If you, like me, are someone who spends a lot of time trying to keep your finger on the pulse of what's happening across the global fashion landscape, then this likely isn't the first time you've heard the name Willy Chavarria.

The Mexican-American California native has been designing collections under his own eponymous label since its launch in 2015, and over the last decade, he's been slowly garnering the kind of critical acclaim we liken with designers like Grace Wales Bonner or Chopova Lowena. He's culty, underground, subversive, and gut-punch honest. And if you haven't spent the time yet to familiarise yourself with his work, then perhaps now, off the back of his debut at Paris Fashion Week and Superbowl collection with Kendrick Lamar, is the time to do so...

Who is Willy Chavarria?

Chavarria cut his teeth at Ralph Lauren before launching his eponymous label in 2015, where his aesthetic fuses Chicano culture, oversized silhouettes, and raw storytelling, often referencing his working-class roots.

His collections balance tenderness with toughness – think exaggerated tailoring, soft draping, and streetwear influences. His work is often political, championing LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities through both casting and sartorial messaging, and in 2021, he took the helm as Senior Vice President of Design at Calvin Klein, infusing the brand with his subversive take on American classics.

He was awarded with back-to-back CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year awards in 2023 and 2024, and his designs are the favourite of musicians like Bad Bunny and Pusha T.

With a growing presence at New York Fashion Week – and now making his Paris Fashion Week debut, he's shaping up to be one of fashion's next big designers.

What are some of his best collections?

Fall Winter 17: HARDER

This collection marked a major turning point for Chavarria, bringing his underground aesthetic into the broader fashion conversation. Inspired by the underground queer cruising culture and Chicano streetwear, it featured oversized leather jackets, voluminous trousers, and dramatic outerwear styled with an unmistakable defiance. The show, staged in a New York City gay bar, felt intimate and radical, with models embodying different characters from the subculture.

Fall Winter 22: Uncut

Here, he played with exaggerated masculinity—broad-shouldered jackets, floor-sweeping coats, and sculptural knits—but reinterpreted it through a queer lens. His use of leather and bold graphics made it feel simultaneously classic and contemporary.

Spring Summer 24: New Life

A pivotal moment in his career, SS24 cemented Chavarria as a force in American menswear. This collection was a celebration of brown and Black identity, with sharply tailored suits, sculptural outerwear, and deconstructed shirting. His exaggerated silhouettes – broad shoulders, cinched waists – made an impact, while the casting and styling felt deeply personal and powerful.

Fall Winter 25: Tarantula

For FW25, Chavarria made his debut at Paris Fashion Week, staging his show at at The American Cathedral in Paris. The collection explored his signature oversized tailoring, enriched with Italian silks, velvets, and bouclé, and painted a bold narrative in Baroque hues of gold, crimson, and deep plum, while an eclectic cast of street-scouted individuals embodied the designer’s commitment to authenticity.

What has he got coming up?

We're only a few weeks in, but Chavarria is making bold moves in 2025. His Paris Fashion Week debut was a mammoth moment for the designer, and featured an extension of his 2024 adidas collaboration.

He’s also teamed up with Kendrick Lamar’s pgLang for a limited-edition Super Bowl LIX capsule collection, including satin bombers and mesh jerseys, with proceeds aiding Los Angeles wildfire relief.