How argyle became part of North Carolina’s basketball jerseys Posted Jan 25, 2013 The brainchild behind the argyle look is fashion designer Alexander Julian. Prior to the 1991–1992 season, former North Carolina coach Dean Smith asked Julian — a four-time winner of the Coty Award for American fashion and a three-time recipient of a Cutty Sark Menswear Award — to redesign the Tar Heels’ uniforms. (Yahoo! Sports)