Original Bally Advertising Poster – Bernard Villemot, 1989

Created in 1989 by Bernard Villemot, a master of French advertising poster art, this iconic piece was designed for the Swiss shoe brand Bally. Printed in offset by A. Karcher, it features an elegant, graphic, and stylized female silhouette, instantly recognizable as Villemot’s signature style. The poster stands out for its clever composition: the shadow cast by the woman’s high-heeled shoe forms the leg of a man in a masculine shoe, illustrating a mixed-gender campaign - an uncommon approach in Bally’s visual universe, which was typically focused on women.

The female figure appears to be juggling the world, a powerful and universal metaphor that lends an almost symbolic dimension to the campaign. Produced in a large format of 65.7 x 45.7 inches, linen-backed and in A+ condition, the poster plays with bold color contrasts, sensual forms, and refined visual wit. It is considered one of Villemot’s final major works, and is now highly sought after by collectors.