A year ago Albert Kriemler created an Akris collection that was fifty shades of gray. Skip forward to today and this time red was where his passion lay.
The design explored every shades of the hue on the color wheel from orange all the way to deep aubergine. But he didn’t limit the love to just this dramatic shade. Kriemler made it even bolder by linking it to a trip he took to Africa. This meant animal prints, and lots of them on the catwalk.
And so it was on an ochre red earth runway that the designer sent out a collection that was filled with fashionably exotic animals. There were plenty of zebra-patterned silk tunic dresses and coats. A red wool cape in a Grand Turtle print appeared with a matching jersey shirt and sarouel pants.
Flaming big cat stripes showed up on a striking printed parka and cheetah spots dotted a jersey blouson gown.
While the prints were beautifully done on classic minimalist silhouettes, it was when Kriemler got creative in his reinterpretation of those distinctive patterns that this collection truly began to generate some animal magnetism. Case in point: A simple wool sheath dress that he painstakingly covered in individual leather scales to create a python effect down the front. Likewise, the textural embroidery done on a sleeveless wool coat and matching dress that mimicked the look of Elephant skin. It sounds strange, but it looked decidedly chic.
For those who don’t do prints, Akris has got them covered too with some buttery leather skirts, pants and coats as well as plethora of seriously luxe cashmere sweaters. What that all means is that soon it will be the buyers who are going to make sure Kriemler feel the love, with their very big orders.