Akris: Transparent elegance

No designer is quite as cerebral as Albert Kriemler, whose latest collection for Akris managed to combine Renaissance frescoes and hyper-modern transparent fabrics in a tour de force.

Albert’s palette stemmed from visits to northern Italy to admire the frescoes of Piero della Francesca, the inspiration for the costumes he created for a ballet by John Neumeier in Hamburg. And then to Mantova to see the masterpieces of the great  Andrea Mantegna, in particular his legendary Camera degli Sposi in the Gonzaga Palace.
 
“I was moved by the color and Mantegna’s interpretation of light. How it gave a certain grace to the characters in his art,” recalled Albert.

The result was a fashion show of true grace, where the curved shapes Mantegna made of aristocrat vestments, were distilled into graceful and elegiac Akris’ clothing. While his light and shade color palette was reinterpreted via Photoshop, into a very new color pick of light brick, soft yellow and faded caramel.
 
All, surprisingly, used with techy fabrics like – coated techno taffeta, tulle or gabardine; layered techno grid; technical organza made of silk and polyester or coated cotton raffia.
 
Seen in some beautiful layered or patchwork semi-sheer techno cocktails or trapezoid A-line dresses. One stupendous layered sheer skirt was made in mesh traditionally used in hatbands, then finished with a chiffon lining. Light and malleable, clothes that a woman could throw in a suitcase, cross an ocean and still look perfect when pulled out of a suitcase.
 
Other beautiful dresses seemed made of plissé fabrics, but were in fact artfully sewn together ribbons. Often pairing these super-light ideas with calf or lambskin nappa biker jackets, or a series of linen tunics and jackets. All told, daywear transparency that was very airy and very wearable.
 
His inclusive cast carrying the new accordion bag named Top Handle Alice – after his grandmother who founded Akris. All made in the Swiss brand’s own German factory.

See catwalk

Kriemler’s location could not have been more different than last March. It was in a crumbling disused C&A store. This Sunday, it was within the stateliness of the College des Bernardins, a delightful work of gothic architectural perfection.
 
“One can only admire in France and Italy that they have money and mind to restore their marvelous cultural riches,” noted Albert with admiration. 
 
The ever-busy Kriemler’s next project is in Chicago, opening his third boutique designed by architect David Chipperfield 
 
“For me architecture is meant to be forever, which is not very fashion. So, one looks to the minimal modernist. But I don’t want my customer to freeze, so we need some sensuality. So, it’s not just stone, but a genius David solution – wood carving walls and ceilings. Our boutique is dressed in bleached oak,” he enthused.
 
There’s also a “tiny new store in Ginza, started before Covid and finished after – four years.” And since May 2022, a Herzog & De Meuron-designed store in a new Washington mall.
 
“Each opened on a different parent’s birthday – and that was not planned. That’s what I call a good omen,” chuckled Albert.