Louisiana Couture: The Legacy of San Carlin

Staged in partnership with the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, this exhibition presents the history of Baton Rouge-based luxury evening and cocktail wear brand San Carlin, founded by Carla Jumonville and Linda Ward-Dalton, with twenty-nine garments from the LSU Textile & Costume Museum archive spanning the company’s history from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. In addition to these dazzling gowns, designed by LSU fashion program alum Gonzalo Calderón-Ortiz, an extensive collection of related fashion photography by noted Baton Rouge photographer Fred Frey enfolds the garments in rich visuals. Designed and created in Baton Rouge yet sold internationally through high-end boutiques and department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, San Carlin became synonymous with glamour, excellent craftsmanship, and luxury.