designboom interviews frédéric de narp, CEO of swiss luxury brand bally
image by ahn phi / courtesy of forward

 

 

 

for frédéric de narp, CEO of  bally, ‘the point is not so much to move with the times or even to be ahead of one’s time, but to understand it, to be a part of it, to capture its trends, its vibrations and aspirations. this is an expression of the swiss luxury brand’s own creative ethos, and the timelessness it exudes through its products. de narp and bally have conveyed these principles by bringing light to the designers and artists of the modernist movement, particularly the work of jean prouvé and pierre jeanneret — celebrating those who stood at the crossroads of the disciplines of architecture, and what has now become design. paying tribute to the pioneers who have embodied these values carried through the movement’s style, bally curated a year-long exhibition showcasing prouvé’s ‘demountable house’ and a selection of pieces from its collection of jeanneret furniture. starting out at art basel, it went on to art basel miami / (see designboom’s coverage here), concluding its tour at design shanghai 2015 — marking the first occasion in which the fully restored ‘demountable house’ project has been unveiled in asia.

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bally’s presentation of jean prouvé’s 6×9 ‘demountable house’ at design shanghai 2015
image by ahn phi / courtesy of forward

 

 

 

originally designed in 1944, prouvé’s iconic architectural project was conceived as an emergency shelter for inhabitants of france’s lorraine region, after world war II. when bally purchased the prefabricated dwelling, it was in very poor condition. employing a 12-person team to work on it, they brought the temporary structure back to its pristine state, outfitted by bally’s collection of furniture by swiss architect pierre jeanneret — in time to celebrate its 70th anniversary. delivered to asia as a kit of parts, the iconic house was assembled on site within the shanghai exhibition centre’s main square, by a group of french experts. two metal gantries supported the three sections of the roof beam, which in turn served as support mountings for the spruce wall and roof panels; with wooden window frames and a corrugated iron roof completing the shelf of the building.

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installation view of wang yuyang’s ‘equip’ sculpture at the heart of prouvé’s pavilion
image by ahn phi / courtesy of forward

 

 

 

for all three exhibitions, bally collaborated with local artists to bring forth a unique installation. art basel miami/ saw the brand partner with kolkoz, alongside young american artist zak kitnick. kolkoz was again commissioned to develop another work for art basel in switzerland. for its final stop in china, bally invited internationally renowned curator jérôme sans to select a chinese artist, and commission a site specific work that reflected the venue’s standing as a historical piece of 20th century design; and its relevance within china’s contemporary society. sans appointed wang yuyang to respond to this brief, in which he created ‘equip’ which has been portrayed in dialogue with the aesthetics and philosophy of prouvé’s and jeanneret’s modernist designs. wang yuyang’s work has been realized through a 3D process, whereby the linear dimensions of the house, through binary code, and 3D image generation have been transformed into a mammoth sculptural form. conceived through 3D rendering, ‘equip’ has been  handmade by local craftsmen specializing in the use of various materials such as copper, wood, steel and plastic. for the artist, the measurements and proportions of the house’s floor plans are the true essence of modernity, which he wanted to translate through his artistic contribution.

 

while at design shanghai 2015, designboom spoke with bally’s CEO frédéric de narp who elaborated on the company’s presentation of prouvé’s ‘6×9 demountable house’, the company’s commitment to modernity and functionality, as well as bally’s style and values.
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artist wu yuyang with his ‘equip installation

 

 

 

 

designboom: this is the first time in history that jean prouvé’s 6×9 ‘demountable house’ is being exhibited in china. can you tell us why you chose to present it here?

 

frédéric de narp: this time we felt that it was the perfect setting to present contemporary artists as a bridge between the new and the old generations, between the tradition of the past and innovation; as well as between the east and the western world — so it’s been a journey. we presented at art basel and design miami/, and now it’s all culminating in china, with the presentation of artist wang yuyang’s sculptural installation which is an amazing interpretation of the codes and values of the modernist movement. through technology, wang has transformed these ideas, and the dimensions of the house — putting them into an algorithm on his computer — into a physical object. the result is a sculptural shape that combines both tradition and innovation, which is so powerful and contemporary in its presence.

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jean prouvé’s pavilion illuminated by night within the main square of the shanghai exhibition centre
image by ahn phi / courtesy of forward

 

 

 

 

DB: do you have any plans to bring it to beijing?

 

FDN: we could. it is a work in progress. at bally we started our own collection of iconic modernist pieces. we have a series of pierre jeanneret furniture that we would love to bring to china. we have big plans of expansion for bally here, and already have many large stores in beijing. we’ve been thinking about bringing the pieces of furniture into retail spaces to create more of a VIP lounge atmosphere, alongside pieces of art… it is an interesting way to communicate and heighten the bally experience for clients.

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the pavilion under construction, looking up to the shanghai skyline beyond
image by ahn phi / courtesy of forward

 

 

 

DB: how would you define bally’s style and values?

 

FDN: innovation, functionality and modernity. innovation in the way we constantly find new materials. we have a laboratory shop for new techniques. I’m wearing a pair of shoes that for example, employ the same high quality craftsmanship that we created 120 years ago. we have taken this technique and are now presenting it through the development of a rubber sole, making it the lightest of its kind ever created. this rubber sole also makes the shoe very comfortable, absorbing all the shocks in your knees — so that’s one type of constant innovation. design and modernity is fundamental, and this is what bally has done working with wang yuyang here today. the creative design director of bally has constantly been inspired by the archives to develop new modern pieces; and functionality is very important to its meaning, the meaningfulness of the product, the meaningfulness of the values of the company. what we have conceived are the most comfortable shoes, an important step in the world of footewear. being the only existing swiss luxury brand that is not focused on watches, we feel it is our duty and our DNA to constantly produce innovative designs so that we can stand out amongst the market.

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upward view of the steel framework being constructed
image by ahn phi / courtesy of forward

 

 

 

 

DB: do you have any plans to integrate wearable technology into bally clothing and accessories?

 

FDN: I think it’s something we are constantly reflecting on at bally. we are currently brainstorming with technological partners to do these kind of things. many other brands are working to integrate technology into ready-to-wear garments, it is particularly evident in the watch world. the marriage of  technology and luxury is present, but I think, it’s important to look beyond this. I mean what we are presenting here in shanghai, is ever broader than integrating technology into ready-to-wear luxury accessories. the fact that we asked wang yuyang to work on this project, and that he’s bringing a chinese vision and reinterpretation of the codes of the modernists, is important and innovative in itself. of course technology is something that we are contemplating and we will eventually integrate it into our product line as this is the future. there are the smart watches, but so many more things to come. having existed for more than 100 years, bally is constantly innovating and finding new technologies and materials. we are a swiss brand and working in switzerland, and we have more registered patents and innovation than anywhere else in the world today, so for us it’s fitting to go down this route as well.

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detail of the metal framework
image by ahn phi / courtesy of forward

 

 

 

 

DB: how do you refresh yourself and keep your energy levels up?

 

first of all, I must tell you that I have a shot of energy every day by working for bally. this is the most important luxury shoe maker in the world and with a team of incredible people we are taking it to the number one position as it used to be — we are bringing a revolution to bally and it’s very very exciting, I must tell you it gives me a lot of energy. the things that I do every day are that I pray, and it’s my way of reflecting, taking a distance and getting additional strength in my life in everything I do; another thing is that I exercise and I swim, wherever I can so that I feel good in my skin; and the third thing is that I try to eat clean and in a balanced way. I try to pay attention to organic bio foods, and the different things I’m eating as well, because I’m always invited to the most beautiful restaurants, but it’s important to stay fit. also, how I stay refreshed and how I am able to travel around the world constantly is having a fantastic wife.

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interior view of the pavilion under construction
image courtesy of forward

 

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aerial view of the ‘demountable house’ under construction
image by ahn phi / courtesy of forward

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frédéric de narp, CEO of bally
photo by stephane feugere