Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 6

Akris

Clean, modern, minimal looks from Akris, as designer Albert Kriemler took the linear inspirations of the Vienna Secession movement as the starting point for his autumn/winter collection. Unexpectedly dramatic placement prints, luxe fabrications and an on-trend palette made this one of the strongest looks of the week. 

The look: Linear minimalism

Silhouette: Lean and narrow

Key items: Lean coats and A-line capes featured the collection’s sparse, minimal lines, with hidden closures and high funnel necklines. That same sense of unfettered simplicity translated into neat shift dresses - sometimes fabric-blocked in tonal mixes of calfskin, leather and suede - pinafore dresses, shell tops offset with supple leather sleeves, and tailored jackets with their pocket details rerouted to the back of the garment. Taut fencing jackets came with angled peplums, layered over slim leggings, impeccable flared pants or the soft full skirts that ran throughout the collection. There was a play on matt-shine effects too, with the subtle bands of sequins or lustrous ribbed ottoman that marked hemlines on narrow coats and shifts. Zips featured as a key detail, splicing the waist or tracing the spine of linear sheath dresses. And for evening that same sense of minimalism prevailed, with skinny halterneck gowns or fluid all-in-ones

Colour: An intense palette, which confirmed the key colour trends that have emerged over the past four weeks - rich chestnut browns, golden ochre yellows, camel and taupe, all offsetting rich damson, grenadine, teal blue and ink

Fabric & knit: The emphasis was on luxe touch, with calfskin, supple leathers and suede, broadtail, vicuña and mink, worked alongside jersey, cashmere, tweed and satin, with subtle metallic knits and crochet added into the mix

Print & pattern: Two dramatic prints added verve to the collection’s flat planes of rich colour, one a striking leafless tree pattern, the other based on Joseph Maria Olbrich’s Vienna Wedding Tower

Details & trims: Back-to-front details on tailoring; exposed zips tracing the spine of a dress, or etching a sharply spliced seam at the waist of jackets and shifts

Footwear: Heeled platform suede ankle boots

Accessories: Simple grained leather rectangular totes, iPad cases

Posted in: A/W 2011/12,Akris,Paris Fashion Week