JOHANNA ORTIZ

The Colombia native’s signature ruffles and off-the-shoulder silhouettes perfectly capture the spirit of Latin America and have resonated with industry insiders and consumers alike. Ortiz’s use of vibrant colours and feminine silhouettes have proved commercially successful, earning her worldwide stockists and a loyal clientele base.

The designer has become something of a fashion ambassador for Colombia and has been invited to show her collections at the White House in Washington and the United Nations in New York. She is currently expanding into new categories, having made a bridalwear debut with an exclusive collection for e-tailer Moda Operandi.

Ortiz studied fashion design in Florida, graduating from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with honours before returning to Colombia to start her namesake couture label in 2001. It wasn’t until 2014 that she started showing at Colombiamoda in Medellin and Circulo de la Moda in Bogota — two of the country’s biggest fashion weeks — and was met with critical acclaim. The following year, she took the label global with an exclusive collection for Moda Operandi, and today is stocked at some of the world’s top retailers including Neiman Marcus, Lane Crawford, Bergdorf Goodman and Net-a-Porter.

Ortiz is proud of her heritage, which has a strong influence on her creative aesthetic. In an effort to give back to the community, her label places high priority on working with indigenous communities and women in Colombia.