Bally "Brand Heritage" Ad Campaign

Review of Bally “Brand Heritage” Ad Campaign by Photographer Alessio Boni with models Garrett Neff, Gabriel Aubry, and James Turlington

Bally strips things back—literally—for its Spring 2025 campaign, a stark and sculptural series of portraits that reduces the styling to its bare essentials: underwear and shoes. Photographed by Alessio Boni, each model sits perched on veined marble, locked in near-identical poses that emphasize form, proportion, and the quiet confidence of the body. The result is a gallery-like presentation of footwear, with the human figure acting as a pedestal.

It’s a minimalist concept that leans on classical sculpture references, nodding to the brand’s Swiss heritage of precision and purity. The use of marble underscores themes of strength and longevity, while the near-nude presentation draws attention—unavoidably—to the shoes themselves. Cap-toe derbies, loafers, and sleek boots appear elevated not through ostentation, but through isolation.

While the campaign succeeds in showcasing product craftsmanship and bodily elegance, its visual rigidity may feel repetitive. The uniformity of poses and setting blurs the distinction between each shot. It’s an approach that prizes restraint over variety, but risks monotony.

Bally carves out a quiet ode to heritage and form—where sculpted leather meets sculpted flesh, and less really is more.