Willy Chavarria Chicano Couture
An America T-shirt with letters that read backwards, clashing satin, signed pink Adidas, and messages that pulse with the rhythms of singer Vivir Quintana — plus the presence of Farida Khelfa… Willy Chavarria presented his collection in Paris for the second time.
The inspiration for the collection?
The inspiration for this collection is subversive joy. It is reclaiming joy as a form of endurance, persistence and resistance.
The colours, the spirit ?
The colours were actually founded in the uniforms of factory workers in countries that are led by oppressive leaders. What’s interesting is that when you put the colours together, it becomes this macabre take on preppy, which is also a macabre take on what exclusivity is in fashion. This is an attempt to redefine who gets to wear what and what it means to be worn.
Your background? Why is family so important to you?
My father is Mexican and my mother is Irish-American. My upbringing in Huron, California has been incredibly influential on my perspective of both fashion and politics. These two things, I blend together in a way that is optimistic and empowering.
What makes you unique? New? What are you fight for? Against?
What makes me unique is that I am willing to be honest in a time of ultimate horror. I know that fashion is not going to change the world, but at least my own perspective on art can have a point of view and not be soulless or too afraid to speak for human rights. This is just a part of what I do. I’m fighting for the right to exist. I hope to change the fashion industry. I hope to add a perspective in how we design, what we design, how we inform and how we teach people to feel about themselves. I think that we’re all quite tired of the formulas fashion has survived on. In the past 10 years, we’ve seen us all grow bored. The industry needs to keep up with the pace at which the world is changing.
What do you fear? What do you hope?
I fear for a world that’s imploding and I hope that it won’t.
Your definition of poetry?
Poetry is an expression of feeling and soul that defies the traditional formats of communication.
Your daily routine? Your studio?
I come rushing in carrying a coffee, seven bags, a phone and two computers, burn some Palo Santo. And I start screaming at my staff (laughs in jest).
How we love is who we are. Can you elaborate?
It’s a self affirmation reminding us that our total existence depends on our ability to love one another.
Your favorite artists? Films? Those who matter to you on a daily basis?
Climax by Gaspar Noe, The Exorcist by William Friedkin, Clueless starring Alicia Silverstone, Legally Blonde, and The Holy Mountain.
This interview has been lightly edited.