The '70s were a popular reference for the Spring collections, and the decade continues to be a big talking point for Pre-Fall. We have a lot of leisure suits in throwback prints and off shades of orange. As it turns out, Albert Kriemler was looking at the '70s this season too—he cited the dandyism of Helmut Berger in films of the era like The Garden of the Finzi-Continis—but as usual at Akris the finished product was subtle. A three-piece suit had no retro affectations; there was nothing to keep the Swiss label's high-powered customers from wearing it in the boardroom or the courtroom or on set (we've spotted Akris on House of Cards). Sheared agnello trenches were equally sleek and streamlined. To juxtapose all the tailoring, Kriemler turned to florals. A shattered single orchid decorated the left leg of a pair of ivory culottes. It was unusual and super vivid, but the deep purple, black, and bronze of the allover print he used for a sleeveless trapeze gown were the collection's real beauty.
