Albrecht Winkel was born in wartime Colgne, Germany, in 1941. By his mid-teens he was working as an apprentice tailor in the bustling Schildergasse shopping district. In his early twenties Winkel opened his eponymous fashion house.
As a young fashionista in the liberal city of Colgne, Albrecht moved in influential circles. He soon out grew the region and in 1963 moved to Sydney, Australia
After initially struggling to adapt in Australia, Albrecht launched his first clothing line, Al Vinkle in 1965. Albrecht was shortened to Al due to his new-found nickname and Winkel adapted to align to the English language spelling of the word.
The company soon established itself in the Sydney fashion scene, becoming popular in the rest of Australia during the early 1970s. Several prominent collections launched the brand internationally and by the end of the decade shops were opened in New York, Paris and London.
During the 1980s the branding shifted to the culturally iconic ‘Al Vinkle Inc.’ and ‘Vinkle Inc.’ that you know today. Albrecht anticipated the growing markets for designer underwear for both male and females and these became the signature item for the company as they are today.