I find amazing how while the financial downturn had rather negative consequences on the sales of shops and department stores, virtual shops have been doing extraordinarily well.
It has been definitely easier for young designers to use the net as a way to reach out to new customers, but in the last few years even historical brands and established designers have launched themselves onto the virtual market. 
The latest brand to do so was Moschino that last Monday launched its first online boutique. Now it’s the turn of historical Swiss company Bally.
Launched in 1847 by brothers Carl Franz and Fritz Bally, the company produced in its early days shoes for work, leisure activities and sports. In the late 1970s Bally added to its main line also small accessories and handbags all produced keeping firmly in mind the three main principles of the company, high quality, versatility and elegance.
The Bally site – powered by Yoox – offers the chance of buying men’s and women’s shoes, bags and small leather goods. The launch of the site coincides with the arrival of the Spring/Summer 2009 collection in the stores that features, as Bally Creative Director Brian Atwood explained in a press release, “elegant classic pieces that you want to keep with you wherever you go”, all characterised by a great care in every detail, materials, stitching, hard-ware, linings and finishing.
At present the site – available in 6 different languages – is accessible from Europe and the United States, but further expansion is planned. Bally will celebrate the opening of its online store by offering a special gift and free postage and packaging for all orders placed until the end of February.
You wonder what brothers Carl and Fritz would have done of their original venture going virtual, yet, if this is the future, such great entrepreneurs would have probably welcomed the decision.
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