The Fate of the Dragon Suits

[SelfDevouringSnake]

To the best of my knowledge, Jimmy Page wore what were known as dragon suits starting from at least 1973 (earlier maybe?) to the end of his reign as rock's most prominent guitarist in 1980. These suits were embroidered, elaborate, and downright awesome. Also, they'd surely catch a hefty sum if auctioned today. This is all I really know for sure about them.

Who made the dragon suits? Were they custom made for Page (as I've always assumed), did he just buy them, or were they perhaps a gift of some sorts? How many were there? And lastly what happened to them?

I've only found two sources on the web that have helped even in the least. The first was a radio interview with Page which I found on Youtube (here:

) where he mentions that a dragon suit was on loan in Cleveland (this interview was conducted around the time Walking into Clarksdale was released, which makes it around 1998). The second I found after searching for "Led Zeppelin wardrobe" on Google (http://rockpopfashion.com/blog/?p=41). This mentioned that Page was friends with Paul Reeves, a fashion designer who co-owned a fashion label called Sam Pig in Love, yet further searching left me with no indication that Reeves had been involved with the dragon suits.

Does anybody have answers?

[led zep maniack]

To the best of my knowledge, Jimmy Page wore what were known as dragon suits starting from at least 1973 (earlier maybe?) to the end of his reign as rock's most prominent guitarist in 1980. These suits were embroidered, elaborate, and downright awesome. Also, they'd surely catch a hefty sum if auctioned today. This is all I really know for sure about them.

Who made the dragon suits? Were they custom made for Page (as I've always assumed), did he just buy them, or were they perhaps a gift of some sorts? How many were there? And lastly what happened to them?

I've only found two sources on the web that have helped even in the least. The first was a radio interview with Page which I found on Youtube (here:

) where he mentions that a dragon suit was on loan in Cleveland (this interview was conducted around the time Walking into Clarksdale was released, which makes it around 1998). The second I found after searching for "Led Zeppelin wardrobe" on Google (http://rockpopfashion.com/blog/?p=41). This mentioned that Page was friends with Paul Reeves, a fashion designer who co-owned a fashion label called Sam Pig in Love, yet further searching left me with no indication that Reeves had been involved with the dragon suits.

Does anybody have answers?

[led zep maniack]

I read a article where jimmy said he still has the dragon suits. He was also joking about how he could never get back into them because of the 29 waist size.

[SelfDevouringSnake]

I read a article where jimmy said he still has the dragon suits. He was also joking about how he could never get back into them because of the 29 waist size.

Thanks, that affirms what I thought. I would have bet that Page still had them, or I probably would have found something about them being auctioned. Too bad about his weight though. Do you remember where you read this article?

[jsj]

Thanks, that affirms what I thought. I would have bet that Page still had them, or I probably would have found something about them being auctioned. Too bad about his weight though. Do you remember where you read this article?

the dragon suits really came into use on the 75 and 77 tours

in 75 he favoured the dragon embroidered black suits (the dragon suit) and for the 77 tour he wore the white suit with embroidered poppys (the poppy suit)

after 77 he never wore them, or anything like them again

prior to the 75 tour he had started more flashy clothing from the end of 72 and in the 73 tours. these were less obviously themed than the dragon or poppy suits, and featured astrological symbols etc as seem in the movie

[Lunacy]

Lol I'm a guy and I'm not gay, but he looked hot in the '75 suit.

[SelfDevouringSnake]

the dragon suits really came into use on the 75 and 77 tours

in 75 he favoured the dragon embroidered black suits (the dragon suit) and for the 77 tour he wore the white suit with embroidered poppys (the poppy suit)

after 77 he never wore them, or anything like them again

prior to the 75 tour he had started more flashy clothing from the end of 72 and in the 73 tours. these were less obviously themed than the dragon or poppy suits, and featured astrological symbols etc as seem in the movie

Yeah, my dad saw Page wearing a dragon suit (didn't ask him what it looked like) on the North America '75 tour, so that fits with what you're telling me.

I knew that he had at least two different suits (one black with dragons, the other white with flowers), but I didn't know when he wore them, or that he had preferences over time.

Shame he stopped wearing them, really cool clothes. I wonder why. I'm generally not into fashion (a lot of fashion just redefines itself in stupid trends), but I'd kill to have a suit like the ones Page wore. Not one of the suits Page himself wore, because I wouldn't touch it out of respect. But something close. It'd be blue, and it would have an ouroboros embroidered on the back.

You're right. The suits he wore around '73 probably aren't quite the same thing he wore later, as some of my sources stated, although they were obviously signs of the suits to come.

[SelfDevouringSnake]

Lol I'm a guy and I'm not gay, but he looked hot in the '75 suit.

Neither am I, but those suits were the shit.

[Janet]

You can see one of his suits at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

[BIGDAN]

Lol I'm a guy and I'm not gay, but he looked hot in the '75 suit.

Hi 'Lunacy'

I noticed that too, the sweat gave it away for me.

Regards, Danny

PS, I'm not gay either, but i am in touch with my Feminine side, and front, and rear, to say nothing for my DDs.

[BIGDAN]

You can see one of his suits at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Hi Janet,

Can you confirm which one please? I do know that his "Birthday Suit" isn't on show anymore since he found it impossible to get out all the wrinkles and creases.

Regards, Danny

[beatbo]

Hi Janet,

Can you confirm which one please? I do know that his "Birthday Suit" isn't on show anymore since he found it impossible to get out all the wrinkles and creases.

Regards, Danny

[Cecil.]

The suit in the V&A seems to be a work in progress, it has the Eye in the Triangle & the Stele of Revealing

on the back, with tulips(maybe)! on the collars. Designed for the 1975 tour.

[Ledzep101]

Ya the black suit is from 75 and the white one 77. He lent one of them to the rock and roll hall of fame in cleveland but only for a short

period. He still has them.

[Janet]

The suit in the V&A seems to be a work in progress, it has the Eye in the Triangle & the Stele of Revealing

on the back, with tulips(maybe)! on the collars. Designed for the 1975 tour.

Yes that's the one, I don't know if he ever wore it. I won't make any comment about the birthday suit however.

[SelfDevouringSnake]

I'd like to thank everybody that has replied to this thread. This information has been of great help, although I'd still like to know who made them (although at this point I'm assuming (safely I hope) that they were custom made).

[FloriZep]

Thanks, that affirms what I thought. I would have bet that Page still had them, or I probably would have found something about them being auctioned. Too bad about his weight though. Do you remember where you read this article?

"Indeed, by 1973, on stage Page was a marvel to behold, whipping himself into rock-star poses as he improvised virtuoso solos with tireless, sweat-pouring intensity, even employing a violin bow drawn over his Gibson Les Paul guitar strings to create eerie, ear-bleeding effects. His costumes became more flamboyant, embroidered with glittery moon and stars, poppies and dragons. Today, they are very much part of rock iconography — I wonder if he still has the famous suits. “Yes I do. Oh, yeah! Carefully stored. The only thing is I’ll never get in ’em again! I think the waist on them is 26in. Absolutely ridiculous!”

I think that this is the article

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6979627.ece

[SelfDevouringSnake]

"Indeed, by 1973, on stage Page was a marvel to behold, whipping himself into rock-star poses as he improvised virtuoso solos with tireless, sweat-pouring intensity, even employing a violin bow drawn over his Gibson Les Paul guitar strings to create eerie, ear-bleeding effects. His costumes became more flamboyant, embroidered with glittery moon and stars, poppies and dragons. Today, they are very much part of rock iconography — I wonder if he still has the famous suits. "Yes I do. Oh, yeah! Carefully stored. The only thing is I'll never get in 'em again! I think the waist on them is 26in. Absolutely ridiculous!"

I think that this is the article

http://entertainment...icle6979627.ece

Thanks for getting back to me on that. I'll check out that article.

[jpp1944q]

To the best of my knowledge, Jimmy Page wore what were known as dragon suits starting from at least 1973 (earlier maybe?) to the end of his reign as rock's most prominent guitarist in 1980. These suits were embroidered, elaborate, and downright awesome. Also, they'd surely catch a hefty sum if auctioned today. This is all I really know for sure about them.

Who made the dragon suits? Were they custom made for Page (as I've always assumed), did he just buy them, or were they perhaps a gift of some sorts? How many were there? And lastly what happened to them?

I've only found two sources on the web that have helped even in the least. The first was a radio interview with Page which I found on Youtube (here:

) where he mentions that a dragon suit was on loan in Cleveland (this interview was conducted around the time Walking into Clarksdale was released, which makes it around 1998). The second I found after searching for "Led Zeppelin wardrobe" on Google (http://rockpopfashion.com/blog/?p=41). This mentioned that Page was friends with Paul Reeves, a fashion designer who co-owned a fashion label called Sam Pig in Love, yet further searching left me with no indication that Reeves had been involved with the dragon suits.

Does anybody have answers?

I heard from a page interview{recent}that he still has the suits and the white77' has a 26'waistline!!!

[SelfDevouringSnake]

I heard from a page interview{recent}that he still has the suits and the white77' has a 26'waistline!!!

Cool, could you tell me where you saw this?

[SteveAJones]

This mentioned that Page was friends with Paul Reeves, a fashion designer who co-owned a fashion label called Sam Pig in Love, yet further searching left me with no indication that Reeves had been involved with the dragon suits. Does anybody have answers?

I can corroborate Jimmy loaned his black dragon suit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and that it was on display in Summer 1998. With regards to Paul I don't think he was involved with any of the dragon suits as most if not all of the clothing he designed for Jimmy was worn mid-60s to early 70s. I've posted at least one example of a Paul Reeves-designed shirt from Jimmy's collection to the Zeppelin Mysteries thread. Here's another example from a recent exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Saitama, Japan:

Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Japan

Swinging London, 50s-60s: Design and Culture Revolution.

(Exhibition thru September 12, 2010)

Curated by Michael Whiteway, a specialist in 19th- and 20th-century British design and pal of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, this exhibition leaned strongly towards consumer goods and The Yardbirds, the band Page was in from 1966 to 1968. Some of Page's guitars and his bespoke crushed velvet suit, tailored by Paul Reeves, were on display. Clips from Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 movie Blow-Up - the part where Page jams as Jeff Beck trashes his guitar - were also shown.

Crushed Velvet Suit Tailored for Jimmy Page by Paul Reeves (1969)

Courtesy Jimmy Page Collection

[bluecongo]

The Dragon suits were designed by an LA designer named CoCo.

[JimmyPageZoSo56]

the dragon suits really came into use on the 75 and 77 tours

in 75 he favoured the dragon embroidered black suits (the dragon suit) and for the 77 tour he wore the white suit with embroidered poppys (the poppy suit)

after 77 he never wore them, or anything like them again

prior to the 75 tour he had started more flashy clothing from the end of 72 and in the 73 tours. these were less obviously themed than the dragon or poppy suits, and featured astrological symbols etc as seem in the movie

He has his Space outfit on the latter legs on the American 1973 concerts.

[mojocat98]

Iron maiden own or owned one of the suits talked about here.

[SelfDevouringSnake]

It's been a while since I was last on this forum. Frankly I had been thinking of deleting this account and making a new one (I have a new email address - same IP address though), but we'll see...

I can corroborate Jimmy loaned his black dragon suit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and that it was on display in Summer 1998. With regards to Paul I don't think he was involved with any of the dragon suits as most if not all of the clothing he designed for Jimmy was worn mid-60s to early 70s. I've posted at least one example of a Paul Reeves-designed shirt from Jimmy's collection to the Zeppelin Mysteries thread. Here's another example from a recent exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Saitama, Japan:

Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Japan

Swinging London, 50s-60s: Design and Culture Revolution.

(Exhibition thru September 12, 2010)

Curated by Michael Whiteway, a specialist in 19th- and 20th-century British design and pal of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, this exhibition leaned strongly towards consumer goods and The Yardbirds, the band Page was in from 1966 to 1968. Some of Page's guitars and his bespoke crushed velvet suit, tailored by Paul Reeves, were on display. Clips from Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 movie Blow-Up - the part where Page jams as Jeff Beck trashes his guitar - were also shown.

Crushed Velvet Suit Tailored for Jimmy Page by Paul Reeves (1969)

Courtesy Jimmy Page Collection

Thank you, that was quite informative and well-written.

The Dragon suits were designed by an LA designer named CoCo.

Do you have proof of this, or some sort of source? I really don't mean to be a dick, but that's a little meager.

Iron maiden own or owned one of the suits talked about here.

That's plausible enough, I guess, but do you have proof of this?

I'd like to thank everybody who has posted in this thread for addressing my question. I'm fairly satisfied that the suits are still under the legal ownership of Jimmy Page, regardless of whether they are on loan or being borrowed or whatever.