Swiss luxury brand Bally, owned by JAB Holding Company, announces today the appointment of Rhuigi Villaseñor as Creative Director. As the new Creative Director, Villaseñor will oversee the artistic direction across the brand. His first collection for Bally will debut for the Spring/Summer 2023 season.

Born in Manila, Rhuigi Villaseñor, is Founder, CEO, and Creative Director of the 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. A Filipino and American national, raised in several continents before emigrating to the U.S. at the age of nine, Villaseñor has been recognized as one of today’s most promising fashion talents. With a thriving business that includes ready-to-wear and accessories coveted by celebrities around the world, Villaseñor’s reach extends to a broad and diverse audience, amplified also through his lifestyle partnerships including homeware and automotive. Associated with his unique reinterpretation of the modern wardrobe, Villaseñor references 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. Villaseñor will be based between Los Angeles and Switzerland.

Nicolas Girotto, CEO of Bally, 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. I entrust Rhuigi, a talented visionary, to continue evolving the contemporary relevance of our brand and accelerate growth while preserving Bally’s core values. Having acutely followed Rhuigi’s ascent I am excited by how his natural creativity and energetic spirit have made him one of the industry’s greatest idea generators and community builders. Rhuigi’s deep understanding of Bally’s history coupled with a distinct appreciation of the Swiss lifestyle will be instrumental in ushering the brand into the future.”

Rhuigi Villaseñor said: “I am proud to be appointed as the new Creative Director of Bally. As a brand that is very dear to my heart, Bally has been worn in my family from generation to generation, from my grandfather to myself. The brand’s pioneering legacy across social innovation and 171 years of luxury heritage is a true inspiration, and I am drawn to the company’s paramount commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship. I have always admired the Swiss approach to luxury, its discreet representation of excellence, and symbiotic openness and care for the environment. Nicolas [Girotto] and I connected on our shared vision, and it is with immense honor that I accept this challenge. I look forward to invigorating and modernizing the brand while respecting its longstanding tradition, sharing its story further with a wider community.”

Manuel Martinez, Bally Board Chairman said: “We are pleased to welcome such an extraordinary talent to Bally. Rhuigi Villaseñor has a profound comprehension of the brand’s potential and will bring a synergistic creative force, articulating the brand further while propelling the foundational repositioning successfully led by Nicolas [Girotto] over the past three years.”

Bally is a Swiss luxury brand established in 1851, with a rich heritage in shoemaking, and a longstanding relationship to architecture, arts and the environment. Today, the brand offers unique designs across shoes, accessories and ready-to-wear, driven by a dedication to craftsmanship and a contemporary aesthetic. Bally has over 320 retail stores and 500 multi-brand points of sale spanning across 60 countries worldwide, including a global e-commerce platform serving 58 countries. The company is owned by JAB Holding Company, a privately held group focused on long term investments in companies with premium brands, attractive growth and strong cash flow dynamics.

To discover more head to @bally and www.bally.com

PHOTOGRAPH BY LEO COLOMBO