Parsons Annual Benefit Honored Willy Chavarria And Showcased The Alluring Work Of Student Designers – Essence

Being in a room that is fixated on the future generation of fashion evokes unique sentiments. Earlier this week, The New School hosted its 76th annual Parsons benefit which included a live runway presentation from the Parsons School of Design Students. Performances by the College of Performing Arts and an exhibition from the Textiles, Fine Arts, and Constructed Textiles program also ensued. The New School President, Joel Towers, and host Zanna Roberts Rassi, style correspondent and co-founder of Milk Makeup, provided several riveting moments that allowed the evening to move along swimmingly.

Guests who also took the stage included Deputy Director of the ACLU, AJ Hikes, who introduced Willy Chavarria, who was presented with The Parsons Table Award. Additional individuals who were presented with this distinction included President and CEO of Sephora North America, Artemis Patrick and the CEO of the Fifth Avenue Association, Madelyn Wils.

The previously mentioned award recognizes individuals who’ve made a significant contribution to the design industry and their influence is felt across fashion, beauty, retail, and more. Their work rings loudly in spaces that are often gatekept due to their dedication and grit. Attendees for the evening included Donna Karan, Mara Hoffman, Edvin Thompson, Jacques Agbobly, Calvin Klein, and countless others.

One compelling moment from the evening was that each guest was transfixed by the runway presentation that took place. During the show student designer Angel Luo presented a floor-length gown constructed with pleated Tencel featuring a gradient dye effect. The gown also featured openings with lacing throughout at the hip. This was arguably the most intricate look that was presented.

The designs of Olive Eng-Canty were also showcased. Her upcycled creations featured pastel hues and also striped patches of fabric. Other creations were equally interesting–quite a few students worked with knits, corsetry, and upcycled materials, this pointed to a fixation on sustainability which is fitting for the moment we’re living through.

Most notably, when Willy Chavarria took the stage to accept The Parsons Table Award, he referred to the student design presentation as “brilliant.” He also declared that AJ Hikes is an incredible leader he is inspired by on the daily. “We know that when we all have a seat at the table we are better, we are more effective [and] we create better work,” Chavarria shared when touching on diversity. 

Chavarria went on to express the following: “We’ve decided to use fashion, art, and beauty as a way to deliver a message of human beauty. Whether it’s delivered as a whisper, a kiss, or [a] house soundtrack, the message is that we are all found. It’s a human message,” he shared. The designer and founder also expressed that we all believe in connecting people and giving them space to share their own beauty so we “all can embrace it as a family.”

His closing words were fitting for the evening. “Each of us in this room has the power to have impact on what this world is going to look like in the future,” he added.