Willy Chavarria's Paris Fashion Week Debut Made LGBTQ+ Rights Front and Center
Courtesy of Willy Chavarria
The dark and alluring atmosphere of a church is familiar to many people. It is a source of hope and gratitude for some; but for others, namely those in the queer community, churches can be traumatic. When Willy Chavarria made a Paris Fashion Week appearance on Friday at the American Cathedral Episcopal Church, he boldly showcased a sweatshirt design dedicated to lifting the voices of the LGBTQ+ community and proved that in this church, everyone belongs.
I first met with Chavarria in his Greenpoint, Brooklyn, studio, surrounded by racks of his forthcoming A/W 2025 collection, entitled “Tarantula.” The pieces ranged from suits made of crushed velvet to oversize jackets and a bodysuit T-shirt that's as original as it is practical. Chavarria previewed many of the pieces for me, pieces that would later be worn by models of all genders as they strutted between pews of onlookers in Paris. While Chavarria had a massive stage to showcase his collection, he also used it as an opportunity to make a statement.
Chavarria partnered with dating app company Tinder and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to create a sweatshirt dedicated to amplifying LGBTQ+ voices and standing beside the community as anti-LGBQT+ legislation continues to get introduced in droves. All proceeds from the sweatshirt will go directly to the HRC.
“It started with thinking about a lot of the darkness that is in the world today,” Chavarria tells Teen Vogue. “And I love that phrase that Kamala Harris said, ‘Only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.'”
Chavarria credits the works of Italian painter Caravaggio for inspiring the deep blues and blacks set against contrasting light featured in his newest runway line, along with the message behind his art. “[The paintings are] often violent and dramatic, but there's this really beautiful light shining through,” the designer explains. "And I think that, in this time, the light that shines through is this pride in identity."
The idea for the sweatshirt came together in order to shed light on a marginalized community that has historically been the backbone intertwined with the fashion world and beyond. The black crewneck, designed in part with Gustavo Garcia-Villa, reads “How We Love Is Who We Are” in an Old English-style font. In a press release for “Tarantula,” the idea for the shirt is said to have been a response to the more than 570 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced globally last year, and is meant to be a way to champion “love, equality, and the fundamental rights of every global citizen.”
"The identity of so many people right now is under attack through increased violence, increased racism, and actual politics that are implementing systems to roll back the rights of people like immigrants, women, LGBTQ people," Chavarria says. “It's just a really beautiful, visual campaign in support of LGBTQ rights.”
The designer continues, “Tinder is actually a platform that celebrates all sorts of love, and it has become a platform for people to build communities in areas of the world where they are really under oppression and unable to share their identities publicly.”
At the finale of the show, Chavarria walked slowly down the runway wearing the crewneck shirt. The powerful moment was magnified by the words of Bishop Mariann Edger Budde that played on the loudspeakers above the music: Budde led the Inaugural prayer service following President Trump's inauguration, directly addressing him as she asked the president to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now."
“There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives,” Budde's sermon resounded as Chavarria made his way through the church.
This symbolic moment tied together the entire evening, proving that no law can silence someone's true identity. Chavarria also bought billboards and displays throughout Paris to boost the sentiment on the shirt: “It's just really the promotion of love and dignity in this really beautiful, elegant, artistic way.”
Willy Chavarria's show was one of the hottest seats in town, featuring runway models such as Paloma Elsesser, Bad Bunny's brother Bernie Martínez Ocasio, rapper Tokischa, Becky G, and more. J Balvin surprised attendees with a performance among the models, and a string quartet also played at the event.
This isn't the first time Chavarria has used his runway shows to make a statement. Last season, the designer's show “América” was a celebration of his Mexican-American heritage and a nod to the farm workers of America. The designs included reworked uniforms featuring cargo pockets and long keychains. Chavarria was then partnered with the ACLU and, again, walked the runway during the show's finale, on that occasion wearing a shirt with the nonprofit's logo.
Tinder's own mission has focused on causes that relate to its company, including LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights. The dating app has previously worked with designers to raise awareness for a cause, such as partnering with Area to create a “Bans Off Our Bodies” shirt that debuted at New York Fashion Week in September. That collaboration included a large donation to Planned Parenthood, and several volunteers were invited to watch the runway show. In addition to reproductive rights, Tinder is also focused on LGBTQ+ rights.
When working with Chavarria, Tinder's global chief marketing officer Melissa Hobley tells Teen Vogue, the designer was curious about the company's intentions. "We had the chance to talk to him about connection and loneliness and about the LGBTQ community and how important it was to have an experience for them and to take a stand," Hobley explains. “Part of our job at Tinder is to understand the rights that are at stake for the LGBTQ community."
She continues, “Human Rights Campaign is a leader in that space, and we've had a long relationship with them and supported a lot of their initiatives…. It was a really easy, fun, and creative process with [Willy].”
As for Chavarria, he has always had one foot planted firmly in social justice through his work, and he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon. In 2017, the designer made a statement about putting Mexican immigrants in cages at the border, even as those close to him tried to warn him against doing so. “A lot of people tried to persuade me not to do it because nobody wants to lose customers. But it turned out to do the opposite,” he recalls. “It actually grew my business, and people connected with the messaging because it communicated with people on a much more personal level than just looking cool.”
With that in mind, and as the second Trump administration officially begins, Chavarria is sticking with the idea of community. “Whether we're LGBTQ+ ourselves or allies or mothers or daughters or friends, we're all, essentially, one people," he says. "So, when any of us is under attack, we need to protect one another.”
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
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