Battle is on to preserve legacy of dying Swiss shoe brand Bally

Published on August 21, 2026

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The iconic Swiss shoe brand Bally is in deep crisis. If the company ultimately goes bankrupt, its significant historic collection is also at risk. Can 40,000 shoes from the Bally archive be saved? At the train station in Schönenwerd, in the canton of Solothurn, northwest Switzerland, stands a huge outlet centre. Beyond that, there isn't much: small housing estates for workers, modern apartment buildings, and a Coop supermarket. Just over 5,000 people live here – a typical suburban commuter town. There's usually not much going on here, but when it comes to the impending bankruptcy of Bally, this is the place to come to learn something. On the site of a former Bally factory, in building 7, the Ballyana Foundation has set up an exhibition space. Displayed here are a sole-stitching machine from 1870, colourful Bally advertising posters hanging on the walls, and a small selection from the extensive Bally archive. The owners and staff have collected a great deal, says Philipp Abegg ... Full story here Are you the author?

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