Designing in the Dark

Award-winning designer George Sully takes readers behind the polished façade of the fashion world to reveal a story of persistence, purpose, and creative revolution.

From his beginnings in public housing in Ottawa to building acclaimed brands like Sully & Son Co., House of Hayla, and Black Designers of Canada, George Sully’s journey defies the odds and the gatekeepers of an industry slow to embrace diversity.

Through unflinching honesty and hard-won insight, Sully reflects on his triumphs and setbacks, navigating systemic exclusion, building his own platforms, and reimagining what it means to succeed on one’s own terms. His story extends beyond fashion to entrepreneurship, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to keep building when no one is watching.

From creating the iconic Starfleet Boot for Star Trek: Discovery to mentoring the next generation of designers, Sully has left an indelible mark on Canadian culture. But Designing in the Dark is not just a memoir of success, it is a blueprint for creative survival and self-determination.

Poignant, inspiring, and deeply human, Sully’s narrative illuminates the tension between legacy and reinvention, urging readers to rise above the darkness and design a life that endures beyond it.