Willy Chavarria and Zara Drop VATÍSIMO Capsule Globally on March 26

CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year in both 2024 and 2025, Willy Chavarria brings his sharpest instincts to the most democratic address in fashion: Zara. The VATÍSIMO capsule launches March 26 at 12 a.m. EST via Zara, with global availability in selected stores, online, and at a pop-up store at 73 Spring Street in New York City. The pop-up runs Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The ready-to-wear collection 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. Everything is emblazoned with delicate red roses as a nod to Chavarria. Prices run from $25 to $529, a range that places Chavarria's broad-shouldered, structurally charged silhouettes within reach of an audience that has previously only caught them on a Paris runway.

The name carries real cultural weight. Chavarria 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," celebrating "friendship, camaraderie, and love" and "the pride of belonging to a community." Tailoring takes on a bold, almost theatrical presence with exaggerated proportions and sharp structure, while staples like polos, hoodies, flannels, and denim are reworked through his distinct lens.

The campaign matches the clothes for drama. Directed by Glen Luchford alongside Chavarria himself and styled by Carlos Nazario, it stars supermodel Christy Turlington and actor Alberto Guerra. Shot in Mexico, the short film "channels the intensity of telenovelas, unfolding a fatal love quadrangle shaped by power, jealousy, and desire." Chavarria has said the creative foundation was personal: "I had a fantasy of a mansion in Mexico City, where a family with many dramatic issues lived. I was looking at American television drama series from the 1980s like 'Dallas' and 'Dynasty,' mixed with the Mexican telenovelas I grew up watching with my grandmother." He added that working with Turlington was "a dream," noting that "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."

Chavarria is 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 men's side, including the cupro work shirts and a white suit that Chavarria calls "divine."

The drop lands at a pointed moment in Zara's evolution. Just days after the Spanish retailer announced its two-year creative partnership with John Galliano, Zara appears intent on building a new narrative made of major names, storytelling-driven capsules, and cultural collaborations, marking another step in its strategy to move closer to the luxury world. Past partners include Susan Fang, Stefano Pilati, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, and Studio Nicholson. VATÍSIMO feels like the most culturally specific and cinematically ambitious entry yet.

For the SoHo pop-up, go early and go with a plan. Chavarria's silhouettes run intentionally oversized, so if the structure matters more to you than the volume, size down one in jackets and shirts. The cupro work shirts styled oversized with a fitted skirt is the kind of cross-category move VATÍSIMO was built for. After March 26, the 73 Spring Street space will convert into a Zara Man store featuring other special collections and curated product on a rotating basis through mid-June.