Georges de Paris (24 or 28 September 1934 – 13 September 2015) was a French tailor who is often referred to as having been the President of the United States' unofficial tailor or the tailor to the Presidents. Paris fashioned suits for every American President from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama.[1]

Biography

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De Paris was born in Marseilles, France in 1934.[2] He eventually moved to the United States and lived in Washington, D.C., with a young woman in 1960.[3] After their separation, he found himself homeless, reportedly bathing in the Potomac. He managed to save money to buy a sewing machine and his reputation grew until President Johnson ordered his suits at the suggestion of Otto Passman.[4] He also enjoyed wine and cheese, especially after work at the Washington, D.C., restaurant Old Ebbitt Grill.[5]

De Paris died at the age of 81 in Arlington, Virginia on 13 September 2015 of prostate cancer.[6]

Sources

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  1. ^ "Georges De Paris, Tailor to Presidents". NPR.org. 26 January 2003.
  2. ^ McDonough, Megan (September 19, 2015). "Georges de Paris, tailor who refashioned his own background, dies at 80". Washington Post. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  3. ^ Bumiller, Elisabeth (November 8, 2004). "Cashmere and Kevlar? Bulge Affair Has Tailor Miffed". New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  4. ^ Roberts, Sam (September 22, 2015). "Georges de Paris, Tailor to Nine Presidents, Dies at 80". New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  5. ^ "Georges de Paris, tailor - obituary". The Telegraph. September 20, 2015. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2015.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "Georges de Paris, tailor to US presidents, dead at 81". Yahoo News. 13 September 2015.