Casa Del Bianco

A Heritage of Craftsmanship and Innovation  

The story of “Casa del Bianco” begins almost 200 years ago in Lombardy, Italy’s famed region for fine weaving and dying. Crafting the most refined fabrics of cotton and flax, by the early 1800s Lombardy’s artisans were already creating highly sophisticated linens for Europe’s aristocracy. The diverse tastes and heritage of each country were reflected in the exquisite hand embroidery that adorned the linens. Over time, the region became known for its unmatched expertise. The unique flavor created by a fusion of their clients’ varied tastes made Lombardy the luxury linen trendsetter on the continent.

Among entrepreneurs of that time, one manufacturer of luxury linens emerged with a reputation for immaculate quality, unrelenting attention to detail and extraordinary personal service. Fortunato Gargantini had founded his family business in 1840 in the small town of Barnereggio outside of Milan. As demand for his linens grew, he began dividing his time between overseeing his manufacturing and servicing Milanese aristocracy with weekly trips to the capital.

A Reputation of Peerless Service

Before long, one day a week was not enough to service his growing clientele. Fortunato put an end to the time-consuming trips carting the ever-growing load of samples by renting a small apartment in downtown Milan and so Casa del Bianco was born. The building where the apartment was located came to be called “La Casa del Bianco” – literally “the house of white.” In reality, the Italian word for linens evolved from “bianco.” For generations of Milan’s elite, this became known as their “House of Linens.”

Today, after more than a century and five generations of continuous Gargantini involvement, Casa del Bianco is still regarded as "the" house for linens. With a flagship store in New York and two more European shops to open in the spring of 2008, Casa del Bianco continues to offer to a new discerning global clientèle the same quality and endless possibilities for personalization that made them famous centuries ago..