Coronation Couture on display in Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – While people in the U.K. prepare what they are going to wear to King Charles III's coronation on Saturday, some people in downtown Santa Barbara were treated with coronation dresses built from sewing patterns dating back to Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.
Couture Pattern Museum founder Cara Austine said she was inspired to hold the "Coronation Couture Exhibition" after she was given the official sewing patterns from an award-winning couture seamstress in London.
Normon Hartnell was the dressmaker for Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953. Austine says Hartnell released some sewing patterns and some coronation patterns for those attending the Queen's coronation.
Austine took these sewing patterns and hand sewn a coronation gown and a coronation gown.
"It is [like] touching history and to make these beautiful historic gowns and to feel like you're in their atelier is just a it's really a privilege."
The exhibit also featured pieces of Queen Elizabeth's coronation robes and a photograph of Montecito resident Suzy Parker who wore an original coronation robe. Parker passed away in 2003.
Austine says her exhibit is listed as an official coronation event on King Charles III coronation website.
The public won't see coronation robes during King Charles' coronation because the King banned coronation robes earlier this year. Instead the King has opted to have his guests attend his coronation in business attire.
The "Coronation Couture Exhibition" will be back on display at the Work Place Zone at Paseo Nuevo on June 1 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
