Louisiana Couture: The Legacy of San Carlin
On View August 1, 2026 Through January 3, 2027
Located in the Soupçon Gallery
From Baton Rouge to the world stage, San Carlin proved that Louisiana craftsmanship could rival French couture.
Founded in Baton Rouge in the mid-1980s by Carla Jumonville and Linda Ward-Dalton, San Carlin became one of the South's premier luxury eveningwear houses, creating elegant gowns for Mardi Gras queens, brides, political figures, and celebrities—including Joan Collins.
Known for impeccable craftsmanship, exquisite fabrics, and couture-level hand finishing, San Carlin's collections were sold through prestigious retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus and showcased in New York, Dallas, and Paris. Every gown was conceived, designed, and produced in Baton Rouge, blending Louisiana's joie de vivre with exceptional artistry and innovation.
Today, the LSU Textile & Costume Museum preserves the San Carlin archive, celebrating a remarkable legacy of Louisiana fashion through these garments and historic photography by Fred Frey.
The garments on view are drawn from the San Carlin archive at the LSU Textile & Costume Museum and are accompanied by extensive imagery, much of it by noted Baton Rouge photographer Fred Frey. The LSU Textile & Costume Museum is proud to serve as steward of this unique history of Louisiana fashion, preserving the glamorous legacy of San Carlin.
For the LSU Textile & Costume Museum, the exhibition fulfills its mission to preserve, research, and interpret the history of textiles and dress. For LASM, it offers visitors an opportunity to experience the intersection of artistic expression, technical innovation, and Louisiana history through one of the state's most celebrated creative enterprises. Financial support for this exhibition was provided by the Big Ideas in Arts & Humanities – Provost's Fund for Innovation in Research at LSU, Carla Jumonville, Linda Ward-Dalton, and Pat Alford.
Website Image Credits: Photographs by Fred Frey. Courtesy of the San Carlin Archive, LSU Textile & Costume Museum
From Baton Rouge to the world stage, San Carlin proved that Louisiana craftsmanship could rival French couture.
Founded in Baton Rouge in the mid-1980s by Carla Jumonville and Linda Ward-Dalton, San Carlin became one of the South's premier luxury eveningwear houses, creating elegant gowns for Mardi Gras queens, brides, political figures, and celebrities—including Joan Collins.
Known for impeccable craftsmanship, exquisite fabrics, and couture-level hand finishing, San Carlin's collections were sold through prestigious retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus and showcased in New York, Dallas, and Paris. Every gown was conceived, designed, and produced in Baton Rouge, blending Louisiana's joie de vivre with exceptional artistry and innovation.
Today, the LSU Textile & Costume Museum preserves the San Carlin archive, celebrating a remarkable legacy of Louisiana fashion through these garments and historic photography by Fred Frey.
The garments on view are drawn from the San Carlin archive at the LSU Textile & Costume Museum and are accompanied by extensive imagery, much of it by noted Baton Rouge photographer Fred Frey. The LSU Textile & Costume Museum is proud to serve as steward of this unique history of Louisiana fashion, preserving the glamorous legacy of San Carlin.
For the LSU Textile & Costume Museum, the exhibition fulfills its mission to preserve, research, and interpret the history of textiles and dress. For LASM, it offers visitors an opportunity to experience the intersection of artistic expression, technical innovation, and Louisiana history through one of the state's most celebrated creative enterprises. Financial support for this exhibition was provided by the Big Ideas in Arts & Humanities – Provost's Fund for Innovation in Research at LSU, Carla Jumonville, Linda Ward-Dalton, and Pat Alford.
Website Image Credits: Photographs by Fred Frey. Courtesy of the San Carlin Archive, LSU Textile & Costume Museum
Thank you to our sponsors
About the Exhibit
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