Johanna Ortiz went out of her comfort zone for her fall presentation, trading the ambience of plush showrooms for the rarefied spaces of the Collège des Bernardins, a 13th century gothic building that was formerly a Cistercian college of the University of Paris. Further stepping up the game, she showed a broader collection than usual in a mini défilé, welcoming people in a feisty atmosphere with a vibey DJ set. Asked if she’ll ever consider taking to the runway in the future, she didn’t dismiss the option.
The collection conveyed a feel of ease; while Ortiz focussed on handcrafted embroideries and bold prints of red poppies, she kept the silhouettes of her floor-sweeping dresses fluid and sensuous. Plays of panels transforming into capes or shawls, bows and hip-hugging sashes, detachable sleeves, fringes and ruched inserts added a sense of movement and versatility. “A dress should be worn and lived in more than once in different occasions,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be buried into a closet.”
Being a female designer leading an atelier of 460 people, 80 percent of them women, Ortiz knows a thing or two about respecting women’s bodies and celebrating their diversity. “We know our tricks,” she said. “We know what to conceal and what ro reveal, and how to enhance our best features.” Her flattering creations have a graceful, joyful sensuality to them. “All bodies are beautiful, and I want women to feel beautiful in what I design,” Ortiz said. “For me, it’s all about celebrating the joy of being a woman.”
