‘Bally Haus’ takes center stage

Bally opens the doors to its first Bally Haus situated in Milan at the heart of the city’s prestigious golden quadrilateral.

The design concept signals a tranquil state of permanence that recalls Bally’s legacy and craftsmanship, playing up Swiss pillars of art, architecture and natural materials. Designed by Casper Mueller Kneer Architects, it spans across 560 square-meters to combine Swiss and Italian nuances. Starting with the raw materials of travertine and clay, the entrance evokes an artisan-laid Milanese courtyard, the composition of which was inspired by Swiss artist Paul Klee’s pointillism and abstract geometries, through the playful arrangement of stones. The ceramic façade reflects tiles from founder Carl Franz Bally’s original home in Schönenwerd and a large beech wood table display in the center of the space is inspired by a shoe-last. Large illuminated windows pay homage to the historic storefronts seen in photographs from Bally’s archive and reveal the store interior onto the street.

Excavated from each floor’s different wall materials, the staircases emphasize the full volume of the cavernous space reaching nine meters at its highest point. Moving through to the first floor, the grandeur of the travertine staircase softens upon ascent to menswear with a warmer, more private environment that reminds of a Swiss cabin and is characterized by European oak and handwoven carpets that take inspiration from an archive shoe design.

The second floor for womenswear opens to a typical Milanese-style apartment, featuring herringbone parquet flooring and original windows that overlook the street below. Clay furniture is used for display in natural, earthy tones alongside fine stucco rendered walls and blush leather accents.

Unique LED video panels on each floor showcase the latest branded digital content while in store iPads allow customers to explore omni-channel benefits. This includes the introduction of the “endless aisle,” giving clients access to browse and buy from the full online inventory, with items delivered in store or direct to their door.

Positioning the flagship as a hub within the fashion capital, Bally Haus lifestyle merchandise will be available exclusively from the store, including stationary, tote bags and games.

For more information, visit www.bally.com. In the Philippines, Bally is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists Inc. and is located at Greenbelt 5, Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La Plaza and Newport Mall. Visit www.ssilife.com.ph or follow @ssilifeph on Instagram.