{"id":70343,"date":"2025-08-09T15:59:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T15:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/70343\/"},"modified":"2025-08-09T15:59:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T15:59:09","slug":"caliparis-tailor-tells-the-story-of-his-ditching-blue-entirely-in-1st-year-as-head-hog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/70343\/","title":{"rendered":"Calipari\u2019s Tailor Tells the Story of His Ditching Blue Entirely In 1st Year as Head Hog"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"John<\/a>photo credit: Craven Whitlow<\/p>\n

ROGERS \u2014 When Arkansas basketball started 0-5 in SEC play to open the John Calipari era, the legendary coach received some unusual criticism.<\/p>\n

In addition to being upset about the Razorbacks falling well short of expectations, a vocal segment of fans got up in arms about Calipari\u2019s wardrobe choices<\/a>. It reached a fever pitch following an 18-point beatdown at Missouri in which he wore a blue sport jacket.<\/p>\n

The supposed faux pas set social media, message boards and sports talk radio shows ablaze with accusations of the first-year Arkansas coach not being all-in at his new school and still harboring feelings for Kentucky, where he coached the previous 15 years.<\/p>\n

No one had a more unique perspective of the \u201ccontroversy\u201d than his tailor, Donny Hubbard.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe actually mentioned it to me,\u201d Hubbard told Best of Arkansas Sports. \u201cHe goes, \u2018Oh my God, these people are wearing me out over wearing a navy jacket, thinking I\u2019m supporting those (people) that I had to get away from.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The 48-year-old looks back on the whole ordeal with a smile now, but said the outrage was bizarre to him because it was navy \u2013 not the lighter Kentucky blue \u2013 and that\u2019s the most popular color of suit across the world, not to mention the No. 1 color he sells at Hubbard Clothing Co.<\/a><\/p>\n

Still, Calipari asked Hubbard to help him avoid a repeat flareup from the fans. The professional clothier has done more than update the Hall of Famer\u2019s wardrobe, though, all thanks to a wild coincidence.<\/p>\n

Hubbard\u2019s Fruitful Stint in Kentucky<\/p>\n

Most of Donny Hubbard\u2019s life has been spent in the Natural State.<\/p>\n

He moved to Arkansas from Los Angeles with his family when he was 13 and got into the clothing business after graduating from Van Buren High in 1994.<\/p>\n

For all but one of the last 23 years, Hubbard and his wife, Robyn, have lived and raised their three children in Springdale. That lone year away from home, though, led to a connection that\u2019s proven quite fruitful for nearly a decade.<\/p>\n

In 2016, he had stores in Rogers, Fayetteville and Little Rock called The Independent, but the latter was struggling. With other clothing stores recruiting him, he ultimately jumped at the opportunity to take over Rodes, an iconic fashion store that opened in 1914.<\/p>\n

Hubbard\u2019s thinking was that Kentucky\u2019s largest city would provide the best resources for his son, who had recently been diagnosed with autism. However, the stay lasted only 365 days, as they moved back to Springdale when they found out baby No. 3 was on the way.<\/p>\n

One of the friends he\u2019d made in his year-long adventure, however, was a Kentucky basketball superfan who introduced him to some of the Wildcats\u2019 staff.<\/p>\n

Hubbard never met Calipari while living in the Bluegrass State, but did get close to his assistants and staffers, like Chris Woolard, the head coach\u2019s right-hand man. When Kentucky came to Bud Walton Arena in 2020, they reached out and met up with him at H Club, his speakeasy in Fayetteville, after practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a couple of bourbons and we\u2019re sitting there and they were like, \u2018Hey, can we go up to the shop?\u2019\u201d Hubbard said. \u201cIt\u2019s 11 o\u2019clock at night, but heck yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Kentucky staffers \u201ctore it up\u201d buying new sport coats, jeans and other sportswear before Hubbard finally took them back to their team hotel in Fayetteville. Things didn\u2019t exactly quiet down the next day, either, as Hubbard was part of a sellout crowd that saw Calipari get ejected in one of the most electric Bud Walton Arena moments in recent history.<\/p>\n

3 years ago today, John Calipari was ejected from the game against Arkansas in one of the loudest moments in Bud Walton Arena history. pic.twitter.com\/QVxLf4tFy9<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hog Flashbacks (@HogFlashbacks) January 18, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n

It became a tradition at that point \u2013 every time the Wildcats were in town, their staff would have drinks with Hubbard before going to his store.<\/p>\n

Despite that connection, he didn\u2019t get any heads up when Calipari shocked the college basketball world by leaving Kentucky for Arkansas in April 2024. It wasn\u2019t until a buddy texted him that Hubbard first heard the rumor. Naturally, he immediately reached out to Woolard.<\/p>\n

\u201cI text my guys and I\u2019m like, \u2018Is this for real?\u2019\u201d Hubbard said. \u201cImmediately my phone rings and it\u2019s Chris. He\u2019s like, \u2018Dude, it\u2019s for real.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

At first, no one knew who would follow Calipari to Fayetteville, but Hubbard found out rather quickly that pretty much his entire staff was coming. In the coming days and weeks, Woolard, Chin Coleman, Chuck Martin, Brad Calipari, Bruiser Flint and Tyler Ulis arrived.<\/p>\n

Hubbard was also among the first people to learn Kenny Payne was rejoining Calipari after a two-year stint as Louisville\u2019s head coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m the only person in town they know at this point,\u201d Hubbard said. \u201cThey\u2019re calling me every five minutes to go hang out, and I\u2019m going and having drinks and showing \u2018em where to go, where to think about buying a house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calipari Becomes a Customer<\/p>\n

At that time, it was still just the Kentucky-turned-Arkansas staff buying clothes from Donny Hubbard. It wasn\u2019t until just before the start of the 2024-25 season that Chris Woolard told him he\u2019d finally bring the new Head Hog by.<\/p>\n

Given the coach\u2019s fashion reputation, Hubbard knew he had his work cut out for him with John Calipari.<\/p>\n

\u201cCal was known for wearing clothes, but he was also known for wearing stuff that was too big,\u201d Hubbard said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Johnphoto credit: Craven Whitlow<\/p>\n

Hubbard was up to the task. The longtime clothier got him measured, but it was actually Calipari who spotted one of the few blatantly red items in the store. What he found was a red and white Sartorio jacket \u2013 a brand that\u2019s partially handmade in Naples, Italy, and retails for $2,500-$3,500.<\/p>\n

The sleeker, new jacket made its debut in the Razorbacks\u2019 ACC\/SEC Challenge matchup at Miami (Fla.), which loomed large after losses to Baylor and Illinois.<\/p>\n

Despite not taking a lead until the final two minutes, Arkansas escaped with a 76-73 win. The next morning, Calipari told Hubbard that every text he got about the game included a comment about his jacket.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was like, \u2018Coach, it fits you, man,\u2019\u201d Hubbard recounted. \u201c\u2018It fits you beautifully and it\u2019s a very nice coat. The reason people are complimenting you is because it looks so much better than anything you\u2019ve ever worn.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The 66-year-old coach has historically liked the extra roomy fit, but he\u2019s coming around. Hubbard stressed to him that just because something is too big doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s comfortable \u2014 and, for the most part, Calipari has been receptive to the advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pants are still a little bit of a challenge, but we\u2019re getting there,\u201d Hubbard said with a smirk and small shrug.<\/p>\n

It left such an impression on him that Calipari returned to Hubbard\u2019s store and ordered three or four more suits. He finally wore his first custom jacket for his return to Rupp Arena on Feb. 1.<\/p>\n

Hubbard was in Kansas City for a wedding that day and during the reception, Woolard sent him a text to let him know that not only was Calipari wearing his new dark red jacket, but he was also sporting the \u2018H\u2019 pen to signify where he bought it.<\/p>\n

As soon as the reception ended, Hubbard and his wife excitedly hustled to a sports bar to watch Arkansas stun the Wildcats in arguably the most anticipated regular-season game in Kentucky basketball history.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ends up kicking ass<\/a> and I\u2019m like, \u2018What?\u2019\u201d Hubbard said, the disbelief in his voice still evident six months later. \u201cI probably got 150 text messages that night from people \u2014 from Louisville, my family in California, everybody in Northwest Arkansas. It was wild.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hubbard and Arkansas Basketball<\/p>\n

Nearly three decades into the clothing business, Donny Hubbard has fitted actors, a couple of Heisman Trophy winners, Mitch McConnell and even Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s dad<\/a>. None of them, he admits, are quite as well-known on the \u201cglobal stage\u201d as John Calipari.<\/p>\n

Working with the Arkansas basketball program, though, is nothing new to Hubbard \u2014 who remembers playing against Corliss Williamson in high school and graduated from Van Buren the same year the Russellville product led the Razorbacks to the 1994 national title.<\/p>\n

He has fitted every head coach since Stan Heath (although the previous one rarely required his services) and in the NIL era, he has provided outfits to the players for the Suits and Sneakers Gala.<\/p>\n

Hubbard\u2019s prior relationship with the Kentucky staff, though, has resulted in an even tighter bond. He can go to practice whenever he wants and can always walk into their offices.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe publicity is amazing, but forget the publicity,\u201d Hubbard said. \u201cIt is just fun for us to interact with the coaches and the players and have that access to the team \u2014 and we don\u2019t abuse the access. It\u2019s a genuine friendship and relationship with these guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for the fans who got bent out of shape because of Calipari\u2019s wardrobe choices, they likely won\u2019t have to worry about such trivial things in the future.<\/p>\n

Not only will five-game skids become less common as the legendary coach continues to push the program forward, but he appeared to ditch the blue entirely as the Razorbacks made their surprising run to the Sweet 16.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s easier said than done, though, with luxury brands typically having limited options in red. Even if it means wearing different shades, Calipari won\u2019t go astray again with Hubbard in his corner.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe funny thing is a lot of coaches won\u2019t do what he did and just go all in,\u201d Hubbard said. \u201cI mean, red\u2019s not the easiest color to wear, but he\u2019s nailed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calipari is living proof that you can, in fact, teach old Hogs new tricks \u2014 even if the pants are a work in progress.<\/p>\n

\"Johnphoto courtesy of Donny Hubbard<\/p>\n

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