Prompt No. 5: A Rhude Awakening At Bally*
Rhuigi Villaseñor.
In mid-May, Swiss luxury fashion house Bally announced it parted ways with creative director Rhuigi Villaseñor after two collections. As many outlets reported, the 32-year old Filipino immigrant was the first creative director hired in five years; his September 2022 debut serving as the house’s first runway show in twenty years.
On the surface the news seems humdrum. In an industry known for its shifting landscape (occurring at increasingly faster rates) it stands to reason that talent cycles through just as quickly. After all, fashion is a business — arguably the business: the industry serves as “the most specific manifestation of capitalism’s will-to-change.” However, in the case of Villaseñor’s stint at Bally, something seems… off.
As Complex reported, Villaseñor was “the latest example of a luxury brand tapping someone from the streetwear world to help reenergize itself.” In 2018, Virgil Abloh set the stage, moving on from his label Off-White to Louis Vuitton, a pivot that would even inspire mall standard J.Crew to bring on Brendon Babenzien (from Supreme and Noah) to resuscitate its Men’s Shop. GQ explains:
“…when a brand like Bally or J.Crew hires a Villaseñor or a Brendon Babenzien, they aren’t trying to catch up to the legacy of Bape or the heat of Palace. They’re linking up with designers who have created an entire subculture around getting dressed.”
Villaseñor’s label Rhude.
It seems crystal clear to everyone what Villaseñor would bring to Bally — everyone except Bally.
While known for its quality and timeless approach to shoes and accessories, the label lacks definition beyond that. Having opted to follow industry behemoths in design, Bally’s aesthetic at times seemed more like Bizarro Chanel, Gucci or Hermes, with overwrought quilted bags and uninspired bit loafers. With a history of “borrowing” other visions of luxury, Bally needed a clean slate and Villaseñor seemed prime to provide it, perhaps most importantly, with an eye toward longevity.
However, with the release of his debut collection, he admitted the team had a wholly different vision, some advising him to “’fuck up’ his retro urge with shots of modernity (sneakers and so forth)” — a stayed, classist interpretation of what the designer offered. “Because the most fucked up thing is where I walk out after and I’m not a guy who comes from here or this. There’s no silver spoon,” said Villaseñor.
In a similar vein, Complex claims the designer’s “lackluster storytelling” may have also played a part in his departure, stating he “didn’t really expand on the Swiss label’s own prominence within the [hip-hop] culture” — a puzzling take considering anyone would struggle to include Bally on a list of brands associated with hip-hop, luxury or otherwise. To refer to shoes worn a handful of times by Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Swiss Beats and Bust Down as “prominent” is absurd. Assuming a designer would or should to tap into that thin resume is delusional.
Perhaps this take is overly critical and unfair. The parties involved have said very little on the matter. However, what we do know is that Bally hired an immense talent in hopes of revitalizing its brand, and despite Villaseñor boosting sales by 20%, the two parted ways when the designer did not deliver collections reflective of a culture the label does not and has never occupied. Within this context, the departure makes perfect sense. It is, after all, how diversity hires work— having a culturally diverse perspective is not the point, but rather the promise of commodifying their identity when socioeconomically advantageous.
This week, Bally announced Simone Bellotti as its new design director after joining the team in October. An Italian designer with nearly two decades at Gucci following stints at Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta and Gianfranco Ferre, Bellotti signals a return to standard operating procedure.
Let’s see how long he lasts.
[Editorial]
NOTE
[Editorial] NOTE
Acquisitions will no longer appear in every edition of A Sunday Journal. This is a direct response to the overwhelming amount of consumptive content online and a real desire to fuel the love of fashion and style through other means.
From now on, Prompt will include additional features designed to inspire and cultivate taste. In the interim, please check out the latest playlist here.
*I know… This is an incredibly indulgent headline.
