The Río Magdalena, Colombia’s majestic river, flows northward via the nation’s western half, carrying centuries of historical past, from pre-Columbian cultures to Spanish colonization. Named after Mary Magdalene, it stays a robust image of the nation’s spirit and continuity. Johanna Ortiz drew from this legacy for her spring assortment, referred to as Magdalena, an homage to her Colombian roots.
Her most tangible gesture of assist for Colombia’s heritage lies in her ongoing dedication to native craftsmanship and artisanal tradition. At her Cali atelier—based to make use of and empower regional skills—round 480 artisans, 78% of them ladies, deliver her designs to life. The atelier additionally homes a faculty the place conventional strategies are taught and preserved. Whereas silks and jerseys are sourced from Italy, each piece is totally crafted in-house, grounding Ortiz’s imaginative and prescient within the authenticity of Colombian handwork.
This season, her prints echoed the luxurious textures of tropical landscapes. Earthy, sun-warmed tones outlined sporty cropped jackets worn over her signature lengthy, fluid attire cinched with high-waisted corset belts woven from pure fibers; languid silhouettes had been usually layered below matching shawls, or shimmering with sequined panels. Ortiz additionally infused private recollections into the styling with items from her personal assortment of mochila luggage—conventional basket designs meticulously handmade by the Kankuamo neighborhood of the Sierra Nevada. “I actually relate to the river at this level in my life,” mentioned Ortiz. “Typically we preserve circling again, pushing ourselves a bit of too exhausting. However proper now, I’m studying to let issues move. This assortment displays that second—dwelling sooner or later at a time, permitting every new day to deliver its personal journey and magic.”
