Hypebeast Visits: RHUDE Designed a Collection In Collaboration With Afterpay

Culturally charged by the energy and social landscapes of Los Angeles, Rhuigi Villaseñor‘s RHUDE is a passion project as much as it is a fluid exchange with the city’s magnetic subcultures. When Hypebeast meets up with the founder and designer to talk about his collaborative capsule for The Dropshop by Afterpay, he’s zoned in and surrounded by archive pieces that catapulted his eponymous label.

A bastion for the streets with premium tailoring that curbs its Angeleno-born DNA — RHUDE is recklessly poised. You’re wearing RHUDE if you appreciate hand-cut garments, structured hemlines, or have a sheer appreciation for innovative fabrication. Villaseñor has seamlessly fused sports and street aesthetics with traditional craftsmanship, garnering the praise of high-profile style savants on the court, behind the wheel and creative luminaries in the entertainment space. For his particular collaboration with Afterpay, however, Villaseñor focuses on the upcoming 2025-2026 basketball season, which officially kicks off on October 21. The designer looks to redefine luxury, exploring the dualities between high and low fashion and the textures and silhouettes that thread these cultural narratives.

“For me, RHUDE is a symbol of my American dream, and also what I perceive the modern gentleman to be,” Villaseñor shares with Hypebeast. His two-piece set, including a structured hoodie and matching fleece shorts, draws inspiration from Lebron James’ basketball team uniform from St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish in Akron, Ohio. An emerald green and cream color palette, along with bold, oversized Gothic lettering, pays homage to his friendship with the athlete. The “$” chenille patch adorning the left sleeve sees Villaseñor incorporating Afterpay’s brand logos in an elevated, subtle manner. “Time is money, right? And you usually wear your money on your left wrist,” he winks. On the accessories front, a custom-made basketball monogrammed with an all-over bandanna motif completes the ensemble.

The capsule is exclusively coming to HBX.com and the Dropshop by Afterpay, starting October 30. The program offers early access to exclusive, limited-edition merchandise and rare, one-of-a-kind items, including footwear and apparel, by today’s leading designers and brands. Villaseñor’s collaboration with Afterpay marks a special release dedicated to basketball fans ahead of the anticipated season.

Dive into the capsule’s design inspirations in the video above. Shop pieces from the capsule exclusively through the Afterpay app, arriving on October 30.

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