Verdura was established in 1939 by Fulco di Verdura, a Sicilian duke who began his career in Paris as Coco Chanel’s head jewelry designer. His fascination with Medieval history led him to design the famous Maltese cross cuffs for Chanel which he recreated over and over again. He left for the United States in 1934 to work for Paul Flato and eventually opened Flato’s shop in Los Angeles. By 1939, Fulco di Verdura had moved back to New York City to established his own business which flourished until he died in 1978.

In 1985, Ward Landrigan purchased the archive of nearly 10,000 Verdura drawings and opened a salon continuing the tradition of creating Verdura's timeless designs. In 2003, his son, Nico, joined him in the family business and currently serves as President alongside his father, who is the Chairman and CEO. Today, Verdura continues to appear on the pages of the top fashion publications and can be seen on celebrity fans, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Brooke Shields, Anne Hathaway and Cameron Diaz.