Willy Chavarria's musical-style fashion in Paris

Paris - On the fourth day of men's fashion week_ Mexican-American designer Willy Chavarria presented his new collection in Paris on Friday. The spectacular show blended a runway presentation_ artistic performance and a concert worthy of a musical.

This new co-ed autumn collection is a blend of Mexican-American culture and streetwear. The designer opted for a cinematic staging_ with a set depicting mid-century American streets. A Cadillac and a telephone booth were prominently featured in the middle of the vast room.

The show began with a musical performance by Chilean artist Mon Laferte. Numerous other artists followed_ including Puerto Rican Lunay_ Italian Mahmood and the Latino group Santos Bravos.

Models_ including Romeo Beckham and Farida Khelfa_ walked in jackets with wide shoulder pads and high-waisted_ loose-fitting trousers inspired by the 'pachucos'. In the 1940s_ these Mexican-Americans asserted their heritage through very elegant clothing and wide-brimmed hats.

The womenswear featured highly structured coats_ form-fitting dresses_ pencil skirts and cigarette trousers. This created an aesthetic that was both assertive and sensual.

Urban wear also played a significant role_ featuring leather jackets_ oversized bomber jackets_ wide-leg trousers and monochrome ensembles.

The colour palette mixed dark tones such as black_ navy and brown with more vibrant flashes of red_ electric blue and deep pink. The show was spectacular in its presentation_ yet more subdued in substance than his previous two Parisian shows.

The designer_ born in 1967_ is an outspoken activist and advocate for migrants and LGBT+ rights. He caused a stir in June by staging several tattooed men dressed in white and kneeling. The image was reminiscent of prisons in El Salvador.

For his debut in the capital last January_ he featured the pro-LGBT+ speech by Bishop Mariann Budde from the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.

This new show_ titled “Eterno”_ is focused on coexistence and brotherhood.

The booklet distributed to guests read: “We are in this story together. All of us. And without love_ without each other_ we are doomed. So_ please_ be good to your brothers and sisters”.