Originally founded as an atelier for aprons, Akris opened up shop in St. Gallen, Switzerland in 1922. The founder, Alice Kriemler-Schoch, utilized the best local fabric for her designs, soon making her very popular with the fashionistas of the day. St. Gallen is known as one of the finest producers of embroidery in the world, and many of Alice’s aprons utilized this medium. As a matter of fact, as of 1910, more than fifty percent of the world’s embroidery was produced in St. Gallen. Max Kriemler, Alice’s son, joined the family business in 1944, and ushered in a new era focusing on ready-to-wear fashion and renamed the house Akris, after the first letters of his mother’s name. He collaborated with French design houses, including Givenchy and Ted Lapidus. In 1980, Max’s son Albert also joined the company and worked hard to grow the brand to international fame. According to Albert, his intention in design is as follows, “When a woman walks into a room, I want people to notice her personality first and her clothing second.” This philosophy perfectly defines the brand’s classically designed aesthetic.