One of the most anticipated events on the fashion calendar each year is the American Image Awards. The program, produces by the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), celebrates the accomplishments of the industry we all love by giving awards to outstanding people & companies in the fashion industry. Of course, being the fashion obsessed publication we are, we look forward to the Designer of the Year recipient with particularly bated breathe. This year, it’s the white hot Willy Chavarria who will be accepting the Designer of the Year statuette. The rising mega-star first made his debut in fashion at the age of 21 when he joined Nicholas Graham — one of our favorites & former American Image Award Fashion Maverick — on the launch of Joe Boxer.
In 2015, Chavarria launched his eponymous brand with the mission of raising the underrepresented through art & design. His collection often makes statements & incorporates messaging around social justice. Empowering & expressive, his designs are imbued with a sense of drama, excitement, & comedy through color, silhouette, & fabrication. In the years since its debut, Chavarria’s menswear collection has been applauded by the press and featured in top fashion magazines such as Vogue, The New York Times, Fantastic Man, & Hypebeast… & TheFsahionList, of course!
With each season, he aims to uplift & inspire, to be a voice for the voiceless, often partnering with organizations to promote social justice. Inspiration is taken from both biographical elements of the designer’s life, often infusing nods to his Mexican American heritage, & from the beauty he sees in the streets & culture around him. He’s even known for pulling people off the streets to model instead of hiring through traditional agencies. His collections and images became known for their sensitive and cinematic approach, blending the emotion of art & modern politics into a reactionary story of the human will. For that, the brand received international attention & is carried in prestigious stores including Bergdorf Goodman, Far Fetch, Barneys, Dover Street Market, & Browns. Pieces of the collection have also been collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Chavarria is now also the Senior Vice President, Design, Calvin Klein North America & Global Essentials Apparel (Men’s), a position he accepted in 2021.
Willy Chavarria’s poetic expression never shies away from advocacy through art. His poise and influence in this space is an inspiration.
Steve Lamar, CEO & President of AAFA
In addition to Chavarria’s honor as Designer of the Year, the American Image Awards will also be celebrating the work of New Balance Athletics Inc. as Company of the Year; Harlem’s Fashion Row for Fashion Maverick; William McDonough for Eco-Steward of the Year; & Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, as Global Vanguard. The event will be emceed by Segun Oduolowu & will benefit the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Foundation marking the seventh year of philanthropic partnership with the AAFA.
Through all of its work around the globe, & culminating in this annual gala, AAFA promotes trusted trade partnerships; inspires more sustainable, traceable, & responsible supply chains; drives accountability, authenticity & innovation, as well as supports diversity, inclusion, & equal opportunity.
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is the national trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, and their suppliers, which compete in the global market. Representing more than 1,000 world famous name brands, AAFA is the trusted public policy and political voice of the apparel and footwear industry, its management and shareholders, its more than three million U.S. workers, and its contribution of $470 billion in annual U.S. retail sales. AAFA drives progress on three key priorities: Brand Protection; Supply Chain & Sourcing; and Trade, Logistics, & Manufacturing. AAFA approaches this work through the lens of purpose-driven leadership in a manner that supports each member’s ability to build and sustain inclusive and diverse cultures, meet and advance ESG goals, and draw upon the latest technology.
The American Image Awards have been owned and operated by AAFA for close to 50 years, the American Image Awards has been honoring those who have exemplified leadership, excellence, and outstanding achievement in all sectors of the apparel and footwear industry.
Past honorees include:
Ralph Lauren Corp.; Gap; Inc.; Chip Bergh of Levi Strauss & Co; Disney; Kenneth Cole; Walmart; HanesBrands; Gabrielle Hearst; Brandon Maxwell; Prabal Gurung; Manny Chirico of PVH; Joseph Altuzarra; Fred Segal; Eileen Fisher; Camuto Group; Mansur Gavriel; ThirdLove; Andrew Rosen of Theory; Kenneth Cole; Stuart Vevers of Coach; Iris Apfel; Shinola Detroit; Bergdorf Goodman; Diane Von Furstenberg; Holt Renfrew; Li & Fung; QVC; Isaac Mizrahi; Saks Fifth Avenue; UGG Australia; the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and more.
To learn more, visit the American Image Awards website: www.americanimageawards.org
