Brand

THE BRAND

The House of Drago harks back to the age of magic and legend, to an age when the Sun and the Moon were still divine. To the time when the position of Dressmaker to the King, had exaltation and responsibility. 

House Drago was the Dressmaker to Europe. Kings, Queens, Merchant Princes and Nobility, all looked to the House of Ignis Drago for vestments to handle occasions of pomp and pageantry. Personal dressmakers had neither the resources, expertise, nor the experience to fulfill the needs of ceremonial dressing. 
 
In war-torn Europe, where conspiracies raged and crowns changed heads regularly, the only constants were religion and the Dressmaking Houses. From the Papal State of Rome, the House of Drago quietly clothed them all, friends & foes, destroyers & destroyed. Unique custom ensembles were created for each client, keeping in mind the ego and frivolities of the wearer, albeit, the commissioning of ensembles was not easy, as the Dressmaker chose their client with care. Royal lineage surely ruled, but neither money nor power held much sway with House Drago, safely ensconced in Vatican-ruled Rome. To be dressed by the House of Ignis Drago was a privilege, extended by invitation only. 
 
After nearly 4 centuries the doors are opening. House Drago now reaches out to clothe the World.

THE MAN

Legend has it, that Marchese Ignis Drago, the grandson of King Philip II of Spain (Philip I, Duke of Milan) through an illegitimate union, was a man of the people. A war hero who fought side by side with his men, he was bestowed the title of Marchese (Marquis) and rewarded a handsome fortune for his valour and loyalty in 1620. When the Italian Plague of 1629-1631 ravaged Milan and left the city in tatters, he took it upon himself to help the people he so loved. 

He began to revive the most significant workforce in Milan — the weavers. He began buying all the fabric that they produced, as a support measure and kept this up for a few years, to the very limit of his own financial capacity. As his funds began depleting, he knew his charitable venture must evolve.

While out on a boar hunt, seeing the numerous unemployed villagers on his lands, he was struck with an epiphany. With a glut of cloth, in every variety imaginable staring him down, he began employing the out of work villagers as seamstresses, embroiderers, jewelers and designers to produce the finest clothing imaginable — vestments, doublets, breeches, gowns, petticoats, et al. His family, close friends and he began donning these new hand-crafted garments in daily life. As other nobility & royal acquaintances began to notice the fine material and craftsmanship, word of mouth spread, travelling far beyond the courts and halls of Milan. It was only a matter of time before the requests and commissions came pouring in from all across Europe’s nobility & royalty. 

Artisans and craftsmen were hired to assist designers in bringing their ideas to life. Merchants, sailors and tradesmen were recruited to make crucial deliveries across the many kingdoms of Europe. Ambassadors were employed to communicate with his elite clientele that spanned a continent, helping him form a deep, intimate knowledge of their needs. This distinctive feature also demanded secrecy on both ends of the stick which is at the core of his legacy. 

The House of Ignis Drago had come to life. And it still endures today.

THE HOUSE OF DRAGO

Out of the soaring creativity in a Post-Renaissance period emerged Ignis Drago — crafting unique ensembles & catering exclusively to the sartorial needs of nobility & royalty across Europe.
Established in Milan in 1633, the House catered to Europe’s nobility, Papal clergy and Merchant Princes.

The Spanish Habsburg Lineage ruling Milan ended with the death of King Charles I in 1700.  The accession of the Frenchman, King Philip IV in 1701 marked the beginning of the Spanish Succession Wars. Not wanting to be involved in the chaos, Ignis Drago's grandson decided to move the family and the House of Drago to Genoa, since his wife was the daughter of one of the Merchant Princes, the city's oligarchic ruling class.

In 1756, due to the instability caused in Genoa by recurring wars with Austria, France and the general unrest, the family once again decided to move, this time to Rome. The record of political stability due to Papal influence and the possibility of patronage from the Papal state & the Catholic Church made it a prudent move. The church at the time was a major patron of the textile arts, commissioning elegant and dramatic liturgical fabrics to give substance and beauty to religious rites.

Since then, the House has been through rises and falls, mirroring the course of human history itself. What began as one man’s social conscience in the 1600s evolved into a rich tradition that has survived many iterations and revivals all the way into the 2020s.

In the modern era, we have quietly continued building upon our foundation, crafting single-creation outfits for a highly selective clientele, including royalty, aristocrats, leaders and world movers of the 21st Century.  

We do not claim our pieces before or after they are delivered. We do not hold runway shows or display collections. Our confidentiality extends to complete secrecy on who, when & where uses any ensemble created by the House of Drago. Consequently, House Drago's client access is strictly by invitation only.

Ignis Drago is now committed to bringing the same sense of history, art, tradition & fashion as bespoke, custom-made products to the world.

We are, in essence, Europe’s Best Kept Secret™.