Share certificate of C. F. Bally AG, issued 3 October 1907Previous logo
Bally was founded as a shoe making business in 1851 by Carl Franz Bally and his brother Fritz in the basement of their family home in Schönenwerd, Solothurn, Switzerland. Carl Franz Bally had joined the family business, a silk ribbon manufacturer, when he was 17, but decided to go into shoe manufacturing after a stay in Paris. After Carl's death in 1899, the company continued under the management of Carl's sons, Eduard and Arthur[2] and continued to manufacture about two million pairs of shoes a year, employing 3,200 people.[3]
In 2008, TPG Capital sold Bally International AG to Vienna-based Labelux Group, a luxury goods holding firm that previously owned Jimmy Choo Ltd, and was founded by the German billionaire Reimann family as part of the family’s investment arm Joh A. Benckiser.[4]
Headquartered in Caslano, Ticino, Switzerland, the company announced Frédéric de Narp, a former executive at Harry Winston, would become its chief executive officer in November 2013.[5] In February 2018, owner JAB Holding Company agreed to sell a majority controlling stake to Chinese materials conglomerate Shandong Ruyi.[6] In May 2019, Bally appointed its COO Nicolas Girotto, who joined the company in October 2015 and sat on the brand's board of directors and executive committee, as new CEO.[7]
In January 2022, Rhuigi Villaseñor was appointed as creative director. Rhuigi was previously founder, CEO, and creative director of the luxury streetwear brand Rhude.[8][9] In May 2023, after only two collections, Bally and Villaseñor jointly announced his departure from the brand.[10]
Two weeks after the announcement of Villaseñor's departure, Simone Belloti was appointed as design director. The designer previously worked at Gucci for 16 years.[11]
