As far as fashion week criticism, pushback from the president of El Salvador would not typically be a primary concern for most designers.

But that unlikely predicament was what Willy Chavarria faced, after showing his spring 2026 collection during Paris Men’s Fashion Week on June 27. At the start of the show, men of different ethnicities with shaved heads and all-white outfits walked onto the runway, knelt down and bowed their torsos and heads as they put their hands behind their backs.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who was not at the show, interpreted that montage as being reminiscent of photos of El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center. That maximum-security prison, which is known as CECOT, is where U.S. President Donald Trump has sent hundreds of immigrants who are facing deportation from the U.S.

After the fact, Bukele publicly criticized the show on X and suggested sending prisoners from El Salvador’s largest prison to Paris Fashion Week. Chavarria said Wednesday that he first learned of the pushback from his public relations team. “My first thought was, ‘Amazing publicity for my brand. Thank you. Amazing global reach,’” he said.

“Sadly, we live in a very divided world. I think that anyone who is an artist is going to receive some kind of commentary from people who might not align with their ideas. But for me, the art is the primary expression. I’m not attacking anyone. I’m not doing anything that is aggressively rebellious in any way. I’m simply creating an artistic vision that speaks to how I feel. It’s really that simple,” Chavarria said. 

The Mexican American creative said the show was meant “to highlight the importance of an indisputable fact that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. That’s really the foundation of the brand. In this moment, where we’re seeing the degradation and deterioration of care for one another across the world, I had no choice but to highlight what we’re seeing in the United States.”

The show’s stylist, Carlos Nazario, declined to comment Wednesday, according to his agent at Art Partner Audrey Houssin. The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which oversees Paris Fashion Week, declined to comment.

The designer said that his decision to name the show “Huron,” as an ode to his agricultural hometown in California, was made five months ago when the collection was being developed. It was not just about Chavarria’s story, but also how “people, who are from immigrant communities, can really flourish and give the world the most incredible talent, music, color, fashion and art,” he said. “That’s something I really wanted celebrate in this collection. I wanted it to be positive and full of life.”

He continued, “But come show time, we’re seeing some of the most horrifying things happening all around the United States with the disappearing of people and families being broken up — absolute horror. I’m referring to ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and those pretending to be ICE, and those who are just simply acting out in horrific racially charged ways attacking immigrants.”

The designer said he included a portion in the show that was speaking to that and that allows people to challenge the status quo and to give space to a better world by starting with those, who are in positions of power, to serve us. CECOT was just a portion of the statement. It wasn’t all about CECOT or El Salvador. It’s about this question of people being dehumanized, and it’s a broader discussion of dehumanization. It’s seeing people like I am being completely dehumanized on a global scale.”

The white shirts and white shorts that the models wore were made through a partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union. Representatives did not respond to media requests.

Chavarria said the “very Los Angeles and very Chicana look” was used “to really symbolize the simplicity of a fashion look that is being targeted. And the men were all in white to represent an innocence,” he said. “These men were representing innocent men being abducted. The parallels of CECOT were drawn very vividly with this president from El Salvador taking it upon himself to really connect with what he’s doing. Of course, it’s a much broader statement. Anybody who is minimizing this artistic expression to what’s happening in El Salvador is really trying to misguide the conversation.”

More than anything, Chavarria said he was trying to show “this disrespect for humanity that we are seeing globally and to contrast that with the incredible talent and expression from me and everyone that participates in the work that I do.”

That includes all of the models, who walked in the show, all of the talent that put it together, and the immigrants that make and wash the clothes, he said. That commentary applies to not just his brand, but to the fashion business in general, Chavarria said.  

Last week’s runway show featured the third installment of the Adidas Originals x Willy Chavarria collaboration, which included T-shirts imprinted with “America” upside down. Executives at Adidas did not acknowledge media requests. 

The designer said, “Adidas and I work together so the expression of the show always was what it was. This political response has been a bit more exaggerated by the El Savador president, who chose to maybe out of guilt or who knows what? For me, this doesn’t affect my business whatsoever.”

Bringing his parents and a few relatives to last week’s runway show was a high point, said the designer, who was still in Paris Wednesday. “They’re so proud of me. It was so powerful and special. It was such a beautiful moment for them and for me to have them here. I’ve just been surrounded by joy and happiness around this whole show. It’s been so well-received and I’m just so happy to be embraced by the French and Parisian fashion world.”

Eager as he is to return to New York on Friday to reunite with his husband and their dog, the designer said that doesn’t exactly mean he will be kicking back. “I haven’t had down time since I was seven years old,” he said.