum while operating exhibitions from a shared co-working space?" Our response has been resoundingly affirmed by your enthusiastic support: Yes, we can!

When we started in 2022, we challenged the traditional notions of what a museum must be. We didn’t begin with substantial funding, a monumental building, or exclusive galas. Our founding mission was much more profound—a community. We needed a community that would gather, regardless of the setting, to celebrate a story worth telling.

This journey has taught us that a museum is not defined by its location or its infrastructure but by its ability to connect people with culture and history. We have broken barriers and stigmas about what a museum can be, proving that passion and public support are our most significant assets.

Thanks to the support of Founding Members, Blog Readers, Upholders of Couture, and anyone else who has supported us with donations and purchases. With your enduring support and participation, our community has grown, and thanks to you, our dreams are turning into reality.

We are excited to welcome you and look forward to continuing this journey with you. Your support has been instrumental to our success.

Special Thanks to Merry Rogers

Thanks to the support of Merry Rogers, we're excited to share with you that we have completed the digitization of the 1952 "Paris Sweetheart Dress," by Bestway, a stunning design by couturière, Manguin, the daughter of the famous painter, Henri Manguin.

Manguin was one of the few women among Paris's top designers during the golden age of couture. Manguin was firmly grounded in artistic roots, because she was exposed to legends like Matisse and Bonnard growing up. Naturally, she thought painting would also be her future, but instead, she took the inspiration from her childhood, and allowed this exposure to deeply influence her unique approach to haute couture. This beautiful velvet dress design, with its instructions, is now preserved in our digital archives. A heartfelt thank you to Merry Rogers for supporting our mission as a start-up museum and for preserving a design that came from the hand of a generational artist. Your sponsorship helps us keep history and culture alive.

We encourage our community to engage in the museum's journey of digital preservation by sponsoring a pattern, which will help us to secure the future of fashion history and education through preserved historical designs. For just $95, you can make a direct and lasting impact by sponsoring a pattern to be digitized.

Each sponsorship comes with 1 year access to the database.

About the Upcoming Exhibition:  

The 100th Birthday Tribute to James Galanos, Legendary California Designer, will be a delight for fashion & sewing enthusiasts and history buffs alike. The upcoming exhibit is drawing visitors from all over, including those flying in from the East Coast, and driving from as far as Washington State, Los Angeles, and Orange County. Don't miss this complimentary community event at the gorgeous TOWER event space at Workzones, Paseo Nuevo Mall. This tribute, part of Santa Barbara's 1st Thursday Artwalk on May 2 and June 6, from 5-8 pm, promises to be an unforgettable experience. You will witness original James Galanos costumes from his early career in the 1950s, including pieces identical to those in the permanent collections of the MET Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Walk amongst clothes, patterns, magazines, and original press photos. This event, set in the heart of gorgeous downtown Santa Barbara at the Paseo Nuevo Mall, offers free 75-minute parking, making it even easier to join us. Immerse yourself in the beauty and history of fashion, and make it an evening to remember with a meal at one of the many downtown restaurants or a stay at one of the nearby hotels on State Street.

Sign up today!

Check out the latest press release on Noozhawk! We would like to thank the team at Noozhawk, especially Kim, Sheridan and Jasmin, for their support.

Celebrating A Milestone: "Coronation Couture" Recognized on Wikipedia

This is a landmark moment for our museum: last year's Coronation Couture programming has been officially recognized on the Wikipedia page under "Global and Local Commemorations" of the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla. Our community's vibrant engagement shows the global relevance of our cultural contributions.

The acknowledgment was supported by citations from local journalists Leslie Dinaberg and Ryder Christ, whose coverage was instrumental in detailing the impact of our efforts. This recognition highlights the significance of our programming and its resonance beyond our immediate geographical bounds.

We are incredibly proud of this achievement and grateful for the continued support and participation of our community, which made this possible. It is your enthusiasm and engagement that propel our mission forward and allow us to make history together.

As we continue to innovate and engage with our community through our unique exhibitions and programming, we are reminded of how far we have come and how much more we can achieve together.

Recognizing Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful for our corporate sponsors who have contributed to us to make the James Galanos exhibition accessible to all. We are also grateful for our Clo3D video sponsor, Povilas Zaleskis from BiasCutWoman who created digital video renditions for the exhibit using innovative technology taught at the top fashion schools, such as Parsons and FIT, which will be on display in Santa Barbara.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Workzones, Paseo Nuevo Mall,

SBIndependent, Noozhawk and Sol Wave Water

The collective community support of our sponsors is fundamental to the success of the 100th Birthday tribute to James Galanos. It reflects a community that is dedicated to celebrating fashion history, facilitating cultural education, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering community engagement around the transformative power of design.

Support the Museum's Future

We rely on the generosity of our members and enthusiasts like you to sustain our mission of creating and curating unique exhibitions. As a unique organization with irreplaceable assets, your support is critical for us to maintain operations, expand our digital archives, and enhance our educational offerings. By becoming a member or sponsoring a pattern, you become a part of our legacy. Learn more about our membership options and ways to engage by clicking the button below.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our Founding Members, Sponsors, Donors, and Upholders of Couture for their unwavering support.

We eagerly anticipate welcoming you, whether it be in our new premises, at our upcoming pop-up exhibition at Paseo Nuevo Mall, or through our vibrant online community and forums.