Johanna Ortiz was in a nostalgic mood for fall. In addition to serving glasses of Cognac and Champagne at her intimate presentation in Paris this evening, the designer also dished out stacks of beautiful notepaper and envelopes tied up with string and sealed with wax. “People don’t write each other letters anymore, and I find that so sad,” lamented Ortiz. “Now all we have is emojis.”
There was a literal love letter embedded in the fabric of the new collection; on it were sweet nothings written in Spanish curlicue script and printed across silky evening blouses and gathered slip dresses. The designer had been researching the stamps of her of native Colombia when she landed on the inspiration for the exotic florals in collection, the most eye-catching of which was embroidered in textured raffia on asymmetric column dresses. Traditional letter stamps embossed with Ortiz’s trademark palm tree were cast in gold and repurposed as statement earrings, while Colombian coins were strung on charming choker necklaces and belts.
After having collaborated with shoe designer Tabitha Simmons for several seasons, Ortiz struck out on her own with accessories for the first time. The selection of made-in-Colombia footwear included graphic black-and-white buckled slides, strappy sandals replete with coins, and sturdy western boots that were a reference to the traditional arrieros, Central America’s answer to cowboys, and came with clever removable leather stirrups—in other words, the boots could basically be worn mid-calf or cropped at the ankle at the wearer’s whim.
Ortiz is a problem-solver by nature, and her new collection addressed the moving parts of a fall party wardrobe with an exceptionally practical mindset. As someone who has attended her fair share of black-tie events, she knows that statement sleeves and coats are fundamentally incompatible. With that in mind, there were a series of multi-way tricks built into the fall offering. For starters, her trademark ruffles, or boleros as they are known in Spanish, were mostly detachable. One cocktail frock came with billowing sleeves that, once removed, revealed a more streamlined western shirt underneath—an antidote for the day-to-night shift that doesn’t require an extra pair of shoes. The designer is known for her color sense, and yet this season, her black and ivory evening dresses stood out the most, including a stunning strapless number in the classic Old Hollywood mold. Though the silhouette harkened back to a bygone era, the production values were thoroughly modern, made as it was from deadstock taffeta. With 60% of her collection made from recycled fabrics or deadstock, Ortiz is clearly keeping an eye to the future of the planet.
