Rhude Designer Fashion and His Own Immigrant Experience

When Rhude launched officially in 2014, a few factors were at play. There was the still-explosive growth of social media, of course. But there was also a scene forming in L.A. When Villaseñor talks about the early moments of his brand, he takes pains to note that he's also speaking about “my peers and my friends”-a group of people like 424's Guillermo Andrade and Stampd's Chris Stamp-who “understood the way clothes were made,” and wanted to make something they would actually wear. “I guess [it was] a subculture,” he says. “There was no formality to what we were doing. It came from a feeling, and this diplomatic take on what is and what is not high fashion.”

the latest collection from streetwear-slash-luxury brand Rhude is, on one hand, directly inspired by a spot in Colorado called Seven Falls. Designer Rhuigi Villaseñor came across a vintage flier for the park, which features (you guessed it) seven waterfalls, and became fascinated by the idea of playing with the double meaning of “falls.” As it happens, that's exactly how Rhude's spring/summer 2020 line grew into a meditation on a whole lot more than a hiking destination in the Rockies.

“It kind of became this underlying story of all the trials and tribulations you face, and finding the energy and the willpower to get back up,” he explains. “But it evolved into really telling the story of my journey: as an individual, from the Philippines to the U.S.; and as a designer, from making graphic tees(Rhude T-shirt) from a garage to, now, presenting.”

The location of that presentation was Paris, on June 22 during fashion week. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work-and some very good timing-from the 27-year-old designer. He arrived in Los Angeles from Manila at the age of 11 not speaking English and without the cultural understanding his classmates had. “I came into the States and I didn't even know who Tupac was,” he says.

When he thinks about the impression folks should leave with after seeing the show, Villasenor is adamant that it's about both the medium and the message He wants people “to see the clothes for more than just garments. I design from an emotional standpoint,” he explains. “This is a story of my family's journey.

Products : RHUDE East Hampton Crest T-Shirt