Can Rhuigi Villaseñor Turn Rhude Into a Heritage Luxury Brand?

In 2019, Rhuigi Villaseñor presented his first show at Paris Men’s Fashion Week. It was a big deal to get on the official calendar—it involves a lengthy application process and approval from the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), the governing body that organizes Paris Fashion Weeks. But he made the cut and joined a group of American designers with streetwear roots—Virgil Abloh, Matthew Williams, and Heron Preston, for example—who were starting to infiltrate Paris Fashion Week to be viewed as legitimate designers who don’t only make T-shirts and hoodies.

The strategy worked for Villaseñor. Rhude is sold alongside European luxury houses at stores including Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Galeries Lafayette in China, and Luisa Via Roma in Florence. He’s also collaborated with brands like Puma, Zara, and Lamborghini, and he landed a coveted creative director position at Bally, a Swedish luxury house known for its accessories, in 2022.

Although the role only lasted for 14 months—Villaseñor cited creative differences—the appointment signaled that Villaseñor had arrived and was fully operating within the system rather than on the fringes of it. But after his Spring/Summer 2025 show, which took place this week in Lake Como, Italy, Villaseñor seems much more interested in creating his own system.

“I came into this field the unconventional route. So to conform to the system would be sort of foolish for me,” said Villaseñor. “I'm not saying I'm fully bowing out, but I am reconsidering our approach.”

For Villaseñor, that approach means showing off the calendar in Italy (weeks after the official Paris Fashion Week), which gave him more time to develop his collection, switching up his manufacturing (he now produces 50 percent of the collection in the U.S., 25 percent in France, and 25 percent in Italy) and focusing on building up his brand, which is at a meaningful inflection point, rather than someone else’s.

“We're a young, profitable company and we need to be very smart with how we scale this next few years because it's such a pivotal moment of either breaking through or just running out of gas,” said Villaseñor. “So much of the dream is going to [fashion] houses, and it’s never building something for ourselves to look back on and pass on to generations.”

Villaseñor flew out around 100 people to Lake Como, a place that holds special significance for him. “Lake Como was the first place I visited when I was allowed to leave the country,” said Villaseñor, who came to Los Angeles from the Philippines when he was 11. The location also honored a new partnership with Como 1907, the Serie A football team based on the lake, who helped sponsor the show.

Villaseñor has always been fascinated with luxury. So it made sense that he presented his collection at Villa d’Este Hotel in Cernobbio, a venue steeped in history that’s right off the lake—it was one of film director Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite places to go. A few guests, which included DDG, Romeo Beckham, Damson Idris, and Evan Mock, were whisked in on a speed boat to arrive at a runway situated on a stone gravel path that led to a grand garden.

Villaseñor said he wanted to reflect the evolution of Rhude through the show. He started out with early Rhude signatures like T-shirts and jeans covered in Swarovski crystals and ended with relaxed suits, which he styled with flip-flops and rugby jerseys. In between that was a mish-mash of his signatures: moto; paisley; preppy Americana; street; and sport.

Models wore varsity jackets and hoodies styled with collared shirts and baggy jeans worn over plaid boxers. He also leaned into leather, showing moto jackets, baggy leather trousers and shorts that looked refined but still cool. For sport, he showcased co-branded pieces with Como 1907, which included Lago di Como rugby tops and sweatshirts along with gingham tracksuits. Pieces also featured details tying back to Lake Como like a studded swan on the back of a leather bomber jacket, a denim varsity jacket covered in a merchant sailboat print, and a pair of shorts printed with a Doberman Pinscher.

Villaseñor isn’t shy about sharing his references—he name-checked Ralph Lauren, Armani, and N.E.R.D. as influences after the show. In the past, particularly during his time at Bally, the references overpowered his vision. But for Spring/Summer 2025, it felt like he was in his pocket, doing what comes most naturally to him (taking classic pieces and infusing them with his L.A. sensibilities) and presenting new codes.

For accessories and footwear, which he sees as a big catalyst for growth, models wore leather belts with the Rhude track hardware, tote bags covered with a Rhude logo, and croc-embossed handbags. Footwear ranged from understated sneakers inspired by classic soccer shoes to suede slip-ons with a subtle paisley print. They were good but his previous designs, like the box bag inspired by a cigarette carton, have felt more inventive and thoughtful.

We’re happy to see that Villaseñor is focusing on men’s—he’s shown women’s looks in the past that always erred on the side of too referential. He’s still inspired by the greats, but creating new codes that feel modern, classic, and all his own.

“The system is really built to break you down,” said Villaseñor, who enjoyed having more time to work on his collection instead of rushing to produce a big show every six months. “After eight years in business, we have to think about the next 3, 5, 10, 15 years. Because I'm here to build a long, substantial company that I can pass over to other generations.”