Akris began in 1922 in St. Gallen, Switzerland, as an apron atelier run by Alice Kriemler-Schoch. The name comes from the initials of her name, Alice Kriemler-Schoch, and her son Max gave the house its name in 1944. A century on it is still an independent family house, led by her grandsons, Albert Kriemler as creative director and Peter Kriemler as CEO. Albert joined at 19, in 1980, without formal fashion training, and he and Peter took over in 1987. Swiss precision runs through the dresses here. The double-faced wool sheath dress and the wool and Orbit leather sleeveless sheath are the architectural ones, with clean lines and almost no ornament. St. Gallen embroidery, one of the house's known specialties, is the second signature, and you can see it in the butterfly broderie anglaise sleeveless midi, the broderie-anglaise belted midi and the butterfly embroidered sheer tulle gown. The silk ombré asymmetric maxi and the Malva silk georgette layered dress are softer and more fluid. For a daytime option, the dance movements linen toile polo dress and the butterfly-print cotton-silk mini are the relaxed pair.

Double-face fabrics and the finest cashmere are central to what Akris does, and the outerwear here is the clearest proof. The Bera double-faced cashmere car coat and the Bera cashmere-silk knee-length coat are the quiet, serious pieces, the kind a person wears for years. The Estelle coat and the melange twill Peer short jacket are tailored but light. The fun is in the pieces with a personality: the Laron zebra-print leather coat, the butterfly embroidered bomber jacket and the cashmere knit reversible zebra cape, which turns a single purchase into two looks. The Hasso leather jacket and the reversible cady and sheep shearling jacket sit closer to a classic biker or bomber, and my leather jacket guide can help you choose between those shapes. The house has shown at Paris Fashion Week since 2004 and remains the only Swiss house on the official calendar. What I would skip is layering the fringe-trimmed jacket or the frayed tweed jacket over a heavily textured knit, because both want a smooth surface underneath.

This is the group for people who dress mostly from the top half. The cloud brushed cashmere cardigan and the cashmere-silk bouclé knit sweater are the ones that make a plain skirt look finished, and the sequin cashmere crewneck sweater is the evening version of the same idea. The broken stone jacquard wool-silk cardigan and the fringe-trim perforated cardigan are more graphic, while the zip-up drawstring cardigan is the easiest to throw on. Blouses range from the silk ombré blouse and the butterfly-print silk crepe de chine button-down to the two-tone blouse and the dance movements linen toile blouse. For simple knitwear ideas, I would browse camel and contrast-trim knits. The Swiss dot, the polka dot that once decorated the original aprons, still appears on the house's gift boxes and tissue paper, and I like that a label this refined keeps a nod to its beginning.

Akris is a tailoring house at heart, and the bottoms are where you see it. The Fior Prince of Wales wool flannel wide-leg pants, the Florence pleated corduroy palazzo pants and the Finnian stretch cotton high-rise wide-leg pants are the same silhouette in three moods. The Farrah boot-cut mid-rise wool pants and the Flynn stretch denim conical-leg ankle pants are the sharper alternatives. Skirts bring more play: the polka-dot bubble-hem mini, the virgin wool slit midi and the lamb nappa leather pencil skirt. Think of wool trousers as the foundation and a skirt as the accent, then look at fall skirts for more ideas on shape. Picture her crossing a quiet square in the flannel wide legs with a cashmere cardigan over one arm, nothing showing off. I would wear the leather pencil skirt with a simple knit and keep the shoes quiet.

The last group is small but it holds some of the house's best-known work. Akris is known for the horsehair Ai bag, and the Ai suede tote bag here is its relaxed cousin. The small Anouk clutch in zebra-print leather and the small Anouk metallic leather clutch are made to carry just the essentials. The ottoman silk belted A-line midi shirtdress closes the group and is the piece I would pair with either clutch. For the smallest carry, I wrote about small bags with big personality. If you carry one of the Anouk clutches to dinner, keep the dress simple so the leather and the zebra print stay the point. The suede tote is the one for the day, and it works with the trousers from the group above.

If I were starting an Akris wardrobe, I would pick one coat, one pair of wide-leg trousers and one cashmere layer, and let the dresses come later. The brand is a family story told in clean lines, and that is why the clothes ask for very little styling. A single zebra print or a butterfly embroidery is plenty, and the rest of the outfit can stay in navy, camel or black.

For more in the same spirit, take a look at Martin Grant Tailoring and Coats and Bronx and Banco Gowns and Tailoring.