Zara is a main character of the fashion news cycle right now–and the announcements continue with the revealing of Willy Chavarria, he of New York Fashion Week fame, as the its latest collaborator. As John Galliano rifles through the retailer’s archives to “re-author” the brand’s past in time for a September launch, Chavarria will release a collectsion spanning clothing, jewelry and accessories across men’s and womenswear, available on 26 March.
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“This collaboration is truly a way for me to share the elevated aspects of the brand vision with a wider and more democratic audience,” Chavarria tells Vogue of the union. Honoring the palpable spirit that the designer brings to every endeavor, the collaboration is entitled Vatísmo; the superlative form of “vato”, a colloquial term used in the Chicano community that “celebrates friendship, camaraderie, and love; it speaks to personal bonds, the pride of belonging to a community, and the power of roots”.
“It’s also a way for people to get more familiar with the women’s vision I have,” he continues. Thus far, this vision has been explored via joy-making runway shows, the most recent of which played out in the Dojo de Paris, staged against the backdrop of a reconstructed NYC intersection smattered with crosswalk stripes and furniture.
For Zara, there’s another narrative: “I had a fantasy of a mansion in Mexico City where a family with many dramatic issues lived. I was looking at American television drama series from the 1980’s like Dallas and Dynasty mixed with the Mexican telenovelas I grew up with my grandmother watching,” he lores. “Incredibly chic and dramatic to the point of humour.”
This Willy Chavarria woman is realised by Christy Turlington in a Glen Luchford-lensed campaign: “I wanted us to see her as we have never seen her before. She is incredible in every way”. She has strong shoulders, manifesting as right-angular tailored jackets in tropical-weight wool, patent fabrics and leather. “I wanted to create things that people will treasure and wear for years and years to come. The quality in these garments is very impressive,” he says.
There are new interpretations of his signature (excellent) trousers. Wide-leg with shapely pleats in women’s and slightly-barrelled, structured, loose-fitting and elasticated (and more) in the men’s. Beyond this calling card, there are skirts of many kinds: a rust-hued midi that hits the shin, an acid-washed denim style in the same silhouette, and a tailored version in the same spirit as the aforementioned trousers. A certain pair of longline shorts, included in both categories, will be a summer staple for his fans.
Florals, lace inserts, and gem-adorned gold jewellery amp up the glamour – but Willy’s woman can wear them with the healthy stock of basics, including rose-embroidered bodysuits, slogan tees and ribbed socks, for everyday usage.
The logo-stamped minishorts in the men’s category make for a playful seasonal companion – throw on a “Chavarria”-emblazoned slogan tee and you’re in his “Nueva York” club. It’s a coterie that’s forever expanding, and this Zara venture will keep the subscribers coming.
Willy Chavarria for Zara will launch on Zara.com and in stores on 26 March.
