Akris Turns 100

Akris’ Spring 2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection marks 100 years of the women’s brand. After a century in fashion, Akris epitomizes modernity and specializes in minimalist design, known internationally as a symbol of understated luxury. Akris has just 21 boutiques globally—one of which is in Dallas exclusively at Highland Park Village.

Akris was founded in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in 1922 by Alice Kriemler-Schoch. The brand initially started as an atelier for aprons made from a single sewing machine. Then in the 1940s, Alice’s son Max took over the business. He evolved the brand significantly and created its ready-to-wear collection. Max’s sons, Albert and Peter, are now the third generation to carry on the family business.

Albert Kriemler became the creative director of Akris in 1980 at just 19 years old, with his brother Peter following seven years later to oversee the finances. Together, the brothers have grown the company to its global position. Albert’s belief that fashion should simplify a woman’s life and complement her natural beauty is evident in his designs, along with his passion for art.

In honor of the 100th anniversary, Akris celebrated with a standout runway show at Paris Fashion Week in the fall of 2022. The models strutted the runway in the forecourt of the beautiful Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris.
seamlessly and look as modern as the new pieces.

Kriemler used nine pieces of Akris’ archive designs from between 1978 to 1992 as the premise of the 2023 Spring Collection. Kriemler strategically included the archive designs to blend seamlessly and look as modern as the new pieces.

The Paris Fashion Week show featured 74 looks in total, opening with the Alpha, the first Akris cashmere double-face coat, created by Kriemler’s father in 1978.

The lace in this collection is an ode to Kriemler’s designs of the 1980s, such as a 1989 ruffle collar lace blouse. He could not find modern lace with the same strength as the original, stalling the process for six months in order for the initial lacemaker in Calais to reproduce the material.

As a final nod to the past, the new collection drew inspiration from Akris’ renowned first multicolored heart print, created in 1989.

“There is always a fine line between embracing the past and defining the future. But these archive pieces seemed so new, unexpected, and stunningly modern to us that we decided to base our collection on them,” says Kriemler. “They had this absolute timelessness that is and remains modern.”

One hundred years ago, Kriemler’s grandmother, Alice, set forth to detail a woman’s presence and enhance her charisma, and that very mission is what sets forth for Akris’ future.

View the Spring 2023 Collection in-store now. To shop, visit the store at Highland Park Village or call 214.530.0004.