Peter Kriemler
Chief executive of the Swiss fashion house Akris
Peter Kriemler is the chief executive and president of Akris, the St. Gallen fashion house founded in 1922. He has run the family company's business operations since 1987, while his brother Albert Kriemler leads design, and together they built Akris into an internationally recognised luxury label.
| Role | Chief executive and president of Akris |
|---|---|
| Joined Akris | 1987 |
| Company | Akris, founded 1922 in St. Gallen |
| Creative partner | Albert Kriemler, creative director |
| Education | University of St. Gallen (HSG) |
Who is Peter Kriemler?
Peter Kriemler, born in 1962, is the third generation of his family to lead Akris, a Swiss luxury fashion house based in St. Gallen. He is responsible for management and manufacturing, while his brother Albert Kriemler is creative director. He graduated from the University of St. Gallen (HSG).
Career
Akris was founded in St. Gallen in 1922. Peter Kriemler joined the company in 1987, bringing expertise in law and economics, and took charge of its financial operations alongside his brother. He became chief executive of the family company, and has since directed the business side of the house while Albert shaped its collections.
Under his leadership Akris expanded internationally. He brought the collection to Asia with subsidiaries in Japan and Korea and developed a worldwide network of directly operated stores. The company employs more than 650 people around the world, about 200 of them at its head office in St. Gallen.
Influence on the fashion business
Akris is known for understated, high quality clothing rather than loud branding. The Financial Times once called it the most successful label you have never heard of. Its business model under Peter Kriemler is distinctive:
- Vertical integration with its own production, from fabric development to retail
- Close links to the St. Gallen textile tradition
- A family owned structure with a clear division between creative and business leadership
- Directly operated stores in key luxury markets
This model gives the company control over quality and supply chain while allowing it to remain independent in a sector increasingly dominated by large groups.
Why it matters
Akris is one of Switzerland's few internationally established fashion houses. Peter Kriemler's role in building its business shows how a family company can compete in global luxury through product quality, vertical integration and long term ownership, and the partnership with his brother is a well known example of shared creative and commercial leadership. In a market where many independent houses have been absorbed by conglomerates or private equity, Akris remains a reference for how a family business can preserve both its identity and its control. Its close ties to the textile tradition of St. Gallen, a historic centre of embroidery and fabric making, also make it an important ambassador for Swiss fashion abroad.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Peter Kriemler?
Peter Kriemler is the chief executive and president of Akris, the Swiss fashion house founded in St. Gallen in 1922. He has led its business operations since 1987, while his brother Albert Kriemler is creative director.
What is Peter Kriemler known for?
He is known for expanding Akris internationally, including subsidiaries in Japan and Korea, and for building its worldwide network of directly operated stores while keeping production vertically integrated.