Albert Kriemler
Creative director of Akris
Albert Kriemler is the Swiss creative director of Akris, the St. Gallen fashion house founded by his grandmother in 1922. He has led its collections for more than four decades, turning a regional maker into an international luxury brand known for precise, fabric-led womenswear.
| Role | Creative director, Akris |
|---|---|
| Since | 1980 |
| Organisation | Akris, St. Gallen (founded 1922) |
| Paris shows | Since 2004 |
| Born | 1960, St. Gallen |
| Nationality | Swiss |
Who is Albert Kriemler?
Albert Kriemler is a Swiss fashion designer, born in St. Gallen in 1960, and the creative director of Akris. He represents the third generation of the Kriemler family at the house and co-leads it with his brother Peter Kriemler. Akris is one of the few family-owned luxury fashion houses of international scale based outside France and Italy.
Career
Akris traces its origins to 1922, when Alice Kriemler-Schoch opened an atelier making aprons in St. Gallen, a city famous for cotton and embroidery. Her son Max Kriemler joined in 1944 and named the company Akris after his mother's initials. In the 1970s the ateliers also produced ready-to-wear for Parisian couturiers.
Albert Kriemler took over creative responsibility in 1980, at the age of 20, after the unexpected death of a key associate of his father. A turning point came in 1988, when Bergdorf Goodman placed its first order, opening the important American market. Since 2004 Akris has shown its collections on the Paris runway, often in dialogue with contemporary artists and architects.
His work has been recognised with the Swiss Design Award in 2008 and the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion in 2016. The company describes his approach as "fabric first", with touch and drape guiding the design process.
Albert Kriemler and technology
Kriemler has repeatedly used textile technology from the St. Gallen region in his collections. Documented examples include digital photo printing on sequins, developed around 2008, and dresses with LED embroidery created in 2014 with the St. Gallen embroidery company Forster Rohner, one of which entered the collection of Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts.
Influence on the fashion business
Akris under Kriemler shows how a family company can build a global luxury position through:
- Consistent, understated design rather than trend-driven collections
- Close links to local textile suppliers and craft
- Strong wholesale partnerships with leading department stores
- Long-term family ownership and leadership continuity
Why it matters
Albert Kriemler's career demonstrates that quiet, product-focused luxury can compete internationally. Akris also illustrates the value of a regional textile ecosystem, in this case St. Gallen's embroidery industry, as a source of innovation for fashion brands.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Albert Kriemler?
Albert Kriemler is the Swiss creative director of Akris, the St. Gallen fashion house founded by his grandmother in 1922. He has led its collections since 1980 and co-leads the company with his brother Peter.
What is Akris known for?
Akris is known for understated, precisely cut womenswear built on fine fabrics, and for its roots in the St. Gallen textile industry. It has shown in Paris since 2004.