Willy Chavarria's Provocative Paris Show Took Aim at Erasure, ICE Detentions, and Identity Politics Through Fashion

American designer Willy Chavarria brought the Paris Men's Fashion Show Week runway into a politically charged space, using his Spring 2026 collection to speak to issues of identity, system erasure, and the real-life experiences of immigrants. The fashion show was more than just an outfit — it was a social provocation.

Willy Chavarria carried his birthplace to Paris with SS26, which had models kneeling, striking tailoring, and a strong message about identity // X @Fashionography

Renowned for his emotionally powerful and culturally aware men's wear, Chavarria — a two-time CFDA Award winner and Mexican-American, Southern California-born fashion designer — once again blended fashion and protest. The performance, at the venerable Salle Pleyel by the Arc de Triomphe, kicked off with a somber one: 35 of the largely muscular men of color, wearing oversized white T-shirts (designed in collaboration with the ACLU) and shorts, solemnly marched on to the red carpeted runway. They one by one knelt with hands behind their backs as an acoustic rendition of "California Dreamin'" resonated above. The second was creepy, especially as the lyrics struck close to home — "I got down on my knees / And I pretend to pray."

This was not an abstract introduction. It was one of gratitude to immigrants and detainees in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, particularly those in Chavarria's hometown in Huron, California, and mentioned disturbing recent events — namely, the deportation of over 200 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT, a maximum-security prison in President Nayib Bukele's administration.

Chavarria's message had far more resonance outside the world of fashion. Bukele himself responded to the show with a mocking post on X (formerly Twitter), tweeting: "We are ready to send [the detainees] to Paris as soon as we get the green light from the French government." The moment unveiled the global visibility and real stakes of Chavarria's art.

In an interview with GQ, Chavarria made his intentions clear: “This show in particular is really about claiming identity. We’re in a time of erasure — of cultures, of education, of compassion, and of people.” He emphasized the power of representation and the need to resist homogenization in both fashion and society.

Willy Chavarria SS26 Look 31// Luca Tombolini / Courtesy of Willy Chavarria

Willy Chavarria SS26 Look 37 // Luca Tombolini / Courtesy of Willy Chavarria

After the emotional opening, the show transitioned into a full fashion presentation. The palette was unusually bright to Chavarria, noted for overusing black and red, and featured colors like cerulean, minty teal, Pepto pink, butter yellow, and what he called "uniform green," inspired by the utilitarian garb of factory workers and the highly controlled visuality of totalitarian states. Ironically, together the colors evoked old-money prep style, which Chavarria took over and used to critique privilege and claim color as a tool of revolution. "Although it's vibrant, there's a very subversive way to interpret the colours," he explained, likening the style to a satire of Martha's Vineyard prep style and Netflix's Sirens.

Named by Chavarria as "Willy Pulitzer," the line had both street and avant-garde suiting, with Adidas collaborations, on celebrities like basketball player James Harden and football player Stefon Diggs. A$AP Nast, front row, gave the thumbs-up to ensembles like a brown bomber jacket with scrub-green carpenter jeans.

This season also extended Chavarria's research into womenswear. Models striking a pose in vintage wiggle dresses, directional ballgowns, and belted leather trenches gave the show feminine strength and retro chic. French director and model Farida Khelfa emerged in a bluish-red trench.

Casting was essential to Chavarria's design process. Open calls were held for local, unsigned models, and a massive contingent of mostly tattooed men of color appeared. "Redefining beauty" is a continuing passion of the designer, who looks for people with presence, character, and sincerity — reserved and talkative, fluid and rigid — people whose walk speaks a true thing.

The show wrapped up on a touching note. Chavarria presented red roses to his parents, his girlfriend, and his cousins in the front row as he took his bow. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings delivered a soulful rendition of "This Land Is Your Land" as people exited — an anthem reclaiming belonging when confronted with exclusion.

As Chavarria's profile continues to grow — with word of him being considered for the head creative position at Fendi and Hollywood A-listers such as Brad Pitt wearing his designs — he's stayed unremittingly political. At last year's CFDA Awards, in the days leading up to the U.S. election, he used his own acceptance speech to underscore voter participation, reminding the fashion world that its visibility has influence.

"I know fashion can't control politics," Chavarria told GQ, "but fashion is more scrutinized than ever. More individuals are interested in fashion today than ever in the history of the world." Through his Spring 2026 collection, Willy Chavarria proved that a runway can once again be a battlefield — not just for fashion, but for identity, justice, and existence in an increasingly vulnerable world to be erased.

Willy Chavarria SS26 Paris Show // Luca Tambolini / GQ

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