What's up with Bill Belichick's style? We asked Alexander Julian.
The legendary designer with a landmark store in Chapel Hill shares his thoughts on UNC's new football coach, who's best known for wearing a ratty-looking hoodie on the sidelines.
Alexander Julian has not met Bill Belichick. Yet.
Belichick, who won six Super Bowls with New England, was introduced as the new head football coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels on Thursday. During the press conference, everyone on stage leaned into the Belichick’s unique, um, fashion sense. The chancellor presented him with a custom short-sleeved UNC hoodie as a nod to the grungy, basic team sweatshirts that Belichick wore during most of his time with the Patriots. Then, just to knock the point home, athletic director Bubba Cunningham swapped out his suit jacket for one where the arms had haphazardly been cut off.
Alexander Julian watched that press conference as a happy member of the UNC Class of 1969. “I have warm and welcoming feelings, and I'm very enthusiastic about our potential with Coach Belichick,” he told me on Thursday afternoon. He also noticed something about Belichick that I had overlooked. “He was wearing one of my ties,” Julian said.
Julian’s influence on the unique Carolina style can’t be overstated. He was already a member of the Fashion Hall of Fame when he redesigned the UNC basketball uniforms in 1991 at the request of Dean Smith. That’s when he debuted the argyle design that’s become a part of the Carolina visual signature ever since. He’s also redesigned the women’s uniforms, the Carolina graduation gowns, along with the cheerleading and band uniforms. All for free. (He also created the original Charlotte Hornets uniforms in the late 1980s).
The store on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill that bears his name, Julian’s, is a landmark, and I make it a point to stop in and look around every time I’m in town. Before recently, there was little chance that you’d see Julian in the store. He left in 1975 and lived in New York and Connecticut before moving back two years ago. But he’s been to a lot of Tar Heel games and events, and is part of the fabric of the Chapel Hill community.
So my dumb question was: What does a legendary menswear designer who’s synonymous with UNC think about the style of the Tar Heels’ new football coach, whose sideline couture seems to be inspired by hobos?
Julian and I talked about football, fashion, and Chapel Hill. Along the way, he spilled at least one secret about some twinning coaches, and also previewed a new item that’ll be on sale soon. Our conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity:
RABBIT HOLE: How would you describe Bill Belichick's sense of style?
ALEXANDER JULIAN: Well, it's hard to tell from what little I have seen of him because I watch Carolina sports. I don't watch the pros. So in my research I discovered that there is a very strong possibility, and some reporting by the New York Times, that Coach Belichick actually likes to dress up, and likes finely tailored suits and sport coats. The whole thing was a way of protesting the NFL's dictum some years ago that sideline coaches had had to wear gear from the team that was sponsoring their program. And so he repeatedly wore what he thought was the biggest protest, which was the hoodie, which always has kind of a protest undertone to it. And he cut sleeves off. But that what he really wanted to be wearing was a suit. I think he's got roots of Carolina style.
RABBIT HOLE: How would you describe the Carolina style?
JULIAN: It depends on the age group you're talking about. Having said that, we're working on argyle hoodies. That's a fact.
The Carolina style has a certain ease of looking comfortable while still dressed up. Carolina style means you wear the clothes. The clothes don't wear you. It's kind of a post-preppy, hip traditional.
RABBIT HOLE: How much influence do you think that you had over that style and what we kind of come to think of is is that is that style today?
JULIAN: You know, it's not a question for me. It's a question for the press. But I have been given credit for merging traditionalism with cool. And bringing some life and color into contemporary American menswear. That was before I became known as the argyle guy. Now I'm just the argyle guy (laughs).
RABBIT HOLE: How long have you been in business there on on Franklin Street?
JULIAN: The store is in its 81st year. So it's likely that Coach Belichick's father shopped with my father.
RABBIT HOLE: How did Bill Belichick get the argyle tie for the press conference?
JULIAN: I don't know. I was surprised as everyone. I was very pleased. I think I would've heard had he gone in the store. But I suspect it was either Bubba or the chancellor, ‘cause both of them are wearing my ties.
RABBIT HOLE: In some jobs it doesn't matter what you wear. But as a coach, where literally every week you are on camera for a couple hours, it’s a little more important.
JULIAN: Well, look at the care that Hubert Davis takes. I think Hubert Davis personifies Carolina style. Mack wore my clothes too, But I think he told me he was not allowed to wear them on the field. So we may have the same rules for (team apparel supplier) Jordan Brand that Belichick had with the NFL.
RABBIT HOLE: From your close observation of Chapel Hill and UNC, how closely does the community and the alumni take their cues from the basketball and football coaches?
JULIAN: Anytime Roy Williams or Hubert Davis would wear one of our jackets or ties, we would get immediate rush on it in the store. People are paying very close attention. I think there was a blog on Roy's ties.
I don't know that anybody knows this or not—maybe he will get mad at me for telling you—but when he was assistant coach, Hubert would keep four or five of my ties in his locker. Just in case Roy showed up in the same tie.
RABBIT HOLE: That literally sounds like my friend and I who owned the same shirt. We wore it at the same time enough where we would call each other in the morning before school and go “Are you wearing the shirt?”
JULIAN: One of my sons and I frequently show up in the same shirt. Without any planning. Great minds think alike.
RABBIT HOLE: So if Bill Belichick does come into your store—
JULIAN: No it's not if. It's when.
RABBIT HOLE: When he comes into your store, how do you figure out the best fit for him? The best style?
JULIAN: Well, our job is to help the customer, whether it's Joe Bagadonuts or Bill Belichick. We listen to what they want and we make suggestions. We act as catalysts to try to help them achieve the person visually that they want to see themselves as.
RABBIT HOLE: So you'll take your cues from him.
JULIAN: Yeah, with suggestions, I mean there are people to come in and say dress me. There are people that come in and say here's exactly what I want. Most are somewhere in between. We're not dictators. We are enablers.
RABBIT HOLE: Last question: What can you tell me about the argyle hoodies?
JULIAN: Well, we just started working on them today! But we’ll have them soon.
RABBIT HOLE: Alright. Thank you!
JULIAN: Go Heels.
What a fun post!!🩵