Just call him Willy Chavarria, director.
For the first time, the designer is teaming with Zara on a collection called Vatisimo. The word is the superlative form of “vato,” a term used in Chicano culture to refer to friends, partners and loved ones.
The ready-to-wear collection, which has a distinct Latin American flair, features 100 pieces of menswear and 50 pieces of women’s apparel, accessories and jewelry in materials ranging from leather and cupro to denim, knits and jerseys. Key looks include pencil skirts for women, short-sleeve cupro shirts with raw edges, shoes in textured materials, and belts and bags in premium leather. Each piece features a co-branded interior label while red roses, a signature of Chavarria’s work, are placed strategically on select garments. Retail prices will range from $25.90 to $529.
To introduce the one-time collaboration, Chavarria, alongside Glen Luchford, directed a film featuring supermodel Christy Turlington and actor Alberto Guerra. It was shot in Mexico and mimics a telenovela about a fatal love quadrangle. Chavarria even makes an appearance at the end of the film.
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Chavarria told WWD that the Zara partnership “allows us to share the brand with a wider audience at a more accessible price point. Both of our teams worked very collaboratively. We started this collection with the overall energy and concept of the campaign in mind — glamour and drama. The campaign is inspired by the Mexican telenovelas my team and I watched growing up and we designed for the characters, which is how we approach any design across mainline and collaborations.”
Chavarria said he’s “always been passionate about film and am grateful to have been moving in this direction over the last few years with our projects like ‘Safe From Harm’ and ‘Eterno.’ We’ve been lucky to be able to work with amazing partners and creatives, bringing to life stories of love and passion.”
He added that working with Luchford and “talents like Christy Turlington and Alberto Guerra was a dream. Glen has such a distinct vision and his ability to capture emotion and elegance was perfect for the drama of this film. I was thrilled to work with Alberto because I’ve been a fan of his for a while, but Christy will surprise the audience. We wanted to show her in a way she hasn’t been seen before, and we just knew she would be an incredible actress.”
He said among his favorite pieces in the Vatisimo line are the cupro long-sleeve work shirt and chino pants. “They are classic workwear pieces reimagined in elevated materials. American workwear often influences my work, so we wanted to make sure an iteration of this was included in ways that can be interpreted for any character.”
Vatisimo will be introduced on Thursday in a pop-up store located at 73 Spring Street in New York. That space will then be converted into a Zara Man store, which will also feature other special collections and curated product on a rotating basis through mid-June. Vatisimo will also be available globally in select stores and online.
Zara, a division of Spain’s Inditex Group, opened its first permanent men’s-only store in South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif., in October 2025. That followed Zara Man store openings in Osaka and Zurich.
Chavarria, a Mexican American designer, celebrated the 30th anniversary of his label last year. He got his start in his early 20s interning for Nick Graham at Joe Boxer, moved on to Ralph Lauren and over the years has also worked at American Eagle Outfitters, Yeezy, Dickies Construct, Calvin Klein and other well-known brands. He is known for his collection that blends Chicano culture, political expression and social commentary.
