BALLY | FALL / WINTER 2012

Focussing on the year they launched their first ready-to-wear collection, 1973, Bally have created a collection based on their customers circa 1970. Looking at unexpected volume and architectural construction, creative directors Michael Herz and Graeme Fidler continued their razor sharp cuts and silhouettes.

The Fall / Winter 2012 collection had an interesting point of inception; not inspired by just any Bally customer, but the daughter of a diplomat. Capturing the romance of the high-life lived by the young girl in the 1970’s, the looks offered a seasonal challenge of discreet influence. The inspired pieces were anything but obvious, with an addition of peplums and razor sharp tailoring in technically padded fabrics and soft leather.

The architectural construction of dresses made them appear as though they were separate skirts and tops, with the line hidden behind exaggerated peplums, thus making the pieces versatile, and as always constructionally genius.

“It’s sophisticated sports chic,” said Herz. “Our first season was Fall / Winter and that was very clean and then we did our first Spring / Summer and it was like we could start again. This season it’s a combination of the two. There’s a cleanliness and romance.”

The nostalgic collection, which was created from the Bally archive, offered transitional pieces, including outerwear, separates and accessories. The collection excelled in its iconic interpretation of the men’s Bally Scribe shoe into women’s wear. The inspired footwear rose to just below the knee with intricate buckling and lacing, and were paired with diplomatic inspired cases shrunk down to the size of a classic clutch.

- Charlotte Stamp