Swiss Soles

By Caroline Tell

WITH THE REOPENING of its New York City flagship store on Madison Avenue, above, Swiss leather-goods label Bally celebrates 155 years in business. To mark the occasion, the company has mounted an exhibition of shoes from the Bally Museum as well as historical images from the 1800s. Bally has also created a limited-edition shoe collection that will be sold exclusively at the store. The shoes, inspired by models from the '30s and '50s, feature handmade signature details such as leather piping and perforation. Says CEO Marco Franchini: "Our archive has served as inspiration to many designers, and we felt it is the right time to make the public aware of our rich Swiss heritage."