Willy Chavarria’s Oaxaca-inspired slip-on is finally set to debut, though the road to this release has been anything but smooth.
If you’re a regular in sneaker circles, you likely caught wind of the controversy that surrounded the model upon its initial unveiling. The slip-on was criticized by Mexican officials — including members of the Oaxaca government and even the country’s president — for alleged cultural appropriation. The concern stemmed from the shoe’s use of design elements tied to Indigenous Oaxacan craftsmanship without direct involvement from the local community. In response, adidas and Chavarria issued a public apology, entered discussions with the Oaxaca government, and pledged support through Mexico’s Ministry of Culture.
Importantly, the shoe has since undergone a name change; it’s now called the adidas Huarache instead of the adidas Oaxaca. The “Huarache” name is far more a general term as it is shared by Nike Running and Basketball models designed by Tinker Hatfield, which also draw inspiration from traditional Mexican sandals. The renaming may be adidas’ subtle way of acknowledging that it’s not the first brand to reference the style, thus taking some heat off itself. It’s worth noting that adidas did not violate any copyrights by creating this model. Chavarria has emphasized that his goal is to celebrate and elevate Mexican craftsmanship through fashion, not exploit it.
No U.S. release date for the Willy Chavarria x adidas Huarache has been announced as of this writing, but German retailer BSTN has the sneaker scheduled to release on October 31st for €299 — suggesting a global launch may be close behind. See official retailer images below and stay tuned for updates.
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- Willy Chavarria x adidas Huarache BSTN
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- Willy Chavarria x adidas Huarache BSTN
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- Willy Chavarria x adidas Huarache BSTN
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- Willy Chavarria x adidas Huarache BSTN
