Creative director Rhuigi Villaseñor is exiting Bally in a “joint and mutual decision,” according to a statement from the Swiss luxury brand.
Villaseñor joined Bally in January 2022 as part of a broader brand reboot by owner JAB Holding Company after lengthy negotiations with Chinese group Ruyi, which had reportedly promised to pay €600 million ($652 million) for Bally, failed to result in a sale. (Following the collapse of the deal, JAB Holding — which purchased Bally in 2008 — renewed its commitment to the brand, with chief executive Nicolas Girotto telling BoF there was no deadline for an exit.)
The young Californian designer, who founded the hit LA-based streetwear label Rhude in 2015, was tasked with breathing new life into the brand and helping it attract a new, younger audience — particularly in the US, a key area for driving luxury growth post-pandemic. Ahead of Villaseñor’s arrival, chief executive Nicolas Girotto began overhauling the brand’s retail network, moving key flagships into cooler neighbourhoods frequented by a younger demographic — for example, swapping a location on Manhattan’s Upper East Side for an outpost in the Meatpacking District.
During his tenure, Villaseñor introduced a new logo and focused on bolstering Bally’s women’s ready-to-wear business, marking his first foray into women’s clothing, handbags and shoe design. However, in sharp contrast to Rhude’s bread and butter — luxury streetwear, beloved by rappers and NBA players alike — Villaseñor’s Bally focused on what he described as a “sexy, elegant, sophisticated wardrobe,” his collections evocative of Tom Ford creations.
The creative overhaul gave Bally fresh momentum. It landed new stockists like Selfridges, Kith, The Webster and Ssense and boosted revenue: year-to-date, global sales are up 20 percent compared to 2022, the brand said.
”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,” said Girotto, who first joined the business in 2015 before being promoted to the top job in 2019.
A collaboration with actor Adrien Brody, which was announced in March, is still set to go ahead; the first capsule will drop in January next year, the brand said. Meanwhile, Bally’s design studio will handle the brand’s creative direction until Villaseñor’s successor is announced.
