Suitsupply's entrance.

Many men hate shopping for everyday wear, let alone suits. Trust me, I worked in the Men’s Suit Department at Macy’s on State Street for six months. So I’m all too familiar with how dreadful suit shopping can be, especially with the hefty price tag that often accompanies tailored clothing. However, the highly anticipated Dutch import, Suitsupply, has arrived in Chicago. And with the brand’s innovative edge, suit shopping won’t be the same for too long.

Fokke de Jong established Suitsupply in Amsterdam in 2000. Since then, the brand has opened up 42 locations worldwide, reinventing the men’s fashion world.

While researching Suitsupply, I was surprised by how many clients flew back-and-forth between Chicago and New York City just to get tailored. It was only a matter of time before the brand set its sights on the Windy City.

When asked why Chicago made sense for Suitsupply, De Jong said, “Chicago’s a sophisticated city and a great establishment for style. Suitsupply is all about the luxury movement and bringing it to the Midwest was the right action.”

The epitome of Mr. Suitsupply.

Suitsupply had me at penthouse! The Chicago boutique location (945 N. Rush St) is the best of what European tailoring specialists have to offer and then some. the penthouse shopping experience includes a roof top garden oasis, espresso bar, free wi-fi and on-site alterations. The outdoor terrace features a lounge for clients that towers above the bustle of Rush Street. The ambiance of the store alone is worth the visit.

Two alteration stations sit right in the heart of the store, which is crucial because Suitsupply is big on tailoring clothing to each client.

Their use of only the finest Italian fabrics, European styling, in-store service and attainable price points presents a revolutionary approach to men’s fashion. There are three labels of suiting in the store which are color coded by a small thread ‘X’ on the cuff differentiating fabric quality. Ranging from blue (the least expensive) to purple (the middle range) and red (named Jort), which is the most expensive and features more hand finishing. I’ve heard that one of my celebrity favorites Tim Gunn gets his suits from Suitsupply.

If only all of our closets could look like this.

By the numbers, Suitsupply offers 1200 fabrics, 300 patterns, with shirts that average around $99 and suits ranging from $399 to $999.

Chicago isn’t the end of the road for Suitsupply. De Jong said, ”We are opening our third U.S. store in Washington, D.C. mid-July.” I’m interested to see what else the brand has in store.

Visit Suitsupply on Rush Street and tell them ChiTown Fashionista sent you.

The outdoor penthouse oasis. (Photo used as a courtesy of SuitSupply)

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