Authenticity and passion are two of the components that drive Johanna Ortiz, the Colombian designer leading the change of course latin american fashion. This statement was attested Latin American Fashion Summit 2022, the platform created by Estefanía Lacayo and Samantha Tams, which provides a space for the voices that are promoting and defining the present and future of latin design.
During the celebration, which in this edition took place in the city of Miamithe co-founder and brand director of Fashion Operandi, Lauren Santo Domingoand the founder and creative director of her namesake brand, Johanna Ortiz, Together with the executive editor of W magazine, Armand Limnander as moderator, they shared their experiences through a panel with an audience eager to feed on the knowledge of both relevant women on the fashion industry.
© Photography: Alexia Uriarte
LAFS 2022, moments from the panel, ‘How Lauren Santo Domingo and Johanna Ortiz influenced Latin America and fashion globally’.
Occupy the space that today belongs to the creative born in Cali, Colombia, has been a path forged through the passion with which he has carried out his work. At the age of 18, after being amazed by a trip to India, he decided to study fashion design. The colors that surrounded her were a key motivation to start her career. And although she, after graduating from university, she entered a job that was not related to fashion universeher first work experience and the advice of a mentor were what prompted her to continue with her project.
Johanna Ortiz and her role in the growth of Latin American fashion
Johanna Ortiz it’s the first latina designer to create a collection collaboration with H&Min addition to being a pioneer in taking her firm to the next level when she joined the exclusive group of brands that belong to the Trunkshow from Operandi fashion, a service pre-order of the platform retailwhich offers the opportunity to emerging designers to produce the pieces once the purchase is made and achieve international exposure and reach. In addition to rubbing shoulders on the platform with around 500 firms, including some legendary ones such as Valentino, Balenciaga and Prada.
© Photography: Alexia Uriarte
The Colombian designer, Johanna Ortiz.
However, the beginnings of her career were far from what she is today. Colombian firm represents for the latin american fashion. Ortiz started out as a designer of resort collections, selling only swimwear with her friends and exclusively targeting her local market.
The networking did his thing when he met Laurenwho motivated her to create a collection aimed at the international woman. The designer was not yet ready to scale her profession to a global level; Despite this, she did not hesitate to design the collection and present it. At that moment, the co-founder and her team realized that they were facing a unique talent.
© Photography: Alexia Uriarte
Moda Operandi co-founder and brand director, Lauren Santo Domingo.
‘Everyone in the office understood that what we were seeing was incredibly beautiful, but also a little ahead of its time and I think what she was presenting to us was actually the fashion we all still wear‘, recalls the brand co-founder of Fashion Operandi.
Immediately, Lauren Santo Domingo suggested designs Johanna Ortiz to dress an editorial of Vogueunder the lens of the renowned photographer, Mario Testino. Officially, the Colombian creator I had taken the next step. In 2015, one of his designs, the Tulum Tophad become the object of desire of celebrities such as Olivia Palermo; and she went from selling sample pieces to her friends and acquaintances behind the backstage Fashion Colombia, to create thousands of blouses exactly the same as those in their samples —which was a great challenge—, while defending the value of craft production in Latin America.
‘What designer I think we must be creative, but we must also know how to build the company, how to make it work, how to produce, how to do everything that surrounds the fashion business. It’s not just like sketching. Is [contemplar] the whole story about it,” he says. Johanna Ortiz.
© Photography: Alexia Uriarte
Both women have put Latin American fashion on the international map.
The foundations of your company are still in Cali, Colombiaand maintains connections in Peru and Argentina. For her, there was no other way than to return her achievements to her communityWhere are you from and where do you live? Four years ago, under the name of his firm, he founded the Schoola sewing and embroidery training program professional level as a vehicle for independence and professional empowerment.
‘At that time when we began to produce the Top Tulum, we used to make around 4,000 pieces a year, now, this year we are closing at around 50,000 pieces. It has been a great story, I can support 80% women and the 380 people who work with me. [Aunque] this is not a personal story, it is a teamwork story’, he argues Johanna Ortiz. A story with which she has become the designer who has sold the most units in Fashion Operandi.
© Photography: Alexia Uriarte
Lauren Santo Domingo at LAFS 2022.
The processes of latin creative are aligned with the increase in the interest of users to know the traceability in fashion. “For consumers, it is important to know how and where the garments come from, as well as how they look on the outside,” he acknowledges. Armand Limnander. Therefore, for Lauren the work of Ortiz is special thanks to the fact that it has managed to defend the crafts and the authenticity with which he has also built the image of your branduntil turning it into a signature that reflects a Lifestyle that allows you to dream through the creative universe that surrounds your signature.
The keys that led Johanna Ortiz to lead the course of fashion in Latin America
Johanna Ortiz and Lauren Santo Domingo, they recognize certain practices that have put the designer on the international map. Among them, having a solid team working towards the same goal, as well as the ability to create a own DNA of the brand that looks towards its roots as inspiration and that is faithful to the designer herself. ‘For us, when we saw the Johanna’s collection and we knew it was going to be a success, that’s when we saw a piece and we could recognize the brand,’ adds Lauren.
© Photography: Andrés Oyuela / Set design: Get The Gusto
The businesswomen who lead the course of fashion in Latin America, Lauren Santo Domingo and Johanna Ortiz.
Also, the businesswoman highlights the importance of build relationships within the industryensuring that in the different roles he has played throughout his career in the fashion industry, has always met people with whom he had previously collaborated. That’s how she got to Johanna Ortiz.
Today, Fashion Operandi has around 20 Latin American firms, among them, Paula Mendoza and Silvia Tcherassi, who are already expanding their vision on a global scale. ‘Johanna it was the first’, acknowledges Lauren Santo Domingo.