After years of challenging the fashion industry with designs that blur the lines between politics and advocacy, Willy Chavarria has seemingly crossed the line this time in the eyes of some Latinos.
The Mexican American fashion designer − who's dressed the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Colman Domingo, Madonna and Usher – received backlash for his latest design, a collaboration with Adidas inspired by traditional huaraches from Mexico.
As footwear-focused websites and blogs shared the news of the "Oaxacan Slip On" in early August, the backlash was swift. Critics accused Chavarria and Adidas of cultural appropriation for creating a product that used a traditional design from Indigenous artisans in Oaxaca, Mexico's Villa Hidalgo Yalálag, but outsourcing labor to China.
The 58-year-old designer has since expressed his regret for appropriating the shoe's design, which was "not developed in direct and meaningful partnership with the Oaxacan community."
Here's what to know about the controversy, which has escalated to the highest levels of Mexican politics.
