Willy Chavarria show.”
“Willy Chavarria’s Bold Fashion Advice: Wear a Diaper for His Spring/Summer 2025 Runway Show”
In a recent phone call, fashion designer Willy Chavarria had some unconventional advice for his audience: wear a diaper. As he chatted about his upcoming Spring/Summer 2025 runway show, it was unclear whether his blunt suggestion was related to his controversial “Dirty Underwear” line, which features soiled and stained undergarments selling for hundreds of dollars, or if it was simply a warning that his show would be so good, it might make you lose control.
But one thing was for sure, Chavarria’s show was the talk of Wall Street on Friday night. As one of the closing acts for the first night of New York Fashion Week, Chavarria presented his “América” collection, a fashion manifesto centered around unity. The industrial venue was lit up with bright lights as Latin Grammy-nominated artists Yahritza Y Su Esencia performed a heartwarming cover of Juan Gabriel’s 1984 hit “Querida” to kick off the show.
The collection, described by Chavarria as both “personal” and “swaggy,” was divided into two parts. The first showcased the designer’s signature workwear codes, sportswear elements, and dramatic drapery, all representing his perspective as an immigrant in America. “I drew inspiration from movements like the United Farm Workers, Civil Rights, and women’s liberation, which have brought people together to create change,” Chavarria explained before the show. “But I also wanted to pay tribute to the everyday working-class individuals, like the guy with his name on his shirt and keys hanging from his pocket as he heads to work at AT&T.”
True to his vision, keys dangled from the belt loops of canvas trousers, while “Willy Chavarria Fashion Services” shirts with tucked-in ties paid homage to the working-class uniform worn by Chavarria’s Irish-American mother and Mexican-American father, who were immigrant farmers in California’s San Joaquin Valley. A flashing red light signaled a transition to the second half of the show, which featured Chavarria’s highly-anticipated collaboration with adidas. The collection included quarter-zip jackets, athletic jerseys, abstract tops, and lightweight shorts, all adorned with the iconic Three Stripes.
The show took on a sporty vibe as Olympic track and field sprinter Noah Lyles made a surprise appearance as the runway’s anchor. And in a final lap, Chavarria himself led his 68-strong entourage to the finish line. When asked to describe the collection in one word, Chavarria simply said “honest,” a fitting description for his powerful and unapologetic interpretations of his own marginalized identities – his queerness, biracialism, and immigrant background – that resonate with others who share similar experiences. As V Magazine editor Savannah Sobrevilla put it, “No one prepares you for a Willy Chavarria show.”
