BALLY | An Interview with the Creative Director

BALLY

An Interview with the Creative Directors!

Modernizing its DNA of Leather Through the Archives

BALLY, a brand that has cultivated a relaxed elegance by adding modern touches to its sincere craftsmanship and manufacturing, is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year. With new creative directors appointed in April last year, we focus on the evolving BALLY of today.

By Mika Koyanagi

To return BALLY to its rightful place, it was necessary to understand it deeply.

When one hears "BALLY," the first image that comes to mind is that of a shoemaker preserving Swiss-like earnestness and solid craftsmanship. While it is undoubtedly a brand built on a solid trust in its exceptional artisanal skills and the use of high-quality materials, it is also true that, as an established entity, it had drifted somewhat from novelty.

However, with the arrival of Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz as creative directors in April last year, the brand has re-emerged as "one of the most noteworthy collections to watch" and a trendsetter. What magic have they brought to this traditional Swiss luxury house?

"First, we felt it was necessary to re-examine our positioning to bring BALLY back to its rightful place, reflecting a truly European spirit," says Fidler, recalling his thoughts on BALLY at the time. That rightful place, he explains, is a modern collection that expresses the brand's leather craftsmanship in a contemporary way. To achieve this, their first step upon taking the creative director roles was "to understand BALLY deeply."

"By spending a long time with the brand's rich archives, we began to connect BALLY's history with our own aesthetic. From there, it became an inspiration for building our own collections, and we sought to discover what would evolve the original BALLY mood."

And that something, precisely, is its superb leather craftsmanship.

Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz.

"The latest collection is filled with styles that form the foundation of what we want to create in the future, but BALLY has a very playful side, and a breadth that allows us to add accents and unexpected touches. This is proof of BALLY's continuous work with leather and its presentation of items imbued with exceptional craftsmanship."

The Archives: A Treasure Trove of Inspiration. This Season Remixes B. Vian's Graphics.

The Autumn/Winter 2011-12 womenswear collection draws inspiration from the graphics of Bernard Vian, who created numerous BALLY posters in the 1980s.

Bernard Vian's graphics.

"His graphics are reflected in the whimsical, playful atmosphere, exemplified by the 'Bally-Rina' collection, which consists of ballerina shoes, bags, and accessories. A special shoe bag, printed with artwork inspired by Vian's original posters from BALLY's archives, is included."

Referencing the extensive archives is a way to reaffirm the brand's heritage, but the greatest challenge lies in how to imbue it with modernity.

"The archives allow us to connect with BALLY's history and deeply understand what the brand represents. Therefore, we referenced everything to reflect BALLY's authentic and playful spirit in our collections. We believe this will meet the expectations of our customers as BALLY celebrates its 160th anniversary."

At first glance, it might sound as if they are saying modernity is unnecessary. However, the modernity is evident in the collections they present.

From the 160th-anniversary commemorative line, the "Edelweiss Collection" features colorful shoes with luxurious color schemes and the elegantly shaped "ELLIE" bag. Other offerings include the glamorous tote bag "Pina" made of soft shearling.

Spiky ice-pick metal heels are paired with opulent ostrich and curly fur, as well as classic floral jacquard. The authentic tassel shoes are given a novel twist with a heel-in-heel design.

Edelweiss Collection "ELLIE" shoulder bag [W23×H17×D8cm] ¥168,000

Every item embodies the woman they envision this season: "a woman with style, who can make confident choices." This is the very BALLY woman that BALLY has cultivated over 160 years. The successful, almost too-perfect match between BALLY and its two creative directors. As the brand celebrates its 160th anniversary, the gears they have firmly engaged are only accelerating.

Bally Japan
Tel. 03-6215-6609