Akris of Switzerland - help please

catwalkcreative

catwalkcreative

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I'm hoping that Midge might be able to help me with this as it's a European label. :) I purchased this very unassuming dress from a vintage sale a few weeks ago. I've lightened the photos quite a lot so you can see the gathered detail. It's jet black.

The fabric and weight struck me as being very nice quality and I liked the simplicity of the style, so I put it in with my other purchases and didn't think any more about it until today.

I'd like to know how old the dress is and whether anyone else knows the label? It has raglan sleeves and it's made from 67% synthetic, 33% viscose.

I've done a bit of research on the label which is Akris of Switzerland. It appears Akris is quite a high-end label with a celebrity following including Nicole Kidman and Susan Sarandon to name but two. Here is the Akris website.

akr41-vfg2.jpg


akr42-vfg1.jpg


I understand the label came to America in 1998 and I've actually found Akris on the Neiman Marcus website. I know that Neiman Marcus are known for their high prices but these Akris frocks are super-expensive. :o

Does anyone know this label? Any idea who the Fischer label is (that's the label sewn above the Akris label)? Perhaps it's the European equivalent to Neiman Marcus??

Any advice on date would be appreciated. :)
 
I've had several Akris jackets over the years, Louise and they have always been a very high quality. They used to fetch some good $, but the market did soften for vintage/used the last I looked.

One jacket in particular had a second label, a high-end retailer in Westmount, a wealthy district here in Montreal and perhaps your second label is where it was sold and is probably a high-end retailer as well.

With those half sleeves I'm getting an early 80s feel.
 
Thank so much Deborah. I've had quite an interesting afternoon reading up on this label. That's the beauty of finding an unknown label. I shall submit my findings to the label resource. :)

The dress was bought with a batch of 70s and 80s dresses so I think 80s is probably right. It looks unworn. I knew it was good quality the minute I picked it up. It has a nice weight so it drapes really well. The cheapest Akris dress I can find on the Neiman Marcus website is this cotton/spandex sheath dress at $795!! :jawdrop: I will be asking considerably less for mine!

:cats:
 
Thanks Mary Jane. I was thinking exactly the same thing. I've seen a few Jean Muir frocks over the last couple of weeks so it's funny you mention that. :)
 
Louise, I only saw this now :D. Been sick last week (and when I'm sick, you have to drag me in front of the PC) and then I've been bizzy with other things over the Easter holidays...

Akris is a well-known brand here, for sure - they're from St. Gallen too I think, which has quite a history of fine textile production (especially lace though). Oh yes, and they're very high end. My mom's best friend is a big fan, and she can afford things like this... but I know this dress isn't exactly her style, so I don't know if it's worth asking her if she remembers this style.

Fischer is surely the name of the shop it was purchased at - high quality clothes shops used to sew in their own label over here too - I often encounter this when I'm secondhand shopping. Does it only say "Fischer" or anything else? I know no shop of that name, but then this might also have been a small boutique in any German-speaking country.

The style reminds me of my early 80s dresses that I have, so that goes with the dating.

Karin
 
Hi Karin, Hope you're feeling better now. :) Thanks for the additional info. Yes, the other label just says 'Fischer'. I'm assuming it's a small shop or boutique that stocked this label. I was really interested to learn the history of this label and didn't realise their story went back so far. It's nice to find a European brand for the VFG label resource. :)
 
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