Willy Chavarria can now add another notch to his belt.
The city of Huron, Calif., where the designer was raised, proclaimed May 3 as Willy Chavarria Day in honor of his contributions to fashion, culture and social justice. The date also marked the city’s 75th anniversary.
Chavarria grew up in the small city in California’s San Joaquin Valley, the son of a Mexican father and an Irish mother. Huron was largely a farming town populated by immigrants whose lives and culture influenced his work. In 2025, he partnered with Mexican-Colombian American photographer Carlos Jaramillo to film “Heart of the Valley,” a documentary highlighting the city’s cultural and agricultural life. The film was introduced around the designer’s spring 2026 runway show in Paris, titled “Huron,” when ICE attacks were reaching new heights.
The inaugural Willy Chavarria Day celebrated middle- and high school-age children, including the Huron Middle School soccer team and participants from the Harris Farms Club, who played in a soccer tournament in uniforms provided by Adidas. Chavarria has been a longtime collaborator with the sports brand, which also donated other pieces to Huron residents.
The Huron kids were outfitted in soccer outfits by Adidas.
Courtesy of Willy Chavarria
Inside the community center, high schoolers were able to browse, try on and take home dresses and suits at the Prom Pop-Up and Keystone Closet. Local vendors were also on-site with food and drinks.
In accepting the honor, Chavarria said: “Huron exists in the most fundamental parts of my being. I am forever grateful to my family and the place that gave me so much heart and inspiration. I stand humbled before this gift from the City of Huron, knowing full well that whatever grace I carry was first given to me by my parents, Bill and Gwen, by my Uma and Umpa, and by the gentle strength of family.”
As part of the celebration, the Taco Bell Foundation presented Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County with a $100,000 Community Grand, the largest single award in the organization’s 13-year partnership, to support programs offering teens tutoring, career training, paid internships and leadership development.
The Taco Bell Foundation donated $100,000 to the Boys and Girls Club during Willy Chavarria Day.
Courtesy of Willy Chavarria
