Tokyo (SCCIJ) – Akris, the Swiss luxury fashion brand from St. Gallen, has opened a new flagship store in the Tokyo shopping district Ginza. The world-renowned David Chipperfield Architects Milan developed the boutique concept. A second store in the same style went into operation in Washington D.C.
The interior design of the new Akris boutique in Ginza, Tokyo (© Akris Japan).
Quality craftsmanship
In keeping with Akris’ codes, materials and quality are at the forefront of the design within the space in Ginza, the company said. The Italy-based architects carefully curated the materials and details in collaboration with Creative Director Albert Kriemler, keeping his refined approach to fabrics top of mind. The boutique consists of two floors, connected by a staircase made of a single piece of Vicenza gray stone. The same material is used for the flooring and facade.
The interior design is defined by preformed paneling in white-painted maple wood cladding the walls and ceiling, showcasing the collection through a series of thin, almost invisible cables holding light aluminum railing and shelving. This setup creates the illusion that the pieces are floating above the ground. The store is located along Chuo Avenue, not far from the 4-chome intersection in Ginza.
“In this boutique concept, the more I learned about the quality materials and craftsmanship excellence of the Akris collection, the more I realized that the materials and performance of the interiors had to be carefully thought through,” said architect David Chipperfield. “His work has always had a human-centered, functionalist purpose. Sensual minimalism and understated elegance are qualities I can relate to,” added Akris creative director Kriemler.
The façade of the new Akris boutique in Ginza, Tokyo (© Akris Japan).
Acronym Akris
Ms. Alice Kriemler-Schoch founded the Swiss fashion company in 1922 in St. Gallen. Her initials make up the name “Akris” until today. Current creative director Kriemler is managing the company together with his brother Peter. His clothes are known for their clean, elegant lines and the use of high-value fabrics and fabrication techniques.
Akris is renowned for its double-cloth weaving technique: The fabric has two right sides or faces and no wrong side. Double weaving is an ancient technique and demands high craftmanship. The whole collection is designed and manufactured in St. Gallen, known since the 19th century as the textile capital of Switzerland. Twelve years ago, the label started to venture into bags after buying the German maker Comtesse.
The current President and Chief Executive Officer of Akris Japan since July 2007 is Ms. Chieko Ino who worked before for other luxury makers in Japan. The Swiss fashion label started to sell its first items in Japan in 1975 and relied for a long time on a Japanese wholesale distributor. In the year 2000 Akris opened its first own boutique in Ginza. The Japan subsidiary was founded two years later.
Text: Martin Fritz for SCCIJ based on material of Akris Japan
