According to industry insiders, the designer Willy Chavarria based in New York is considered a promising candidate for the position of the creative director at the Italian fashion house Fendi. As WWD reports, the Mexican-Irish-born creative man has increasingly emerged in the selection process. However, the search for a successor to Kim Jones, who left the house in October 2024, has not yet been concluded.
Even if a contract with CHAVARIA cannot currently be confirmed, its name should enjoy high priority internally. There was no statement by the designer until the editorial deadline.
In the past few months, numerous names for the creative top have been circulating at Fendi, including Maria Grazia Chiuri, Pierpaolo Piccioli and John Galliano. Some of these designers have now accepted new roles: Chiuri left Dior in June, Piccioli moved to Balenciaga after leaving Valentino.
For Chavarria, an appeal to the Fendi-Kreativspitze would be an important career step. So far, the designer has mainly run his brand of the same name and has not yet managed an international luxury house. His brand, founded in 2015, last attracted attention in January 2025 at the Paris men’s fashion week – it was his first show on European soil. The politically characterized collection showed a clear manuscript and combined tailoring with streetwear and chicano culture.
Chavarria’s design approach has been awarded multiple, including the CFDA Award as the menswear designer of the year. He is currently one of the finalists of the Andam Fashion Award 2025.
In parallel to his own brand, Chavarria worked in different positions for renowned US brands, including Ralph Lauren, American Eagle Outfitters and Calvin Klein, where he most recently worked as a senior vice president of design. He also founded the men’s fashion brand Palmer Trading Company, whose creative management he also held.
Fendi, which belongs to the LVMH group, is currently in a phase of upheaval. In April, Ramon Ros was presented as the new CEO of the company. He will officially take up his position on July 1st. With the still open reproduction of the creative directorate, Fendi is one of the few international houses that are still waiting for a realignment in the middle of numerous personnel change in the industry.
This article was used with digital tools translated.
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