Willy Chavarria calls for unity among people in Paris

This was a fashion show that will go down in history. On the fourth day of Paris Men’s Fashion Week, American designer Willy Chavarria was determined to convey a message—the most powerful one of all: the message of unity. His Spring/Summer 2027 collection, “Comunión”—designed for both women and men of all ages and backgrounds—was presented in the cool, airy halls of the Espace Niemeyer, a historic building associated with French communism. Nothing was left to chance by the designer, whose label recently took on a new dimension with the Chalhoub Group’s investment in the company.

This idea of unity among people from all over the world was particularly evident in a collection modeled by a highly diverse group of models, whose strides were accompanied by four musicians positioned in the center of an underground hall with a undulating ceiling covered in metal panels. The floor, covered with green carpet and slightly sloped, was trodden upon by a multitude of colorful figures, ranging from transparent raincoats, black pants, and floral-print dresses (a blue one with straps and a bow at the waist, a white one with multicolored flowers, cropped at the front), as well as bouquets of flowers held in their hands. Fans of the brand were able to spot the wide, belted shorts and half-open shirts that characterize the Willy Chavarria style, several leather jackets and a few pairs of rain boots, as well as colorful suits with a ’90s influence, ranging from brown and green vertical stripes to solid lavender-blue fabric. 

Solidarity in creation, and beyond
This joyful and colorful collection, celebrating unity in diversity, was the result of a close-knit team, according to the designer.

“My teams of designers and patternmakers are very close. We’re constantly discussing what’s going on. Throughout the entire process, we think about how people will feel when they see the piece and when they put it on. I think I’m very conscious of the length of a skirt, the freedom of movement a fabric allows, and the lightness of a fabric so it can withstand this climate. I keep all these things in mind. And of course, having worked here in Paris these past two weeks in this terrible heat, I’ve been working in boxer shorts, so I had all the models wear shorts too!” the designer jokes. “I think with these looks, we’re heading in the right direction… because it’s not going to get any cooler,” he continues.

When asked by FashionNetwork.com after the show about its political aspect, Willy Chavarria spoke about current events and the particularly “dark” times humanity is going through. “One of the reasons I held this show at the Communist Party headquarters—aside from the magnificent architecture and the air conditioning,” he smiles, “is that I think it’s important for us to realize the value of community and our similarities. Similarities in our skin, similarities in our biology… We’re made up of about 70% water, or something like that, so we’re truly one with the Earth.”

“Stepping back and just observing is pathetic”
“I think we’re living in very dark times,” he adds emotionally after a moment of silence. “And I think that, in these dark times, it’s important to seek joy in life with one another. Especially when we’re together in communion. Celebration, joy, and resistance… these very positive things that happen when we’re together, as people. And I’d like to bring home the optimism we need to have in these dark times,” says the American designer with Irish and Mexican roots.

Every word seems carefully chosen, as the designer is aware of the commitment he is making—one so rare in the fashion world. He is aware of what the communist symbols in his show and the message of unity in his collection might provoke. “I think it’s inevitable [to make enemies],” he says resignedly. “I think it’s inevitable to have an opinion on what’s happening in the world. I think stepping back and just observing is pathetic. Unfortunately, it’s sad that unity, optimism, and joy are considered radical.”

See fashion show

“War and terror, and putting people in detention centers in the United States—in concentration camps—are considered normal,” he denounces with emotion. “I just work in fashion, so I do what I can. For me, working in fashion is already a source of conflict. […] But we all live in conflict. We’re in conflict every day, with our surroundings. I think it’s very important for us to do the best we can, to have a positive influence on one another,” he concludes.