In 1922, Alice Kriemler-Schoch sat down at her sewing machine at home in St Gallen, Switzerland, and made some aprons. That would prove to be the humble beginnings of a major fashion brand. Her son Max followed in her footsteps and in 1945, established Akris, a couture house that has become known all over the world, as well as producing for other fashion houses. Today, Max’s sons, Albert and Peter, have advanced the business worldwide, with Akris known for its feminine and discreet elegance.

Akris’ specialty is the double-face, a two-layered fabric with two front sides. Both layers of the featherlight material are connected by blind stitches. The fabric is opened on the edge and then hemmed by hand. Akris also has a designer sportswear line, Akris punto, which was launched in 1995, for the modern and active sporty woman.

Akris (www.akris.ch) has been in the Japanese market for over 20 years and has been a subsidiary since 2002. Overseeing the company’s operations in Japan is Chieko Ino, who joined the company last July. Born in Tokyo, Ino has a long history working for brand-name companies, including Yves Saint-Laurent, Christian Dior, Chanel, as well as Johnson & Johnson and Starbucks Coffee Japan.

Japan Today editor Chris Betros visits Ino at the Akris head office in Kojimachi to hear more about the business.

You have moved around a lot in your professional career?

That’s because I am a very market-oriented person and I always wanted to learn more and brush up my skills. 

What was your objective when you became president of Akris Japan?

My goal is double sales in the next three years. To do that, we have to boost our brand image so that customers recognize Akris as one of the most admired luxury brands in the world. Our loyal customers know us, but our brand image is not yet strong among consumers in general.

Who are your typical customers?

They tend to be older ladies, sophisticated, matured, in their 50s and 60s, with much more disposable income. Younger women in their 20s usually can’t afford to buy Akris jackets, priced around 350,000 yen. It is very much a discrete luxury brand. Not everyone wants to wear visible luxury brands these days. It is like an asset.

How do you market Akris?

My strategy is to strengthen communication with customers through PR, advertising and the Internet. We will have a Japanese website soon. For the past five years, we have been building customer profiles at the point of sales and we are going to invest more for PR and advertising to reach out to more end users. We started advertising in some select magazines. Last December, we held a fashion show and invited journalists and various clients. The next one will be in May for the 2008-2009 fall/winter collection.

Where are Akris clothes sold?

We are in major department stores in 20 locations all over Japan, and we have our own store in the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. I think 25 would be a maximum number of outlets for the near future. As a luxury brand, you don’t want too many. 

How about a flagship store?

Our president wants one and so do we, but I can’t say where or when yet.

Yes, and the current situation is getting tight in terms of space. All luxury brands are struggling. Unlike our competitors, we don’t have accessories, so we can only do business with our ready-to-wear collection. Ideally, we would like wider space and better positions in stores. I often meet with department store people to discuss these issues and what kind of support we can get from them.

How about the Imperial hotel store?

We achieved 50% sales growth there last year, much better than department stores.

Where does your priority lie?

With department stores because there are some we aren’t in. Punto, which has big potential, as our second line, can appeal to a wider range of customers, so I’d like to work on that.

Do you wear Akris clothes yourself?

Yes, I do. They are very comfortable. Also, many of our staff want to wear Akris clothes but it is not a rule.

Do you get much autonomy from the head office in Switzerland?

We have a lot of conferences and email exchanges, but they are very good in giving us autonomy. They appreciate suggestions and feedback from our customers. Some make suggestions for alterations to deal with Japan’s different climate. For example, summer here is much hotter than in Europe. So the designers listen to these suggestions whenever I visit the production center in St Gallen.

How many staff do you have?

We have about 110 in Japan, including department store staff and an Osaka office.

Are you a hands-on manager?

I am fairly hands-on, but I am in the process of delegating. We didn’t have a sales director until January, so I can now delegate there a bit more. Once every two months, we hold a shop managers’ meeting.

What is a typical day for you?

I show up around 8:45 a.m. I visit the stores and make buying trips abroad six times a year. Sometimes I work on weekends or I might go to a department store.

Do you use English every day?

To some extent, mainly in emails or teleconferences.

How do you like to relax?

Enjoying good food with friends, playing golf and listening to music.

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