BALLY SS2014 @ Men & Women Collection

Bally SS2014 Men collection racing round the city or freewheeling into the weekend - one man, two wheels and total liberty. Cycling in all its styles was the inspiration for the Men’s SS2014 collection sprinting from the start line with the ‘Tour de Bally’ press presentation. 

The collection revolves round three distinct themes: the City Biker, the Cross-Country and the Racer mood that take, among others, cues from 1950s photographs of the iconic Swiss cycling race, the ‘Tour de Suisse’, found in the Bally archives. Shoes, ready-to-wear, leather outerwear and accessories all combine high-technology leatherwork, re-engineered classics from the Bally archives, as well as innovative treatments and techniques. These include a specially engineered Teflon tanning system, a cutting-edge rubberization method, bi-colour suede perforation and a newly developed process of bonding that combines leather with materials such as cotton. The result is a collection of unique pieces that are functional and lightweight yet extremely luxurious - so you can go from working in the city to an action-packed weekend without changing gear.

The colour palette reflects the sights, sensations and adventure of one of the most exciting examples of the cycling ethos, the ‘Tour de Suisse’. Shades include Asphalt Grey, Racing Red, Sprint Blue side-by-side with Off White, Hill Green, Mountain Mud and Buff Sand.

Bally Creative Directors Michael Herz and Graeme Fidler say: “In cities across the world, guys are leaving the car behind and discovering the simple buzz of cycling. We thought it would be fun and timely to create a collection that captures the speed, ease and freedom of riding a bike to your office, into the hills at weekends or taking a cycle tour with friends. We believe the cycling revival is here to stay.” 

The ‘Tour de Bally’ Collection is a three moods – the City Biker, the Cross-Country and the Racer - elevate different aspects of cycling to create a high-end, combinable and functional collection that takes you from work to the weekend with ease. The Bally ‘Flex Tech’ Shoes Collection is a classic Goodyear welt construction shoe with a re-engineered super-flexible leather sole based on the original development from the Bally archives. For SS14, shoes include a Derby, an Oxford toe cap and a Chelsea boot – all available in plain or perforated bi-colour suede.

  

The Bally ‘Travel Jacket’ is super-soft, ultra-lightweight packable jacket created in the pioneering new water-resistant Bally ‘Techno Suede’ that can be packed and unpacked without creasing. The Bally ‘Rubberized Leather’ Collection is Bally’s innovative and high-technology rubberization system treats leather to give it a rich matt finish, improved performance and even smoother feel. Pieces in this collection include a wide range of newly designed drivers, the ‘All Season’ sneakers and bi-colour, multifunctional sports bags.

  

The Bally ‘Techno Suede’ Collection is top quality leather meets world-class Swiss science to create suede garments that stay looking good even when you’re caught out by water and spills. Water-resistant pieces for SS14 include a cycling-inspired cape, a raincoat as well as the Bally ‘Travel Jacket’.

The Women collection inspiration comes from the 40’s and 50’s the celebrated Swiss photojournalist, Hans Steiner, was famous for documenting elegant female travellers in the cities, mountains and lakes throughout Switzerland. His iconic images, found in the Bally archives, have inspired the Spring-Summer 2014 Collection - quite simply enduring modern elegance.

The collection revolves around two distinct themes – City and Weekend which showcase Bally’s expertise in creating precise, pragmatic luxury. This season’s collection allows for moving effortlessly from city to weekend on a last minute adventure to the beach, or a cycling picnic, a scenic drive, a train journey in essence travelling. The colour palette includes intense primary colours, bright Summer Red, Sunshine Yellow, and Blues that range in depth from Sky to Navy complemented by soft, subtle and understated tones such as Sepia or Sand…

Shoes, accessories and a distinctive ready-to-wear collection that focuses on extraordinary outerwear pieces, have all been crafted using Bally’s renowned leather expertise and extensive knowledge of up-to-the-minute techniques and treatments. These include a cutting-edge rubberization method, a process of bonding that combines weather proofed suede with materials such as cotton, together with ready-to-wear, fashioned in specially washed suede that is super soft to the touch.

And not forsaking tradition, time-honoured techniques once used to create artisanal leather shoes have also been re-worked. Striking woven leather “tressage” and other colourful weaves make for an entirely different aesthetic on shoes, while bags also play with pattern and weave and feature bold, interlocking shapes or reference traditional angling bags by incorporating knotted cord.