California designer makes bold statement on Trump-led ICE raids in Paris Fashion Week

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Models on the runway at the Willy Chavarria show as part of Paris Men's Fashion Week held at the Salle Pleyel on June 27, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty Images)

Fashion designer Willy Chavarria made a bold statement about the Trump-led ICE raids targeting his home state of California.

What we know:

During a Paris Fashion Week runway show, Chavarria had all 35 male models line up with shaved heads wearing baggy white t-shirts be on both knees with their hands behind them and their heads down – resembling the powerful images of the prisoners in El Salvador that were taken earlier in the year. 

As the models kneeled, José Feliciano’s "California Dreamin’" was playing in the background, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Chavarria confirmed the models wore white t-shirts that were made in collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union with a message that read, "The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party or side."

According to a Chavarria press release obtained by the Los Angeles Times, the designer wanted to show the "dehumanization of how immigrants are being treated in the United States."

The backstory:

El Salvador's CECOT prison was the site where 200 Venezuelan immigrants were sent by the Trump administration. Earlier in the year, the administration had accused the detainees of gang activity, but human rights organizations have protested against the prison's alleged torture methods being used on the prisoners.

The other side:

El Salvador's government was reportedly upset with Chavarria's statement.

According to a report from The Telegraph, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele threatened to send the prisoners to Paris Fashion Week for attempting to "glorify criminality."

As of Sunday, June 29, it doesn't appear Bukele pulled the trigger on his alleged threat.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.