Inside Asian Gaming

17 22 BALLY Since 1851 High-Roller Accessories The Bally Shoe Company was founded in 1851 by Carl Franz Bally, initially in the basement of his family home in Switzerland. Soon, business was booming internationally and Bally came to represent quality and elegance in shoes, with few equals for its quality and craftsmanship. In order to celebrate its heritage as the longest-running global luxury brand and chart the evolution of its shoe models over the decades, Bally has released the book “Bally Since 1851,” a photographic exploration of over one hundred extraordinary shoes that have intrigued and enchanted followers of fashion, shoe lovers and design aficionados. To commemorate the launch of the book, Bally has selected three archive shoes from the 1930s and 40s to reproduce as a limited edition collected.The shoes are all crafted with handmade details such as intricately woven leather straps, piping, perforations, delicately jewelled buckles and other stitching techniques.The Bally vintage logo, a ribbon-like script, adorns the inside of the shoes with handwritten specifications such as shoe size, year of origin and series number, creating authentic collectors’ products. Gianfranco Ferré was born in Legnano, northern Italy in 1944, and received a degree in architecture in 1969.That architectural background is evident in his enduring, elegant and structured designs, which have influenced young designers all over the world. Ferré began his fashion career in 1970 by designing accessories. After designing for prominent fashion names, he started his own company and launched his signature collection for women in 1978. His first men’s collection appeared in 1982, followed in 1986 by his first couture collection in Rome. Ferré went on to aggressively launch several lines, from jewellery to fragrances. In addition to running his own brand, Ferré FERRE: Structured Style has served as Artistic Director of Christian Dior. His own label is more relaxed and practical than Dior. Among other prestigious awards, Ferré has received the ‘L’Occhio d’Oro’ - the Italian fashion Oscar - several times. He continues to work tirelessly, every year producing eighteen collections for the nine Ferré clothing lines and twelve accessories lines. He also has a reputation as an innovator in the manipulation of materials, including new techniques such as laser cutting cloth to create perforated patterns. Pictured here is a selection from the Gianfranco Ferré Spring/Summer 2007 collection. Vitty – Blue and Gold – 1947 Victoria – Blue and Gold – 1935 Veronica – Blue and Gold – 1935