Friends of the LSU Textile & Costume Museum

09/02/2026

Four little vests all in a row have us feeling like fall in these rich colors. The red vest is wool with mother of pearl buttons from c. 1905 and the three others are crafted from gorgeous silks and date to the mid-19th century.

Can’t you just imagine four handsome little gentlemen sporting these smart vests. Children were often dressed in versions of clothes that matched their full grown parents following prevalent fashion trends.

We just had to share before these are tucked away. Happy September - hopefully some cooler weather is just around the corner 🍁

08/28/2026

Shannon Walker, granddaughter of quilter Anna Williams, recently visited our current on-campus exhibition Stitches in Time: Quilts & Fashion to see two of her grandmother’s quilts on display. Anna Williams (1927-2010) quilted exuberantly using thousands of pieces of fabric arranged with intuitive yet expert consideration of color, shape, and composition.

To the best of our knowledge there are three museums which house quilts by Miss Anna: TCM, the Brooklyn Museum and the International Quilt Museum which has a quilt similar to the two held by TCM shown here from the book Quilts: A Living Tradition.

These are prized artifacts in our collection, and we are so pleased to reunite a member of Miss Anna’s family with her inspiring work. Come see them for yourself, along with more than 13 other quilts on display, juxtaposed with incredible quilted fashion.

Final detail image here by Emma Reynolds

Anna’s piecing of fabric scraps also reminds us of the loss of icon Dolly Parton - we will always love you Dolly 🦋. Coat of Many Colors is the theme song of our current exhibition.

08/11/2026

It’s people that make the work we do possible 😊

To all the donors, attendees, students, advisory board members, collaborators - thank you for supporting -

Louisiana Couture: The Legacy of San Carlin.

Thank you Stuart Poulton of Movee Media the team Prisma and our colleagues Louisiana Art & Science Museum - a special thanks to the graduate students who helped curate and install the show 刘素君 and morgan - thank you M'Elaine Jumonville Wright for organizing a fabulous champagne 🍾 soirée Margo Bouanchaud Inc for gorgeous nibbles - also there were amazing flowers, candles, music 🎶 and more than can be listed here.

It is a pleasure to be of service to such a supportive, and we dare say quite fashionable community!

Plan your visit to see the exhibit on view Louisiana Art & Science Museum until January 4, 2027.

08/06/2026

Our exhibition Louisiana Art & Science Museum

Louisiana Couture: The Legacy of San Carlin,

includes an extensive presentation of the fashion photography of the late great Fred Frey .

It was such a delight to welcome Frey’s family to the exhibit pictured left to right: Gidget Fields, Genevieve Frey Fields, Henry Fields, and Anna Frey.

Fred Frey’s beautiful photographs juxtaposed with stunning San Carlin gowns is not to be missed. Plan your visit now, the exhibition is up until January 4, 2027!

07/31/2026

On view now at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum until January 4, 2027! Plan your visit now. LASM is also open for First Free Sunday this weekend, August 2, 2026, from 1- 5 p.m.

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.

07/30/2026

Louisiana Couture: The Legacy of San Carlin opens Louisiana Art & Science Museum on August 1 and remains on view until January 4, 2027.

Sunday, August 2, is First Free Sunday at LASM and a perfect opportunity to view the new exhibit from 1-5 pm.

San Carlin, founded by Linda-Ward Dalton & Carla Jumonville, who added LSU fashion program graduate Gonzalo Calderón Ortíz to the team early on, became a leader in the women’s luxury evening wear business over a period of two decades. Remarkably all these gorgeous creations were designed and made in Baton Rouge and sold in high-end shops internationally.

Shown here are a selection of images from the San Carlin archive held at the LSU Textile & Costume Museum which also includes close to 100 original designs by the iconic brand. All studio images are by Fred Frey

Come view approximately 30 examples in the glamour-packed exhibition. TCM is so grateful for this collaboration with LASM. Swipe ➡️ all the way to see a message of gratitude from TCM Director & Curator Dr. Michael Mamp.

Louisiana Couture: The Legacy of San Carlin is made possible with financial support from the Big Ideas in the Arts & Humanities - Provost’s Fund at LSU, Carla Jumonville, Linda Ward-Dalton, and Pat Alford.

07/25/2026

The LSU Textile & Costume Museum is committed to preserving fashion history, especially that of Louisiana. Whether through teaching, research, or public engagement via exhibitions, the 10,000 objects in our collection serve as powerful, authentic educational tools. In a time of growing inauthenticity, we believe that preserving material culture is more important than ever.

Recently, we were gifted nearly 100 gowns and extensive archival material, by San Carlin, the Baton Rouge–based luxury eveningwear brand that operated from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s with remarkable international success.

Approximately 30 of these gowns are featured in our newest exhibition opening Louisiana Art & Science Museum August 1, and on view until January 4, 2027.

Mark your calendars to visit *Louisiana Couture: The Legacy of San Carlin* and experience firsthand the glamour, craftsmanship, and excellence of design present in every garment.

07/17/2026

We admit it 🤷‍♂️

We are SWEPT AWAY in San Carlin style!

Gonzalo Calderón Ortiz, Carla Jumonville, Linda Ward Dalton and their entire team created something truly magical that we can’t wait to share with all of you!🤩

Counting down the days to the opening of Louisiana Couture: The Legacy of San Carlin on August 1.

Studio images shown here by the late great

04/28/2026

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/articles/page1777319457988

​(04/27/26) The exhibit “Stitches in Time: Quilts and Fashion" opens May 3 in the LSU Textile and Costume Museum.