A Nod To Chicano Culture By Willy Chavarria And The adidas Oaxaca Slip-On

John Kim: It’s been quite a year, good and bad, for people in the Latino culture. Can you describe what you’re feeling here in San Juan right now, and from a larger perspective?
 
Willy Chavarria: It’s amazing, it’s beautiful, and it’s incredible that all this is happening here in Puerto Rico. All of this is so incredible. And it’s also insane that at this time, the most horrific things are happening to Latinos in the United States that we’ve seen in a very, very long time. As great of a year as this is, it’s also really, really tough because of the challenges that our people are facing on a daily basis. So even at the start of this moment, of this administration, I immediately started talking with all of my friends and creative colleagues and you know all of us who are in this creative world about how important it is for us to make sure that we come together and really incorporate this message of unity and our strength and pride in our cultures.
 
Whether it’s making a film or working on a music thing with J Balvin or whatever it is, it’s really about the empowerment of people and really helping us to not only realize our own value but to show our value to the world. So what’s happening right now with this moment and Bad Bunny I think is incredibly important. The fact that Adidas is behind this says so much about the company and it makes me very proud to be working with a company that really respects and uplifts culture in the most real way.
 

As someone with Mexican heritage, what do you want to share with the world through your work and partnerships?
 
One of the reasons I do fashion and one of the reasons I partner with bigger brands like Adidas or even musicians is because I really believe that the larger the platform for my message, the better. And the message is really one of human dignity. That’s the bottom line. I celebrate Latino culture and celebrate queer culture because that’s like me. But at the end of the day, it’s about you and everyone in this room. It’s about human dignity. It’s about respecting and loving one another. And the more people that I can touch with that message, the better.
 
So when I think of my work with Adidas, what we’ll do together is really… focus more on how we can touch people in a personal level and spread that message. And I really hope to work with Adidas on touching people on more of a grassroots level. So going more into communities like this, going into Puerto Rico and doing something that’s actually for the people and not like in Hollywood or in New York where it’s like you invite only the select few to come and see, you know? I think that is the future. That is the future of fashion and that is the future of business.

In that sense, storytelling and community are so important to launches like this.
 
Sneakers ARE fashion. Sneakers have such a greater purpose than they did back in the day. This to me is such a hybrid between my work and adidas and it’s just like the perfect combination, it’s like literally one of the most classic Chicano references with the white sock and it actually wasn’t easy to do…it took trial after trial after trial and it’s just really well made. The interior of the Huarache is fully padded. And the footbed is padded leather. And then it’s a SEEULATER bottom and it’s pumped up with some fancy foam. And yes, there’s a brown version coming too.
 

What was the very first conversation with adidas like when you pitched the pointed toe Jabbar? Was there any hesitation?
 
Yeah. It took a minute. It took a minute for them to really get on board with it. But, I mean, it’s a big group of people. So, of course, there were some people that were like, oh, yeah, we got to do this. It’s amazing. And then there were some people that didn’t feel that way. But, you know, what’s great about the collaboration is it’s not a mass market. It’s really limited so it’s okay to take some risk in there.
 
The first one almost always has to be a risk.
Exactly. Yeah. You want to take that risk.
 
Do you feel a sense of responsibility, now that the partnership with adidas Originals will undeniably bring you to a larger audience?
I do. I do feel a responsibility. I think that anybody who has a career that is kind of public facing and is seen by a lot of people and starts to influence people has a responsibility. And my goal has been to really influence fashion and culture in a positive way, so along with that comes responsibility and I’m very grateful for it. I pray a lot. And this morning I was praying for giving thanks gratitude for this responsibility that I have and that I’m able to be in this space and really do something that’s positive. So I take it seriously, but I’m also very grateful for it.