Akris' Albert Kriemler has long been known as a minimalist, but it's a misconception. It's true that his work is understated compared to much of what we see on the Paris runways, but he does quite a bit of fabric development and invests a good deal of time and energy dreaming up novel ways to embellish the luxurious materials that come out of Akris' St. Gallen mills. That's rarely been truer than it was this season, when Kriemler made an in-depth study of a rather straightforward subject: jackets.
It started simply, with his take on the athleisure trend that's swept through fashion. Kriemler's hoodie came in bicolor Sea Island cotton, and was shown underneath a reversible silk fleece blazer downy as all get-out. From there, he upped the ante: quilting leather for a fitted down jacket, laser-cutting small checks into the gray and white tartan of a pantsuit, and embroidering tiny bits of wool onto the silk tulle of a column dress and matching redingote gilet.
Things culminated in cotton-lace parkas that appeared to be lacquered. These were clean, streamlined clothes—the real bang for the buck will be found at close range, where the details can be savored. Kriemler's main interest here was surface treatments, so he stuck to a restrained palette of barely there neutrals and black, save for a one-off bright yellow leather tunic. A little more of that kind of color could've woken up this well-executed but somewhat sleepy collection.
