New creative directors reinvent a Swiss label

SINGAPORE — “Do you know what that figure is?” Monica Salvador, Bally merchandise group manager, asks, while pointing to an animal figure hanging from a Bally bag.

“An antelope?” I answer, like a hesitant fourth grader who flunked basic math (true story, by the way).

“No, it’s a goat,” Monica tells me, correctly noting that Bally’s Swiss origins are rooted in its agricultural industries. A hundred years ago, 420,000 goats grazed the plains of the Swiss Alps. (Now you’re more likely to find skiers and alpine jetsetters roaming most of the plains.)

“Well, I like my answer better,” I responded wryly.

We were at the Bally store in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, to celebrate the launch of the latest collection. And in the polished depths of the shop, filled with smartly cut purses and luxe leather footwear, there was a mood: a revolution is coming for the brand everyone once identified with their parents’ wardrobe.

Bally is overcoming its reputation as a staid label, more known for its preppy two-tone stripe and quietly respectable shoes than for anything else. Now, thanks to the arrival of Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz, two new heads making up Bally’s creative directors, the label’s secured a new outlook: one that’s a little bit frisky and sexy yet retains the buttoned-up stately Swiss mentality it’s known for.

Herz and Fidler met at Aquascutum, where Herz headed the menswear division after a stint at Ralph Lauren and Fidler captained the womenswear section, having graduated from Iceberg, under Marc Jacobs’ helm, and Guy Laroche, under the patronage of Alber Elbaz.

In a joint statement, Fidler and Herz noted that, under their aegis, they will “explore what is at the heart of Bally, not just its archives but also its charm, its mentality and intelligence.”

For F/W 2012, the creative duo served up a healthy dose of irony. Continuing the narrative of affluent style, they went back to the ’70s when Bally’s ready-to-wear division first began. Their starting-off point: When a young woman visits a Bally store with her diplomat father in the ’70s.

What would she wear? How would she put it together?

A couple retro references, architectural silhouettes and new textures (sheared mink, soft shearling) all blend for a signature that’s all about the new Bally: modern, sexy, impeccable.

A jersey dress with ruched detail along the center gets a modern update with a leather collar. An asymmetric hem on a red leather dress, a sheared mink cardi over a floral-patterned dress are just a few of the hedonistic touches that’s freshening up the label’s look.

And Bally is now throwing its hat in the “it” bag ring with its new lineup of purses.

“The standout pieces from our fall/winter collection include the Delfina box bag and iconic Piaggi bags, which will be available in solid or two-tone colors,” Monica says. “It’s the perfect combination with a top handle and a shoulder strap well suited for women on the go.”

In the men’s department, this season is all about the great outdoors, with Fidler and Hertz recreating cleverly constructed pieces that channel the Swedish Alps while maintaining a sleek urban consciousness.

A rich calf-leather storm coat lined with Shetland wool twill is made new with gold and silver leaf prints that give it a weathered finish.

For men, Monica recommends functional staples that can go from office to bike path. “Our Bally crest computer and vertical tote bags are functional but casual enough for men to use for both work and leisurely weekends.”