‘SPICY PASTELS’ AND COLOUR AS RESISTANCE IN WILLY CHAVARRIA SPRING/SUMMER 2026 COLLECTION
words by FRANCESCO PIZZUTI
Drama, culture, and raw emotion charge the latest collection from Mexican-American designer Willy Chavarria. Unveiled through an editorial titled Spicy Pastels — an almost oxymoronic twist — the Spring/Summer 2026 collection comes tainted with subversive force, with a name that teases restraint but delivers force. At its core, the collection is an ode to Latino identity, with its sensuality, high-stakes emotion, and, indeed, spice, keeping us glued to the screen, begging for more, like the most glamorous telenovela you’ve ever seen. Chavarria skillfully scripts cultural moments through his work: beautifully bold, politically aware, and emotionally charged.
This collection marks a new chapter for Chavarria; a new era of luxury. One that doesn’t conform, that doesn’t let itself be overtaken by excess but stays true to character, working with intent to elevate identity. Color becomes an act of rebellion, a visual and cultural expression of Latino identity, unafraid and self-posessed. The editorial feels rich and porous, lived in and breathing with life and heritage. The clothes are grounded in a reinterpretation of the traditional atmosphere of Latin family homes through Willy’s lens. The characters, sensual and dressed in contrasting hues, often create subtle tension within the space, heightening the emotion beneath the surface.
Color is resistance; an essential force in fashion today. It isn’t something sprinkled here and there, quietly, submissively; it is defiant and persistent, disrupting expectations and challenging traditional associations of the house’s palette. Key shades include Chicle, Papaya, Red Hot, Bourdin Blue, Butter, Uniform Green, Concrete, and Masa.
The tailoring is razor-refined, with a perfectly relaxed yet precise embodiment, while the overall finishing is flawless. The men’s silhouette, aptly named Chilango, enters as the newest addition to Willy Chavarria’s vocab; effortless yet snatched to the gods. For women, the Nuevo Staple blazer makes its grand entrance, cinching waists and enhancing shoulders.
Spring/Summer 2026 also introduces Willy Chavarria’s first full accessories collection, anchored by the signature ‘W’ motif and including bolero bags, oversized clutches, and W totes. Furthermore, leather transcends far beyond outerwear, appearing as foundational wardrobe architecture, with pieces like Bad Boy pants, Chuco blazers, Chavela sets, and trench-inspired dresses.
All in all, this collection is empowerment, felt. It advocates for collective unity and strength through beauty, craft, and cultural sensibility, continuing Willy Chavarria’s mission to uplift the underrepresented. Because it’s that fiery emotional depth, those unspoken stories yearning for visibility, that make artistic practice truly meaningful.
