Paris Fashion Week: Willy Chavarria Fall/Winter 2026 Menswear

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January 25, 2026 | D.M. Fashion Book | Fashion

Paris — Paris Fashion Week is no stranger to billion-dollar brands and theatrical runway spectacles. This season, Willy Chavarria— the Mexican-American designer who began making serious waves in New York before crossing the Atlantic just a year ago—stepped confidently into that arena and made his presence unmistakable.

Staged at the Dojo de Paris, the same cavernous venue that hosted Alessandro Michele’s Valentino debut, the Fall/Winter 2026 show unfolded on a set transformed into a New York City intersection. Crosswalk stripes cut across the floor; a telephone booth stood nearby; a gleaming convertible Cadillac Coupe DeVille anchored the space. Scattered throughout were apartment furnishings—beds included—creating a lived-in, cinematic streetscape rather than a conventional runway.

The beds became part of the narrative. Performers Mon Laferte and Lunay enacted a raw, emotionally charged love story as models moved fluidly through the space. Latin pop group Santos Bravos, born from a televised talent competition, added to the sense of community and cultural pride. Every performer was Latin and a personal friend of Chavarria’s—a deliberate and deeply personal casting choice.

The audience itself was part of the statement. French content creator and @lawatchparty host Lyas brought 400 followers—many attending their first fashion show—underscoring a mission to open the industry’s doors wider. The entire production was livestreamed, projected on a massive screen like a rock concert, reinforcing the idea that fashion here was meant to be shared, not gatekept.

The scale of the production mirrored Chavarria’s ambition. Backstage, he described the show as his most expansive presentation to date. The collection moved fluidly across categories: sharply cut tailoring for work; elevated sportswear; chic casual looks; and unapologetically bold streetwear under his newly launched Big Willy label, introduced on a see-now, buy-now model. His ongoing collaboration with Adidas also featured, created for the upcoming World Cup in partnership with the Mexican Football Federation. Eveningwear rounded out the offering, including sculptural “sandwich” dresses—hourglass from the front, plunging scoop backs with long silk trains trailing behind.

This breadth—particularly the confident, sober suiting aligned with today’s menswear shift—felt like a pointed response to luxury houses that overlooked Chavarria during the recent wave of creative director appointments. Yet rather than chasing validation, the designer continues to chart his own course, bolstered by a minority investment from Chalhoub Group secured last October. In an industry crowded with legacy brands in creative limbo, Chavarria’s clarity feels rare and vital.

There are no creative reversals here. His vision remains sharp, especially in tailoring and workwear, while his womenswear continues to evolve with strength and purpose. Just as powerful, however, was the show’s emotional undercurrent. Set against a tense global backdrop and a fractured American landscape, Chavarria’s message—rooted in unity, dignity, and shared humanity—landed with quiet force.

In a season driven by spectacle, Willy Chavarria offered something deeper: fashion as community, fashion as resistance, and fashion as hope.