Willy Chavarria formally apologized to the folks of Oaxaca on Saturday after the slip-on shoe he designed with Adidas unleashed a string of on-line criticism.
In an announcement despatched to WWD, the Mexican-American designer stated: “To the folks of Oaxaca — I need to communicate from the center in regards to the Oaxaca slip-on I created with Adidas. The intention was at all times to honor the highly effective cultural and creative spirit of Oaxaca and its inventive communities — a spot whose magnificence and resistance have impressed me. The title ‘Oaxaca’ isn’t just a phrase, it’s dwelling tradition, it’s folks, and it’s historical past. I’m deeply sorry that the shoe was appropriated on this design and never developed in direct and significant partnership with the Oaxacan neighborhood. This falls in need of the respect and collaborative method that Oaxaca, the Zapotec neighborhood of Villa Hidalgo Yalalag, and its folks deserve. I do know love isn’t just given — it’s earned by motion. With respect, Willy Chavarria.”
Final weekend, Chavarria’s Oaxaca Slip On was unveiled on the Artwork Museum in Puerto Rico, resulting in speedy backlash citing cultural appropriation. There was additionally pushback on using the title and the truth that the footwear is believed to have been made in China quite than Mexico.
Adidas additionally weighed in with its personal apology over the weekend, saying: “Adidas acknowledges and values the cultural richness of Mexico’s indigenous communities and the that means of their artisanal heritage. The “Oaxaca Slip-On” was impressed by a design from Oaxaca, rooted within the custom of Villa Hidalgo Yalálag. We provide a public apology and reaffirm our dedication to collaborate with Yalálag in a respectful dialogue that honors their cultural legacy.”
In unveiling the Adidas Originals x Willy Chavarria shoe, the designer stated it was impressed by the huarache, a basic Mexican sandal that has transcended generations and advanced right into a staple of Chicano road type. His model elevated the shoe with an intricately woven higher in premium leather-based, supplied in a slip-on sneaker type with an open toe.
The design additionally incorporates a thick, exaggerated sneaker sole with practical grip. The only includes a stamped Adidas brand on the facet, and Chavarria’s title is discovered on the again of the shoe and throughout the inside alongside a holographic gold Adidas brand.
Chavarria’s first collaboration with Adidas was unveiled on his spring 2025 runway present in New York final September. The collaboration paid homage to his Chicano tradition.
The designer has constructed his status on his socially acutely aware designs and use of vogue as a platform to shine a highlight on the Latin neighborhood. In July, he was named an artist ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union, the place he’ll give attention to immigrant and LGBTQIA+ rights. Nonetheless, this isn’t the primary time the designer has gotten into scorching water over his activism. Final month following his spring ’26 menswear present in Paris, Chavarria raised the ire of El Salvadore president Nayib Bukele who stated his use of kneeling fashions with shaved heads wearing all-white outfits was paying homage to pictures of his nation’s “Terrorism Confinement Heart.”
