Can you manifest a movie star? This Bally show started late, thanks clearly to two empty seats that awaited filling between Tim Blanks and house CEO Nicolas Girotto. So I got on with noting that the tailoring at an earlier show had recalled that worn during Adrien Brody’s epic turn at Prada in 2012. As I did, in walked Brody—hardly a regular in these parts—resplendent in top-to-toe green tailoring of a more relaxed specification, with Georgina Chapman on his arm. The lights went down.
Rhuigi Villaseñor has through hard work and determination manifested his own brand Rhude, a diffusion line with Zara called Redesigning Human Uniform, and this sweet and increasingly interesting gig at Bally. Entitled Persistence of Time, Villaseñor’s sophomore collection saw him double down on his urge to use his fresh eyes to refresh Bally’s long-faded status as a provider of louche equipment for the pre-digital jet set: pre-Tom Ford Tom Ford.
“It’s about slow travel,” said Villaseñor of his 20th century wardrobe shaped by a 21st century mindset. Non-literal references included Tommy Nutter shapes in the suiting, equestrian exclusivity in the boots, mercurial Miles Davis at Montreux in the archive-quilt black leather looks, Yves Saint Laurent in the hooded dresses, and all the foulard competitors in the straight-cut silk pants (for men) and handbags dressed in scarfs. Said Villaseñor: “When I was in my little corner of California reading Town & Country, trying to imagine myself eating truffles, this is what it looked like. It’s really opulent.”