George Washington devised a plan to sail across the Delaware in the midst of the night to launch a surprise attack on the Hessian troops in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1776. The story of Daniel George Custom Suits is eerily similar…
In the dead of night, wicked and twisted suit designer Daniel George lies restless and dissatisfied in his Lincoln Park home. After hours of tossing and turning, rubbing his crooked toes together like a cricket, he begins bargaining with God to spare him some shut-eye. Despite a longing for relaxation after a long day creating sartorial perfection, a feeling churns inside him that denies him any peace.
Frustration, insomnia, exhaustion, and just a touch of gas drive Daniel to the depths of desperation. He fetches his Daniel George angora and lambswool-blend overcoat, wraps himself in his cashmere scarf, and embarks on an excursion to his favorite place to reset: the shores of Lake Michigan.
Behind him lay the bustling streets of his Chicago flagship store, a testament to years of hard work and impeccable craftsmanship. Before him stretches the North Shore, an untapped frontier of discerning clients waiting for a menswear designer to awaken.
As he looks northbound, Daniel spots a flock of Durham boats, eerily similar to the ones used by George Washington’s Continental Army. The boats creep closer, and Daniel begins to panic.
The boats draw near, close enough that Daniel can make out the cut, fabric, and stitching of their garments. Their coats feature gauntlet cuffs, lapels, and coat tails, all assembled in the most stunning royal blue cloth. They wear exquisitely fitting waistcoats and precisely tailored trousers. The brass buckles atop their hand-stitched footwear catch the glow of the moon in its waxing gibbous.
The sounds of the waves breaking against concrete breakwaters fall to a hush as a gentleman's voice resounds, “Daniel: Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth. You know what you must do.”
“What does liberty have to do with a custom clothier?” Daniel wonders simultaneously craving a bologna sandwich. Suddenly, it becomes clear—this message is custom fit and hand-crafted for him.
Daniel’s internal monologue solidifies: “I must cross Lake Michigan to reach the flourishing lands of the North Shore, where true class and style thrive. I must grow and stretch to the fertile soils of the northern suburbs and bring with me my collection of fabrics from premium Italian & British mills. Also, I must call my mother, it’s her birthday tomorrow!”
Without hesitation, Daniel fearlessly leads his ambitious crew in the pursuit of liberty. Their nautical journey delivers them to 272 E Deerpath Rd, Suite 242, Lake Forest, Illinois, where they lay eyes on the most desirable piece of property in the heart of Lake Forest’s bustling Market Square. Twenty-two hundred square feet of pure opportunity shine before them.
Daniel goes on to create the Lake Forest showroom fit for a revolutionary. His bold move isn’t just about crossing the physical threshold into the North Shore—it is about bridging the gap between ordinary and extraordinary. His journey up Lake Michigan becomes a modern-day crossing, not of rivers, but of expectations.
And as he stands in the doorway of his Lake Forest showroom, watching clients walk away with suits that will define their finest moments, he knows he has achieved his mission. Like George Washington before him, Daniel George follows—in suit.
His first client, you ask? United States President George Washington, of course. Washington thanks Daniel for his commitment to breaking free from the ordinary, offering the fine people of the North Shore a liberated sartorial experience.
Well, that’s just the story that whispered and flourished, eventually reaching my ears as the final member in the classic game of telephone. Don’t believe me? Find out for yourself. Schedule your appointment today at www.danielgeorge.com.
Photography by: Courtesy of Daniel George - Staff Writer
