Willy Chavarría’s collaboration with Adidas wasn’t just cultural appropriation; it upheld the social caste system that was established during the Spanish colonial era.
When Adidas released Chavarría’s “Oaxaca Slip Ons,” the backlash on social media was swift. The commentaries echoed that Chavarría should have worked with Mexican artisans, that the slip-ons should at least be made in Mexico, and that he should share those profits with the state or people of Oaxaca.
Shortly after the announcement, Chavarría issued an apology stating that, “the intention was always to honor the powerful cultural and artistic spirit of Oaxaca and its creative communities—a place whose beauty and resistance have inspired me.”