On Thursday, Regent announced that it had acquired the 173-year-old Swiss luxury shoe brand Bally. The fancy footwear firm has been owned by the Luxembourg-headquartered German conglomerate JAB Group since 2008. Regent already has a portfolio of high-end brands like Escada, La Senza and Club Monaco.
“Its legacy, built on over 170 years of timeless design and unparalleled quality, is a testament to refined Swiss elegance and an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship. We are honoured to be entrusted with shaping the next chapter of this remarkable story,” said Michael Reinstein, founder and chairman of Regent in a press release External link . >>> Below is all you need to know about the history of Bally : Bally almost ended up in Chinese hands.
Chinese textile group Shandong Ruyi came close to acquiring a majority stake in 2018. However, the coronavirus pandemic put the brakes on that with the Chinese company unable to raise the funds needed and Bally’s store closures due to Covid restrictions made it a less attractive proposition. Appointing Simone Bellotti from Gucci as design director last year helped stabilise the Bally ship: previous director and streetwear specialist Rhuigi Villasenor parted ways after merely one year on the job.
It remains to be seen what Regent plans for the next chapter of the iconic Swiss brand. SWI swissinfo.ch spoke to luxury industry analysts Karine Szegedi of Deloitte and Jean-Philippe Bertschy of Vontobel to understand what lies in the futu.