Rhuigi Villaseñor has been appointed as the Creative Director of Bally, and Los Angeles isn’t at all surprised.

There was a time when New York ruled American fashion and waspy images of the world of the north-east were style’s litmus test. The brash edge of the west was disparaged: ‘The stuff of up starters,’ sniffed the Establishment, ‘The stuff of Hollywood, the stuff, dare we say, of LA.’ One could say the stuff of thinking outside of the box, of edge, of innovation. It is not for naught that Silicone Valley is in the west.

That Rhuigi Villaseñor has been appointed as the Creative Director by the venerable Swiss House of Bally – hints that outside couturiers may be more ready to celebrate voices and visions from people who have traditionally been barred a seat at the power tables of the red, white, and blue, than some of America’s labels. The Swiss who are known for their precision and exact tailoring, had Nicolas Girotto, Ceo of Bally, praising Rhuigi Villaseñor as a visionary, “with a deep understanding of Bally’s history, coupled with an appreciation of the Swiss Lifestyle which would take Bally to the next level, evolving the contemporary relevance of Bally while preserving the core values.”

Rhuigi Villaseñor referenced generations of his family wearing the venerable brand, for coming on board. “I was attracted to the 171-year pioneering legacy of luxury heritage, commitment to sustainability, and craftsmanship.” Noted the Rhude designer. In 2001, at age 11, Rhuigi Villaseñor arrived in LA from Manila with his doctor, father, and tailor, mother. It wasn’t long before he made an impact with a $200 cotton tee printed with a black and white bandana capturing and extolling the vibrant West Coast Chicano culture. In 2019 Forbes featured Rhuigi Villaseñor on its 30 Under 30 list predicting his brand’s – Rhude – revenue to hit $12 million in 2018. The Generation-Y designer and Birkin collector has been worn by Jay-Z, Ellen DeGeneres, and celebrities around the world.