Johanna Ortiz is gearing up for a major milestone of a year; she is celebrating her 20th anniversary in business. Perhaps that’s why her pre-fall collection had all the markings of a quintessential Johanna Ortiz collection: like a boldly printed caftan with alluring cabochon embroidery around the neckline, or a sequin stripe mini dress with a singular voluminous sleeve made for disco dancing in a most luscious shade of chocolate.
But also quintessentially Ortiz are the experiments with fabrications and materials that continue to elevate her pieces beyond the expected. These include the spaghetti strap dress with a crochet top attached to a delicately lace-embroidered skirt, or the opulently embroidered bodice with beads, bits of ropes, and “feathers” that were in fact made from shredded organza. Another standout look was a simple bandeau halter top with an oversized bow in the back and a matching asymmetrical ruffled skirt in natural-color linen fabric with black velvet polka dots.
The Colombian designer has taken advantage of the fact that her sampling and production are done locally in her Cali atelier. “I can get a little bit more into the details,” she said at an appointment at her Upper East Side headquarters, “I can add more touches of handcraft that make every piece more special.” She pointed to a super soft beige suede skirt embroidered with white and beige cotton ribbon that created a geometric pattern on the front. In the lookbook, she showed it with a matching fringed easy-wrap halter top, but it wasn’t hard to imagine it being worn with a chunky beige sweater and a pair of knee-high boots on a wintery New York city day—which is not entirely by accident.
Though the designer is known for her resort pieces (“people are always telling me, ‘Johanna, whenever I have a destination wedding, the first thing I do is look for you’”), she has begun to expand her oeuvre beyond the ultra feminine and colorful wares she’s known for. “We’re opening our first store in New York and I want to make sure our women can find everything they need—whether it’s winter or they’re on vacation,” she said, casually dropping the big news of her first flagship location. “This has been my dream for a long time.”