In the midst of fashion week frenzy, when looks and styles range the gamut hour by hour, an Akris show is comparable to a super chic palette cleanser. Albert Kriemler is a master when it comes to sensuous and refined design, and fortunately, the same can be said for his still relatively new handbag collection. “A visit to Japan and the Kyoto gardens made me think of other clothes for summer,” he said in his show notes. “More relaxed refinement, more simplicity and more ease.” Those ideals carried over in Akris’ two signature bag shapes: a relaxed “Ai” tote and a minimal “Anouk” clutch. I’m a big fan of the Ai oversized tote–and to see it in a relaxed, slouchy shape makes me long for spring to hurry and arrive. In sophisticated colors like aloe, vespa, denim, grotta and poppy, they’re sure to be a hit with its niche clientele. The Anouk clutch, meanwhile, is almost exclusively available in only some variant on tightly woven horsehair. It’s a fabulously discreet bag, perfect for evening or weekends in the city, that is elegantly topped off with a matching leather strap infused with metallic trim.