Bally Parts Ways With Creative Director Rhuigi Villaseñor
Bally and its creative director Rhuigi Villaseñor have parted ways.
In a statement emailed to FN, the Swiss luxury brand said that the decision was “mutual” to conclude their collaboration. Bally added that its design studio will continue to carry the direction of the brand forward until a new creative organization is announced.
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Villaseñor, who had been at the creative helm of Bally since January 2022, said in a statement that his experience at the brand has been an “incredible honor.” “I wish the brand nothing but the best in all its future endeavors and look forward to enjoying its next creative chapter,” he said.
Nicolas Girotto, CEO of Bally, thanked Villaseñor for all his creative contributions to the brand. “His passion, energy, and creativity helped catapult Bally back into the spotlight, further rejuvenating the brand’s 170-year legacy through a modern, glamorous lens,” Girotto said. “I wish him all the best in the next chapter of his creative journey.”
Courtesy of Bally
At the time of his appointment in 2022, Bally said Villaseñor would oversee the artistic direction across the brand and would be based between Los Angeles and Switzerland.
His first capsule collection for the Swiss brand launched in November. Called “Bally Curling,” the après ski-inspired capsule followed Villaseñor’s debut spring/summer 2023 runway show in Milan in September.
Born in Manila, Villaseñor, is the founder, CEO, and creative director of the L.A.-based brand Rhude 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.
As for what’s next for Bally, the company said it will present its spring/summer 2024 women’s and men’s collection with a fashion show during Milan Fashion Week in September 2023.
The roll-out of the brand’s new identity also continues, following the reopening of the New York flagship in April, debuting the updated retail store concept and new packaging.
In March, Bally announced a series of capsules in partnership with actor Adrien Brody, continuing a legacy of artistic collaborations. The first capsule collection with Brody will debut in January 2024.
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