Fresno native named one of Time Magazine’s most influential people

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A Fresno native is representing the valley on the world stage after being named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2025.

Willy Chavarria, fashion designer, boundary breaker, and cultural tastemaker, made history Wednesday as the first Fresno native to be named one of Time’s 100 most influential people.

Sitting alongside names like Scarlett Johansson and Lorne Michaels, Elon Musk and Simone Biles, men’s fashion designer Willy Chavarria brings the unique zest of the Central Valley to the world.

“Fashion is all about making statements, and Willy’s pride in his Chicano roots makes his work so necessary in the industry. We both believe in building bridges, not walls, and Willy does that with his art. What he’s doing for our community—for our culture—is groundbreaking, and I am deeply inspired by him,” Singer Becky G said in Time’s report.

According to his biography, Chavarria was born and raised in Fresno to a working-class family. He moved away in his 20s to study graphic design in San Francisco, where he would eventually work for Joe Boxer before making his mark at Ralph Lauren, American Eagle Outfitters and Calvin Klein.

In 2015, he launched his namesake label, redefining the meaning of West Coast streetwear and bringing his roots to center stage.