Bal Harbour

P H OTO S BY T H E J O T E A M (J O C A R AVA N ) ; A N D R E A S WA R Z (C O L L EC T I O N I M AG E S ) , A N D R É S OY U E L A ( P O R T R A I T ) When beloved Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz opened her successful JO Caravan concept at Bal Harbour Shops last December, it was the final stop of a unique project that had traveled from Texas to Saint-Tropez, arriving at the Shops for what was to be a limited engagement until the end of March. But the festive boutique—filled with gowns, accessories, ready-to-wear, and resort pieces, plus the opportunity to order unique palm-print table settings, baskets, textiles, and more from the Johanna Ortiz Home Collection—drew in so many fans that Ortiz is keeping it open through next January. "We have a team of 480 people in Colombia producing one-of-a-kind artisanal pieces," she explains, "and places like Bal Harbour help me show the world a little part of our story." Ortiz's designs are renowned for their handmade quality and celebrated fit, no matter the body type. Her secret? "I sketch after I design," she explains. "I drape first." To get the patterns right on her printed fabrics, Ortiz first sees how they will fall on the body. "I'm thinking about where the pattern will look good, and how it will appear," she says. Ortiz didn't start her career in fashion design, but rather in textiles, which gave her a good base for choosing the right fabric for a dress. "The light and the way it falls are really important," she says. "Patternmaking requires a lot of steps before the garment gets into production, so my team is always on top of the details." And that team in Cali, Colombia, is one that Ortiz has trained and nurtured, through a dedication to social change in the local communities. "Committing to produce in Colombia has been a challenge, because it is not at all a capital of fashion, and you cannot find the best seamstresses as in France or Italy," she says. "Many know how to sew and do normal application, but we must have superior finishings." To develop couture-level seamstresses with high-end embroidery skills, the brand established Escuela Johanna Ortiz in 2016. But the training isn't just to become a company employee. "It takes six months to learn, and after the program, some stay and work for us, while others decide to be entrepreneurs and start their own businesses," explains Ortiz. "It gives women the opportunity to enhance their lives." The program also provides scholarships, and in 2024, the graduating class consisted of 18 women between the ages of 18 and 50, and one man, aged 20, who stayed on to become Ortiz's apprentice. "He is such a talent and loves to sketch; I saw something in him," she says. "He has the same passion that I had once, and I feel that. It's what gives purpose to my job and to what I love to do. This work is not only about creating beautiful things; it's about everyone at the company growing together professionally and succeeding. It's not just one person's show." This philosophy is evident in the clothing tags sewn into each garment, each one recognizing the work of the seamstress who finished or embroidered it. "Each piece is really made with love. The collections are made in a place where we're passionate about fashion—and creating it in the most notable, professional, and responsible way," says Ortiz. Brand loyalists seem to appreciate this. "I'm always getting compliments," she says, "from people telling me how they remember what dress they wore, where they wore it, and what they wore it for—and how many people told them it was beautiful. I love seeing a woman walking with confidence and looking amazing. For me, that's the highest compliment I can receive." FROM CALI WITH LOVE Johanna Ortiz's JO Caravan is calling Bal Harbour home for a while longer. BY DEBORAH FRANK CLOCKWISE Designer Johanna Ortiz; bursts of color in the Spring/Summer 25 collection; the JO Caravan concept store at Bal Harbour Shops; looks from the S/S 25 presentation; home goods on display at Bal Harbour Shops. BALHAR B O U RSH O P S .CO M ; B UYI N G I N D E X , PAG E 20 4

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