Ninety Minutes Backstage at the Willy Chavarria SS24 Show

There are few things more iconic than New York Fashion Week. LATINA caught up with Peruvian photographer Diego Bendezu to discuss his career, what inspires him, and how he pulled off capturing show-stealing portraits backstage at the Willy Chavarria SS24 show.

Diego Bendezu is a Peruvian photographer born and raised in Ica, Peru. At the age of twelve, he moved to New York City, where he reunited with his mom and sister. Despite being undocumented for his first seven years in the U.S., he pursued his passion for photography and studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduating, he went on to work in the photo industry and assisted many incredible photographers, including Juergen Teller, Alexi Lubomirski, and Carlijn Jacobs, among others. Bendezu also mentions that he was extremely lucky to have been mentored by Tom Caravaglia, a modern dance photographer who trained and mentored Bendezu early in his career. Unsurprisingly, Bendezu’s work draws from his Peruvian and South American heritage, and he hopes to highlight the Latinx immigrant experience while keeping the importance of family at the core of his work.

Bendezu’s projects have been featured in publications including i-D, Document Journal, and Vogue, among others. And his commitment to contributing to the representation of Latinx culture in the art, fashion, and documentary worlds is evident in everything he creates.

For NYFW, he documented Willy Chavarria‘s new collection, taking backstage photographs at his September 13th show. Bendezu collaborated with his dear friend Marco Castro, a fellow Peruvian and a makeup artist, who is part of the Willy Chavarria family. With under ninety minutes to photograph the models before they hit the runway, Bendezu captured Latina runway models such as Lineisy Montero and Hiandra Martinez, and the iconic rapper YG. “It was an unforgettable experience, marking my first time at a fashion show,” he told LATINA.

Chavarria’s show celebrated the incredible diversity and influence of Latinx individuals in the fashion industry. Reflecting on his experience there, Bendezu shared, “What struck me the most was the profound sense of community among creatives at the event.” He expressed that it highlighted the importance of unity and mutual support needed to break barriers and reshape beauty and artistic standards. “This experience was a powerful reminder of the strength that emerges when we embrace our shared heritage and advocate for one another in our pursuit of artistic excellence.”

Check out Bendezu’s portraits below.

Image credits:

Designer: Willy Chavarria @willychavarrianewyork
Photographer: Diego Bendezu @diegobendezu
Stylist: Carlos Nazario @mr_carlos_nazario
Makeup: Marco Castro @marcoamazonico using @marcocastro.world

Hair: Joey George @joeygeorge using @kevin.murphy
Hair Coordinator: Fernando Guzman @nandosnotes
MARCO CASTRO®️ team:
Producer: Dimi Poppis @dimi.pop
Coordinator: Billy Kiessling @buhbuhbilly