The Bally Shoe company was founded as "Bally & Co" in 1851 by Carl Franz Bally (1821-1899) and his brother Fritz in the basement of their family home in Switzerland. In 1854, a shoe factory was set up in the village but Fritz Bally left the fledgling business and Carl Franz Bally carried on under the corporate name "C.F. Bally." After more than 150 years Bally has come to represent quality and design in shoes. This book illustrates the history of Bally from 1851 to the early 1960s, a period which embraces the birth and development of a footwear design style that introduced an evolution in comfort, lifestyle and elegance. Through a vast array of colour photographs, period illustrations and vintage posters, the book presents Bally and the shoes that have intrigued and enchanted us for over a century. The pictures illustrate the evolution of shoe models from the end of the 19th century, when Bally stepped boldly into the international market, to the early 1960s. Bally Since 1851 presents the unfolding of a key period, when the firm's design skills joined forces with a strong business flair, thus distinguishing the brand internationally. This fascinating account of the development of Bally shoes features the fabrics, embroidery, colours, weaves and different versions of one hundred shoes- carefully selected from the Bally Shoe Museum of Zurich. The book will appeal to fashionistas, shoe lovers and design aficionados.

Moreno Gentili organizes communication and multimedia events and teaches Image and Communication at the Politecnico of Milan. He has organized projects for events such as the Turin Winter Olympic Games 2006 and the Literature Festival of Mantua 2004. His published works include Do Not Cross, Illycaffè, Europe Terminal, and NYC: New York Revisited.