Willy Chavarria
Willy Chavarria is an American fashion designer born in Fresno, California.[1]
Biography
He studied art and graphic design at The Art Academy of San Francisco before designing for Nicholas Graham at Joe Boxer. He moved on to design for Ralph Lauren.[2]
He later opened Palmer Trading Company,[3] a popular Men's retail clothing store in New York City which specialized in apparel and footwear. The store's in-house label was also sold to retailers globally including Journal Standard Relume, Steven Alan, and Opening Ceremony.
He launched his eponymous label in 2015, and “from his casting to his designs, Mexican American designer Willy Chavarria has always knitted politics into fashion, and fought to see beauty where it is rarely recognized.”[4] Since, his collection has been stocked at prestigious retailers worldwide, including Barneys, Dover Street Market, Browns, and many more. Chavarria became known for his distinct interpretation of men's fashion mixing race, politics, sexuality into graceful and elegant apparel.[5] He was one of the first New York designers to cast only models of color [6] and used his shows for political expression.[7] In 2016 he showed his Spring/Summer collection at the Eagle Bar in New York City juxtaposed with religion, lowrider and leather bar influences.[8]Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Robin Givhan noted that Willy "produces some of the most socially engaging runway shows in New York."[2] Willy also gained the attention of Vogue, with Nick Remsen noting that "Chavarria is a smart, worldly creative who knows how to be all-inclusive while still carving out his own distinct M.O."[9]
In 2018, Willy was announced as a finalist for the International Woolmark Prize.[10]
He has drawn the attention of Kanye West whom he has worked with in several capacities.[11] Additionally, his clothing has been featured in a Jay-Z video,[12] and worn by celebrities like Lady Gaga, Kevin Durant, Casey Spooner, Lewis Hamilton, and Eddie Huang.
Willy has been known for incorporating Chicano influences into his silhouettes and styling for which he gives credit to his own ethnicity and cultural upbringing. He has used his own platform as a designer to celebrate Latino influence in fashion.[13]
Collaborations
- Dickies
- Barneys New York
- Hummel International
- Mackintosh
- Mark McNairy
- Dover Street Market Ginza
- K-Swiss
References
- ^ "CFDA". cfda.com.
- ^ a b Givhan, Robin. "'To show them in a kind of glory': How a high-end designer celebrates working-men chic". Washington Post.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (December 23, 2010). "Palmer Trading Company: A Twice-Told Tale". The New York Times.
- ^ "Willy Chavarria Designed For a Brooklyn Immigrant Soccer League". PAPER. November 5, 2018.
- ^ Trebay, Guy (July 25, 2019). "Willy Chavarria's House Music". The New York Times.
- ^ "Willy Chavarria put a different kind of model on his runway. The effect was powerful". February 7, 2018.
- ^ Fraser, Kristopher (July 26, 2019). "Willy Chavarria's immigration inspired take on minimalism". FashionUnited.
- ^ "This Cruising-Themed Fashion Show Took Place in a Leather Bar". www.vice.com.
- ^ Remsen, Nick (July 25, 2019). "Willy Chavarria Spring 2020 Menswear Collection". Vogue.
- ^ Samaha, Barry. "Brandon Maxwell, Willy Chavarria, Albus Lumen and Colovos Named Finalists for the International Woolmark Prize 2018-19". Forbes.
- ^ Palmieri, Jean E.; Palmieri, Jean E. (October 30, 2020). "Willy Chavarria's Upbringing Spawned His Quest for Social Justice".
- ^ "Kill Jay Z" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "The Influence of Chicano Culture in Fashion as Told by Leading Latino Pioneers in the Industry". HYPEBEAST. February 20, 2017.