Franz Kline's Painting No. 7 was Albert Kriemler's starting point for Akris this season. The black slashes on the action painter's famous canvas inspired not only the geometric grid print of the opening pantsuit but also the graphic color-blocking and patchworking of different fabrics and textures that informed much of collection. Kline is also something of a totem for Kriemler for the way his work embodied a dynamism and freedom of movement.
Among the collection's highlights were a jacket pieced together from parallelograms of leather, cashmere, and ponyhair; a color-blocked cape; and a patchworked side-zip jacket teamed with fitted, tapering pants. All of these were in varying degrees of black, but Kriemler also embraced color. His clients will get a lot of wear out of double-face cashmere coats in purple and a fiery orange.
At times, Kriemler stumbled. Simplicity isn't effortless. The fit of the low-waisted, pleated trousers could've been better, and the allover paillette embroidery on evening pieces was distractingly sheer; it would've looked more elegant worn with slips. But he ended on an up note: A series of dresses that were belted in front and hung loose from the shoulders in back captured the ease of movement he was talking about.
