We’ve all been looking for that sensational, chill-up-the-spine-feeling from a digital fashion show—and the first, but hopefully not the last, I’ve gotten for fall 2021 comes courtesy of Willy Chavarria. As the designer’s lookbook loaded on my screen I was struck by an absolute visceral thrill as I imagined encountering a single one of his models on the street. Against a sea of leggings, straight leg jeans, and bad dad coats, the rotund pants and cloak-like jackets worn by Chavarria’s dudes would be a revelation.
The guttural punch of his collection comes courtesy of a focus on silhouette. While so many have fretted over making designer sweats or some kind of pseudo-functional Zoom-wear, Chavarria offers a new shape for one’s body and one’s life. Bulbous, hulking, and made of recycled fibers, it signals at once the aggression and sensitivity needed to make it through “these times.” Bold but tender, the shape redefines what is both powerful and masculine with Chavarria’s signature grace. Maybe the best way to sum it up is with the graphics printed by tees by Carlos Graciano, an artist who goes by Sad Papi. Masculine and strong, but with the sweet demeanor of a heartthrob. The sort of clothing to give you a chill!
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