Willy Chavarria, 58, lived multiple lives before becoming a fashion designer: hitchhiking around the country, volunteering at an orphanage in Jamaica, training for triathlons in Pismo Beach, overcoming his Catholic guilt while living in a monastery … the list goes on. Eventually, he made his way to New York and into the highest echelons of the fashion world, working at companies including Ralph Lauren, American Eagle, and Calvin Klein. His namesake brand, which he launched a decade ago, draws from Americana, infusing it with queer, Chicano aesthetics. “He is more interested in how the streets wear Polo than Polo itself,” as E. Alex Jung writes in his profile of the designer.
Alex spent time with Chavarria in Paris as he prepared to present his spring 2026 line at Men’s Fashion Week. He caught Chavarria at a fascinating juncture in his evolution as he scales up his business and moves into the mass market, collaborating with brands like Adidas. Earlier this month, Adidas and Chavarria unveiled a shoe based on the huarache, a traditional Mexican sandal. It was quickly met with accusations of cultural appropriation by the Mexican government, animating the kind of tensions that arise as Chavarria becomes more of a fashion insider. Before Alex started working on this story, I was only vaguely aware of Chavarria’s work; I’m now eager to see where he goes next.
—Gazelle Emami, editorial director, New York
