2 min readWilly Chavarria is Zara’s newest recruit. On March 26, the Mexican American designer brings his coveted mix of high drama and cool streetwear to the mega-retailer with a capsule collection that includes womenswear, menswear, jewelry, and even shoes. Chavarria has dubbed the collection VATÍSIMO, “the superlative form of vato, a colloquial term used in the Chicano community to refer to friends, partners, homies, and loved ones.”
There is certainly a lot to love. Included in the drop are wide-leg khaki shorts with a crisp, angled silhouette; a denim shirtdress in a soft, marbled blue wash; and a sharp-shouldered black blazer that might as well be embroidered with the phrase “elevated staple; buy me now.” (It’s actually embroidered with Chavarria’s name on the sleeve.)
“Ultimately, I wanted to share the brand with a wider audience at more accessible price points, while still maintaining a high level of quality,” Chavarria tells ELLE. “Zara and I were incredibly focused on craftsmanship, detail, and creating a concise collection with pieces that people can keep in their wardrobes for years.” He’s especially excited about the “slim silhouettes and relaxed, tapered trousers,” as well as the fact that although there are men’s and women’s pieces, female customers can still feel free to shop the güey stuff, including the cupro work shirts (wear them oversized with a fitted skirt) and a white suit that Chavarria says is “divine.”
The pieces are featured in a new Zara campaign styled like an old-school telenovela, shot by Glen Luchford and starring Salvadoran American model Christy Turlington and actor Alberto Guerra. Fans can spot Chavarria himself in the ads, which he calls “extremely chic with a bit of humor.”
It’s been quite the year for the former Calvin Klein designer, who showed a critically acclaimed collection in Paris this January, dressed Hacks star Hannah Einbinder for the Actor Awards last month, and placed his limited-edition Adidas sneakers on Los Angeles Clippers player Bennedict Mathurin at a game against the Chicago Bulls last week. Zara’s been on a recent roll, too, dressing Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl and announcing a two-year partnership with designer John Galliano that’s set to drop in September.
As for this collection, which we’re affectionately calling “Willy ChaZarria” in the office, it will be available at a special New York City pop-up store at 73 Spring Street starting March 26. But don’t panic if you can’t see the Statue of Liberty from your window—you can also grab all the pieces online.