For the first time, Villanova coach Jay Wright showed up at a Final Four without a suit, writes Laine Higgins for The Wall Street Journal.

Over two decades, Wright had the nickname “GQ Jay” for his stylish custom suits. Even former President Barack Obama called Wright “the best-dressed man in college basketball.”

This year it was a quarter-zip and chinos in place of his trademark jacket-trousers match-up.

Coaches started going casual during the pandemic in October 2020 when fans were barred from the arena.

By 2021–2022, coaches had to decide: suits or no suits. Wright voted “no suits.”

He reached his decision following a straw poll of his assistants when he learned they didn’t like suiting up much.

But most likely, there’s also another reason.

Wright started using Newtown Square tailor Gabe D’Annunzio on the recommendation of assistant Pat Chambers.

“He was straight out of Italy,” Chambers said of Gabe D’Annunzio, who was born in Abruzzo, boxed as a teenager in gritty West Philadelphia, and later opened D&B Tailors.

The Villanova coach started wearing custom D’Annunzio creations.

In January 2021, the tailor died of COVID-19 at age 76.

Chambers suspects Wright is keeping it casual to honor the irreplaceable D’Annunzio.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal about Jay Wright’s suits.