Without any formal training in fashion design, Rhuigi Villaseñor — founder and creative director of luxury brand Rhude (stylized as “RHUDE”) and newly appointed creative director of Swiss brand Bally — credits his understanding of garments to his mother who sewed school uniforms and party clothes for him and his siblings. Coveted and worn by Kendrick Lamar (his first customer), Frank Ocean, Justin Bieber, and ASAP Rocky, the label sits somewhere between high fashion and streetwear, combining American iconography with nostalgic references and luxury techniques, something that he will surely bring to Bally.
Known for its incomparable craftsmanship and leather shoes, Bally preserves its essence as Swiss shoemakers that combine heritage, artistry, and contemporary design. In the five years of operating without a creative director, the brand underwent a repositioning and returned to its roots as a discreet and accessible luxury. And with the addition of Villaseñor — a talented visionary who melds luxury with streetwear — Bally is set to reintroduce modern-day Swiss lifestyle to the luxury market.
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Villaseñor had a slower, more thoughtful evolution in his approach to design at Rhude, which is known for its ready-to-wear clothing, footwear, and accessories. When he had first started his own brand, his thinking and decision-making process were lined with a diplomatic take. “I wanted to be very anti-institutional, putting out new ways and innovation and taking things that I like and making it in the highest quality,” he said. But as years passed, Villaseñor realized that the objects of our fascination change at sporadic rates. “I think design is actually purely social studies,” said Villaseñor. “I think people forget that there’s a big, big aspect in design for it to live and it’s human.” He underscores how fashion captures how painstakingly natural and human it is to keep falling in love with the new and fall back in love with the old. And in a way, the beauty of the brand remains in how it has grown with its maker.
For Villaseñor, Rhude is the preservation of an open conversation. The continuous churning of collections and releases means the 30-year-old designer is able to keep building the bridge between his consumers and his imagination. His work at Rhude is also woven with intimacy and reverence for his family and loved ones. In previous collections, bags and accessories were named after his mother and girlfriend. “I’m building a fashion house here and most fashion houses have iconic names,” said Villaseñor. “So, I created items named after people who mean the most to me.”
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Included in his tight-knit circle is Jay-Z, a man who Villaseñor considers as not only his mentor, but also his brother and biggest supporter. The 23-time Grammy award-winner is often spotted as the first to wear designs by Villaseñor, from his Puma trainer collaboration to Lakers-inspired Rhude hats. “It’s crazy though, the way the world works,” he said. “I listen to his albums to get me through [the] dark times of my life.”
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