Bally names new Creative Director, Rhude's Rhuigi Villaseñor takes the helm

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jan 18, 2022

Bally has named Rhuigi Villaseñor as its new Creative Director, overseeing artistic direction across the brand, with his first collection for the label set to debut for the SS23 season. He’ll be based between Los Angeles and Switzerland.

The Swiss luxury brand is owned by JAB Holding Company and said that the new appointment comes after a period of redefining its positioning. 

A Filipino-American, Villaseñor was born in Manila and emigrated to the US aged nine. He has been CEO, and Creative Director of the brand Rhude that he founded since 2015. He started his career in Los Angeles, and “credits his passion for design and his understanding of garment construction to growing up with a mother who was a tailor and father who was an architect”. 

His own business has been “thriving”, Bally said and his ready-to-wear and accessories are “coveted by celebrities around the world”, while his reach “extends to a broad and diverse audience, amplified also through his lifestyle partnerships including homeware and automotive”.

His work sees him referencing “American iconography with nostalgic reflections recalling his childhood observing an aspirational culture through a foreign lens, a visual narrative combining luxury techniques with streetwear elements”.

Bally CEO Nicolas Girotto said: “Over the past three years, we have redefined our positioning, successfully consolidating the brand across product offering and customer touchpoints. This strong foundation, rooted in an embrace of our Swiss identity, enables us to progress on our ambitions. In this transformative moment, and having found the right champion in Rhuigi, we are ready to move Bally to the next level.”

He called the new creative chief “a talented visionary” and said he’ll “continue evolving the contemporary relevance of our brand and accelerate growth while preserving Bally’s core values”.