Willy Chavarria
Born 1967 · Age 58
American fashion designer known for politicized menswear, founder & CCO of WILLY CHAVARRIA, founder/Creative Director of Palmer Trading Company, and former Senior Vice President of Design at Calvin Klein.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Huron (Fresno area), California
Born to an Irish-American mother and a Mexican-American father; grew up in a working-class farmworker community.
Begins studies at Academy of Art University (approx.)
Attended Academy of Art University in San Francisco to study graphic design; worked part-time while studying.
Part-time job at Joe Boxer (shipping)
Worked in the shipping department at Joe Boxer while attending school; began sketching and developing designs after hours.
Internship and designer role at Joe Boxer
Sketches from after-hours work led to an internship with Nicholas Graham at Joe Boxer that developed into a designer position.
Designer role at Voler (multi-sport apparel)
Took a designer role at Voler, a cycling and multi-sport apparel company; worked on athletic apparel.
Hired to work on Ralph Lauren RLX cycling diffusion line
Through Voler collaboration, Chavarria was hired to help on RLX, Ralph Lauren's cycling diffusion line.
Personal identity publicly acknowledged (openly gay)
Is publicly known as openly gay; this identity informs his work and public presence (no discrete date is given in sources).
Design director role at American Eagle Outfitters (approx.)
Reported career move to American Eagle Outfitters as design director; year not precisely specified in sources.
Palmer Trading Company label sold internationally
Palmer Trading Company's in-house label found global retail distribution (Opening Ceremony, Journal Standard Relume and others) in the 2010s.
Co-founded Palmer Trading Company (NYC)
Opened Palmer Trading Company with David Ramirez in New York City — a menswear store blending vintage and contemporary Americana.
Palmer Trading Company in-house label sold to global retailers
Palmer Trading Company's in-house label began being carried by retailers such as Journal Standard Relume, Steven Alan, and Opening Ceremony.
Palmer Trading Company x Viberg boot collaboration
Palmer Trading Company collaborated with Canadian footwear manufacturer Viberg on an ankle-height derby boot.
Brand stocked in high-end retailers (post-launch)
After launching his eponymous label, collections were stocked at prestige retailers including Barneys, Dover Street Market, Browns, and others.
Launched eponymous label WILLY CHAVARRIA
Started his namesake fashion label (stylized WILLY CHAVARRIA), beginning a line known for political and social engagement.
‘Cruising’-themed show in a leather bar
Presented a cruising-themed fashion show staged at a leather bar in New York — notable early example of his politically charged presentations.
Spring/Summer show at Eagle Bar (NYC)
Presented a Spring/Summer collection juxtaposing religion, lowrider, and leather bar influences at the Eagle Bar.
Collaboration: WILLY x hummel for Spring/Summer 2019
Collaborated with Danish sportswear brand Hummel on a collection referencing late 1990s/early 2000s NY streetwear (SS19).
First major eponymous runway presentation (NY)
Began showing his eponymous collections in New York (sources cite his first presentations around 2018); brand picked up by high-end retailers.
CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year – Nomination (2019)
Nominated for CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year (2019).
Woolmark Prize Finalist
Named a finalist for the Woolmark Prize (2019).
Collaboration with KANSAS (workwear) and KANSAS release
Released a functional winter/workwear collection in partnership with Danish workwear brand KANSAS.
Work from SS19 later featured at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pieces from his Spring/Summer 2019 season were later included in The Met's exhibition 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion'.
Created 'Falling Stars' sweater (2019)
Designed the notable 'Falling Stars' sweater (2019), a piece later highlighted in museum/fashion discourse.
Fall 2020 collection: Recyctex sustainable materials
Fall 2020 collection included sustainable materials in collaboration with textile manufacturer Recyctex, reusing discarded fabric waste.
Dickies collaboration for Fall 2022 'UNCUT' show (planning/partnership)
Collaborated with Dickies for reimagined workwear pieces showcased at his Fall 2022 menswear show 'UNCUT'.
K-Swiss collaborative footwear (release)
Collaborated on footwear with K-Swiss (noted collaborative footwear release around 2020).
Spring 2022 runway presentation (presented Sept 2021)
Presented Spring 2022 collection emphasizing oversized silhouettes, Chicano roots, and a made-to-order model to reduce waste.
Joined Calvin Klein as Senior Vice President of Design
Appointed Senior Vice President of Design at Calvin Klein (joined in 2021, a high-profile corporate role while maintaining his label).
Invited speaker at FIT symposium 'Moda Hoy!' (conversation)
Spoke in conversation for the Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion symposium (Oct 7, 2022) — noted emotional impact on attendees.
National Award for Fashion Design – Winner (2022)
Received the National Award for Fashion Design (recognized in 2022).
Cooper Hewitt National Design Award – Winner (2022)
Won the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award (2022), a major institutional recognition.
Creative consultant role for Yeezy Gap (approx.)
Worked as a creative consultant for Yeezy Gap (dates not precisely specified in sources; activity noted among notable works).
Advocacy & partnership with ACLU for voter registration
Partnered with ACLU to raise funds and encourage voter registration, reflecting his political engagement beyond fashion.
Added to The BoF 500 (member since 2023)
Included in Business of Fashion's BoF 500 — list of influential people shaping the global fashion industry.
Dressed Rauw and Tokischa at CFDA Awards
Styled/wore the WILLY CHAVARRIA label on high-profile celebrities during the 2023 CFDA Awards (hosted events/afterparties).
Hosted high-profile SS24 afterparty and NYFW events
Hosted a notable NYFW afterparty in Brooklyn with performances (e.g., YG) and brand community celebration (reported Sept 2023 context).
CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year – Winner (2023)
Awarded CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year (2023), a prominent industry prize elevating visibility.
CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year – Winner (2024)
Won CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year for a second consecutive (or additional) time in 2024 (sources list wins in 2023 and 2024).
BoF Podcast guest: conversation on social justice and fashion
Appeared on The Business of Fashion podcast (Aug 2, 2024) discussing promoting social justice through fashion.
Spring/Summer 2024 runway and production expense
Presented Spring/Summer 2024 show; Vogue Business reported the production cost at approximately $350,000, supported by sponsors including Don Julio and Allen Edmonds.
Left role as Senior VP of Design at Calvin Klein
Served as Senior Vice President of Design at Calvin Klein until 2024; departed to focus on his brand and other projects.
Announced intention to expand brand with commercial focus
Public statements about needing capital to scale (estimated 'a couple million dollars') and strategy to build bags/shoes to increase retail margins.
Expanded product categories: bags and shoes
Announced and began launching shoes, handbags and accessories to expand commercial offerings and brand retailability (Vogue Business reporting, Feb 2024).
Allen Edmonds shoe collaboration planned to launch
Announced a collaboration with century-old shoemaker Allen Edmonds with prototypes shown; shoes expected to launch in September (reported Feb 2024).
Debuted Willy Chavarria x adidas at Spring/Summer 2025
Brand debuted a collaboration collection with adidas at its Spring/Summer 2025 show featuring performancewear and reinterpretations of classic adidas styles.
Public profile: recognized for queer, Chicano and community-driven aesthetics
Critical recognition grows: widely cited for inclusive casting, community-based model selection, and political runway statements (ongoing influence).
Listed in Time 100 Most Influential People (2025)
Named one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine (2025 list).
Ten-year anniversary of WILLY CHAVARRIA label
Marked ten years since the founding of his eponymous label (2015–2025) at his Paris Fashion Week debut.
Paris Fashion Week debut — 'Tarantula' Fall/Winter 2025
Made Paris Fashion Week debut with the Fall/Winter 2025 collection 'Tarantula' at the American Cathedral in Paris, marking the 10th anniversary of his label.
Partnership with eBay during Paris Men's Fashion Week
Partnered with eBay for Paris Men's Fashion Week activities (reported Jan 22, 2025).
Key Achievement Ages
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