Bal Harbour

Where Rhude has made its name in logo-heav y ba gg y shor ts and graphic tees, Villaseñor's Bally is "sensual, sophisticated, and luxuri- ous," says the designer over a discussion from Milan, where he lives in addition to L A. He titled his debut collection (Spring/Summer 2023) with the word "Ecdysis," which means "to shed in order to renew." But it didn't mean that Villaseñor abandoned Bally's established pillars of high-end craft, leatherwork, and legacy. Rather, he found a fusion. "My goal is to find out why people loved the brand in the past," he says. "And then, update that for the kids who are inspired by its heritage and looking to mix their wardrobes." The balance in Ecdysis was seen on the former side with, say, an all- black wide-lapel suit for men and laser-cut supple brown leather trousers for women. These looks felt more customary, fulfilling Bally's established vernacular. Fresher—and more in line with youthful wants—were just- this-side of high-waisted jeans with subtle ankle flairs, or a denim-on- denim fit styled with chunky jewelry (Bally's first jewelry o'ering, an- other of Villaseñor's early ideas). In the fulcrum, a knockout high-slit skirt and a button-down shirt in navy blue suede, paired with fishnet knee- high stockings. If the collection felt, at times, to be too much of a prover- bial mixed bag, it's all good: Villaseñor is not trying to define his look right away. Smartly, he's testing it. And teasing it out. Basically, he says, he wants to "revive this sleeping beauty." Villaseñor moved from The Philippines' Manila to Los A ngeles during his early adolescence. The transition occurred during formative years—and it opened up his mind to adaptive thinking, perhaps earlier than other kids. Since launching Rhude some 12 years later with a single t-shirt—rendered with a black and white paisley bandana motif, which garnered the at tention of Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar—he has been named to Forbes' lists and featured in Vogue. His designs at Rhude are worn by the likes of LeBron James and Justin Bieber and, through the venture, he has enacted some interesting cross-industry collabora- tions, such as with Lamborghini most recently. He is also the creative lead for the Arizona Coyotes, the NHL team. (See, wide lanes!) But don't call it applied magpie-ism. Think of it all as something of a mass cura- tion, and a new kind of interconnected global feeling—from LA's sun- bleached glamor to a centuries-old bastion of European luxury. "I've always been inspired by the lit tle details. The ba g of a busi- nessman in the airpor t. The way kids in L A are wearing their denim at a ny g iven t ime. Obser vat ion is ever y t hin g," Vi l la señor says when asked about how he —Rhuig i, not Rhude, not Bally— defines his ap- proach and aesthetic. This kind of attentiveness will serve Villaseñor well with his future plans at his new job. He sees his task as not only reinvigorating Bally's ready-to-wear and established accessories channels, but also, building upon them. "I intend to open other categories for Bally, that we can then leverage to paint the Bally lifestyle," he says. "These include home goods, travel accessories and luggage." How does he see the "Bally lifestyle" applying to Miami? Where, per- haps, heritage —while appreciated—might be less of a selling point, and where, more likely, fresh energy and visibility are more in demand? "I design for the sophisticated, sensual, and the celebrated," Villaseñor says. "Which could also perfectly describe Miami. I like to think my clothes come with some heat and hedonism." I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED BY THE LITTLE DETAILS. THE BAG OF A BUSINESSMAN IN THE AIRPORT. THE WAY KIDS IN LA ARE WEARING THEIR DENIM AT ANY GIVEN TIME. OBSERVATION IS EVERYTHING. —RHUIGI VILL ASEÑOR Rhuigi Villaseñor. I M AG E S CO U R T E S Y O F B A L LY; P O R T R A I T BY S T E WA R T S H I N I N G ( T H I S PAG E) 216 BAL HARBOUR

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