st promising fashion talents in the market today. Bally CEO Nicolas Girotto called him a “talented visionary” and the “right champion” to move Bally to the next level.  “Over the past three years, we have redefined our positioning, successfully consolidating the brand across product offering and customer touchpoints,” Girotto said. “This strong foundation, rooted in an embrace of our Swiss identity, enables us to progress on our ambitions. In this transformative moment, and having found the right champion in Rhuigi, we are ready to move Bally to the next level.  “I entrust Rhuigi, a talented visionary, to continue evolving the contemporary relevance of our brand and accelerate growth while preserving Bally’s core values. Having acutely followed Rhuigi’s ascent, I am excited by how his natural creativity and energetic spirit have made him one of the industry’s greatest idea generators and community builders.”  Villaseñor shared that the Swiss luxury brand is dear to his heart, having been worn in his family across generations.  “The brand’s pioneering legacy across social innovation and 171 years of luxury heritage is a true inspiration, and I am drawn to the company’s paramount commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship,” he said.  “I look forward to invigorating and modernising the brand while respecting its longstanding tradition, sharing its story further with a wider community.” Charlene Perera steps into new role at Brand Collective After over five years as the general manager of Hush Puppies, and one-and-a-half years as general manager of Hush Puppies and Clarks, Charlene Perera has been named general manager of footwear at Brand Collective.  Perera is now responsible for the Grosby and Julius Marlow brands, in addition to Hush Puppies and Clarks, with a focus on strengthening the identities of each brand, outlining brand, product, marketing, and sourcing strategies and initiatives, and optimising and expanding retail and wholesale opportunities. Prior to taking the new role, Perera successfully revived both the Hush Puppies and Clarks brands in Australia.  Brand Collective holds exclusive licences for global fashion and footwear brands, including Superdry, Clarks, and Hush Puppies, and owns several retail brands, including kids’ footwear chain Shoes & Sox, iconic sneaker brand Volley and online discounter Shoe Warehouse, among others. In 2021, LK Group purchased the retailer from Anchorage Capital Partners.  Alexander Meyer leaves The Iconic for The Bay Alexander Meyer has left The Iconic after more than five years as chief marketing officer of the online fashion retailer, to take on the role of chief customer officer at The Bay, the digital spin-off of the iconic Canadian department store chain Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) and one of the biggest premium digital life and style players in that country.  “I am truly looking forward to joining this iconic, purpose-led company,” Meyer wrote on LinkedIn on January 18.  Noting that HBC is the oldest company in North America, having been founded in 1670, Meyer called The Bay “the oldest young start-up in the world” and an exciting retail-tech platform opportunity.  Meyer’s appointment comes two years after former CEO of David Jones and Kikki.K, Iain Nairn, joined HBC as president. Nairn is now president and CEO of The Bay.