February 16, 2023 |
The allure of Willy Chavarria lies in the designer’s voluminous silhouettes, which often meets tailoring with deftly cut workwear; a fusion that feels romantic, poetic almost, in its subversion of masculine dress codes. Chavarria, who picked up the National Design Award for Fashion Design last year, chose the Cooper Hewitt as his show venue, as models – dressed in wide silk trousers, pussy bow blouses and velvet robes with sculpted shoulders – sauntered through gold-lined salons with ceremonial quality.
In a totally black palette (bar a few slithers of white), it would be easy to dub the collection a funeral procession. Though Chavarria’s models appeared regal, in their hourglass overcoats with rounded lapels, and their trucker jackets with curved sleeves. Some looks resembled cassocks, others operatic in their grandeur (assisted by the string quartet who played out the show). This was a collection devoted to elegance of the highest order.
Photography courtesy of Willy Chavarria.
