For Spring 2026, creative director Albert Kriemler presents a collection inspired by Leon Polk Smith (1906-1996), an American painter who was known for his abstract geometric forms and bold use of colors. It all began when Kriemler visited Leon Polk Smith’s exhibition at Haus Konstruktiv in Zurich, where his attention was drawn to Seven Involvements in One, a double-sided wooden panel painted with the seven visual elements in mind (line, color, shape, form, space, texture, and value). The work features circles and curves in vivid tones of violet, red, blue, and orange that interact to create a dynamic visual composition.

Kriemler translated these elements into clothing that combines structure with ease. Shapes, colors, and forms from Smith’s work appear throughout the collection as trapezoid embroidery, curved seams, and panel constructions that move naturally with the body. Akris’ signature style—clean lines, precise tailoring, and a focus on innovative fabrics—comes together with Leon Polk Smith’s bold geometry in a collection that feels both structured and fluid. Kriemler reinterprets Smith’s use of color and form through Akris’ refined lens, where every detail serves a purpose. The palette—vermillion, lapis blue, tourmaline green, yellow, and orange—translates Smith’s vivid compositions into wearable color stories. 

“Leon Polk Smith thought of his work as the opposite of minimal,” says Kriemler. “That idea resonates with me. Akris is about essence, not reduction—about using form and fabric to bring the person into light.”

Kriemler connected deeply with Smith’s approach to form and color, seeing parallels between the artist’s precise geometry and Akris’ focus on essential design. The result is a collection that transforms Smith’s visual language into movement and texture in the form of fabric. Through drape, cut, and color, Kriemler translates the painter’s abstract world into pieces that feel architectural, structured, yet effortless—where each line and hue holds intent.

Overall, Akris' Spring 2026 collection is a precise, wearable study in color and shape—an exploration of how art’s visual language can evolve through fabric, construction, and movement.