Swiss clothing maker Akris has purchased luxury handbag maker Comtesse out of bankruptcy proceedings of its parent company, EganaGoldpfeil. Akris has hired an Italian handbag designer (whose name has not been disclosed) to design the new collection. Comtesse was founded in 1929. WWD reports:
Spanning approximately 50 stockkeeping units in handbags, plus small leather goods and belts, the first collection will be unveiled on the runway at the spring-summer 2010 Akris show here in October.
[Akris president Peter] Kriemler said his brother Albert -— who has brought a forward-thinking, architectural edge to a brand famed for its deluxe double-face apparel -- would oversee the accessories design team. In tandem with the acquisition, Akris recruited a handbag designer trained in Italy, whose identity will not be disclosed.
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Kriemler said Akris handbags would retail from about $1,500 to $6,000, putting them in the same price league as Hermes, Chanel and Bottega Veneta. He assured that Albert would bring a unique design sensibility to the category, with a focus on functionality and unique, haute materials.
"It will not be a bag with 20 pockets and a thousand metal pieces hanging off it," he said.
Akris has taken its time before moving into the accessories business and has carefully plotted its strategy. The Akris factory is located in Frankfurt, Germany and will be utilized in making the new handbags. We'll be interested to see what the anonymous Italian designer comes up with.
Swiss clothing maker Akris has 
