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Our Team.

Welcome to the Couture Pattern Museum, where passion fuels our creative team. Though small in size, we are mighty and efficient in our pursuit of excellence. Join us on this extraordinary journey as we honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future.

Cara Austine-Rademaker, Founder & Managing Director

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RJ Rademaker, Creative Operations Director, Key Advisor

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Mystique Latese, Mentor & Key Advisor

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Melissa Dagodag, Fashion Lawyer and Trademark/Copyright Attorney

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Stephanie Mendes McComb, Community Ambassador & Digital Community Moderator

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Povilas Zaleskis, Digital Fashion Designer & Creator, Clo3D Sponsor

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Creative Visions Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) that supports creative activists using the arts and media to ignite social change. Assists with fundraising and grants as our California fiscal sponsor.

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American Alliance of Museums, a prestigious network dedicated to championing museums and nurturing excellence across the museum field. 

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Cara Austine

Founder & Managing Director

Cara Austine-Rademaker is the founder and lead curator of the Couture Pattern Museum, one of the only archives in the world dedicated to preserving haute couture sewing patterns from the Golden Age of Couture. She brings a rare blend of analytical precision and creative skill. Now based in Santa Barbara, she works as a designer, educator, and trained seamstress, approaching fashion history through a technical, research-driven lens.

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Cara received advanced couture training from the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) in Paris, one of the most respected fashion schools in the world, closely connected to houses such as Dior, Chanel, and Givenchy. Her training there ties the museum’s work to the living tradition of haute couture craftsmanship.

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She works with heritage ateliers, industry professionals, and educators to bridge archival history with contemporary fashion practice.

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The museum is entirely self-funded and volunteer-run. Cara built it over decades, piece by piece, with no institutional support, with just her personal commitment, research, and labor. Every dollar raised goes directly to preservation, education, and programming.

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RJ Rademaker

Director of Strategic Planning & Key Advisor

RJ Rademaker is the Director of Strategic Planning at the Couture Pattern Museum. He brings decades of leadership experience in law, finance, and nonprofit management to guide the museum’s growth and long-term direction. Formerly a partner and practice group head at the international law firm Skadden Arps, RJ later served as executive director of a national charity for wounded soldiers, where he volunteered to lead major fundraising, strategic planning, and advocacy efforts.

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At the museum, RJ oversees strategic initiatives, operational planning, and budget coordination. He played a key role in producing the Balenciaga, Through the Lens of Tom Kublin event, while managing logistics and financial planning.

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An award-winning photographer and published songwriter, RJ combines his artistic background with deep organizational insight. His dedication, creativity, and philanthropic work have been instrumental in supporting the museum’s mission. RJ volunteers full-time at the museum, using his time and resources to support the work. His creative and strategic leadership has been essential in helping the museum grow while staying financially lean and independent.

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Melissa Dagodag

Fashion Lawyer and Trademark/Copyright Attorney Contracted Legal Counsel for Couture Pattern Museum

Melissa Dagadag is a distinguished fashion lawyer and seasoned attorney recognized for her expertise in trademark and copyright law. With a strong academic background, Melissa holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in English from Stanford University, as well as a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from UCLA School of Law. Her journey in the legal field began after experiencing the frustration of having her own design ideas stolen, inspiring her to protect the creative works of others.

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With diverse professional experiences, Melissa's career has been shaped by her passion for the fashion and entertainment industries. She began her legal career at Manatt, Phelps, and Phillips, LLP, a top California law firm specializing in entertainment and music law. Melissa further enriched her expertise by serving as an in-house attorney handling contracts and business affairs at BCBG, a major fashion company, and Palan Music, an international music publishing company.​​

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As contracted legal counsel for Couture Pattern Museum, Melissa Dagadag brings her comprehensive legal expertise and business experience to safeguard the museum's intellectual property and ensure legal compliance. Her practical legal know-how, effective communication skills, and approachable demeanor distinguish her as a trusted advisor.

 

With Melissa Dagadag as part of the Couture Pattern Museum team, the organization benefits from her strategic guidance and commitment to supporting creative individuals and businesses. 

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Mystique Latese

Mentor & Advisor

Since its inception, Mystique Latese, has been the museum's mentor and advisor. Mystique's visionary mentorship is integral to pushing the museum's forward-thinking initiatives.

 

As the founder of WOC Owned, Mystique is committed to inclusive entrepreneurship, and has created a thriving platform dedicated to bolstering Black and Brown women entrepreneurs. Her experience as an event planner has further polished her proficiency in project management, negotiation, and strategic planning, contributing lived advice to the museum.

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Mystique Latese's in-depth insights, unwavering commitment, and hands-on approach have been pivotal in carving the Couture Pattern Museum's forward trajectory.  

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Stephanie Mendes McComb

Community Ambassador, Digital Community Moderator & Founding Member

Stephanie Mendes McComb is a founding member of the Couture Pattern Museum and is a fashion entrepreneur, educator, and expert sewist. She holds degrees in Fashion Merchandising from the University of Rhode Island and eMarketing from Franklin University, and studied at London College of Fashion with a focus on millinery and fashion illustration.

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She’s worked in the corporate offices of Talbots, Columbia Sportswear, and Value City, and now runs her own brand, Love Stephanie Apparel. A graduate of Portland Fashion Institute’s business program, she also teaches sewing and is a member of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals.

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At the Couture Pattern Museum, Stephanie volunteers as a Community Ambassador and Digital Community Moderator.

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Povilas Zaleskis

Digital Fashion Designer & Creator, Clo3D Sponsor

Povilas Zaleskis is a Luxembourg-based Digital Fashion Designer, Creator, and Clo3D Sponsor at the Couture Pattern Museum. With a foundation in traditional bespoke tailoring, he excels in blending classic design with digital techniques, using Clo3D software to craft stunning digital renditions of couture. ​

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His digital reconstructions from the James Galanos collection displayed during the Tribute Exhibition in Santa Barbara, highlighted the complexity, beauty, and ingenuity of design processes, bridging historical fashion heritage with contemporary digital craftsmanship.

 

Povilas supports the museum's mission using his talent by assisting the Couture Pattern Museum to merge fashion's rich history with its digital future. Explore Povilas's innovative designs and historical digital projects at www.biascutwoman.studio and on Instagram @biascutwoman.

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Creative Visions Foundation

California Fiscal Sponsor, a non-profit 501(c)(3)

Couture Pattern Museum (CPM) is privileged to be a sponsored project of the Creative Visions Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) that supports creative activists, those that use the arts and media to ignite social change. As our local California fiscal sponsor, Creative Visions' mission aligns seamlessly with our own.

 

Our partnership with Creative Visions is built on shared values of creativity, inclusivity, and social change. Their support extends beyond fiscal sponsorship, offering critical fundraising and grant assistance. This enables CPM to expand its donor base and generate the necessary financial support for our preservation and educational initiatives. We are honored to be part of the Creative Visions family and look forward to continuing our joint endeavor to reshape the fashion and museum landscape.

Fiscally Sponsored by Creative Visions Malibu

Your support makes a difference! Couture Pattern Museum is fiscally sponsored by Creative Visions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports creative activists, those that use the arts and media to ignite social change. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Couture Pattern Museum (CPM) must be made payable to “Creative Visions” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

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Donations received will be used in accordance with the mission and operations of Couture Pattern Museum under the careful oversight and approval of our Fiscal Sponsor, Creative Visions. We strictly adhere to all applicable laws, grant terms, and foundation requirements in the management and application of these funds. Your generous contributions not only support our ongoing efforts to preserve and promote the lost story of the democratization of couture patterns, but they also reinforce our commitment to transparency, accountability, and the highest standards of fiscal responsibility. We deeply appreciate your trust and support in our work.​

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©2019 - 2024

 Couture Pattern Museum

Member of the Arts District of Santa Barbara
Professional Member of the American Alliance of Museums
Associate Member of Santa Barbara Downtown Organization

American Alliance of Museums (AAM)

As a professional member of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), CPM is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and quality in the museum sector. 

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Non-affiliation disclaimer

Any designer product names, logos, brands, and other trademarks or images featured or referred to within couturepatternmuseum.com and/or on any social media forum are the property of their respective trademark holders. These trademark holders do not sponsor or endorse couturepatternmuseum.com or any of its products or comments. We declare no affiliation, sponsorship, or partnerships with any designer-registered trademarks. couturepatternmuseum.com operates independently as an educational museum website. couturepatternmuseum.com does not claim any right to any of the designer trademarks, logos, or brands referred to within this website. If you have any questions or concerns, please check out our Terms of Use or get in touch with us here.

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Commitment to Transparency: 

As a fiscally sponsored organization, we prioritize transparency and flexibility in partnerships. Upon request, we provide detailed financial receipts showing how your contributions are used. Sponsors can direct support toward areas such as expanding organizational capacity, developing new educational programs, hosting events, digitizing patterns, exhibition frames, operational costs, digital platforms, advertising, PR and print materials, venue expenses, scholarships for students, and partnerships with colleges and universities. We welcome discussions to align your sponsorship with your goals and ensure funds are used efficiently and intentionally.

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Couture Pattern Museum Accessibility Statement

At the Couture Pattern Museum, we're dedicated to making our website easy to use for everyone, no matter their abilities or the device they're using. We aim to follow the best practices for web accessibility according to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). We use the All in One Accessibility Pro tool from Skynet Technologies to help us achieve this. Our site is built to follow the WCAG guidelines from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), so it's accessible for people with disabilities, including vision impairments, cognitive disabilities, and more. We're always working to keep our site accessible. We regularly check, evaluate, and test our site to make sure we're meeting or exceeding accessibility standards. We're working hard to make our site accessible for everyone, and we appreciate your patience. Your thoughts and experiences matter to us. If you come across any problems or have ideas on how we can improve, we'd love to hear from you. If you have any feedback or run into any issues, please get in touch with us through the Contact Us form.

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Non-Discrimination Policy of Couture Pattern Museum

​Statement of Policy: The Couture Pattern Museum (CPM) is committed to fostering an environment that celebrates diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunity. We firmly believe in the value of different perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures, and we strive to create a space where all individuals feel respected and valued.

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