Johanna Ortiz

Colombian fashion designer Johanna Ortiz's label, with its signature lush flower prints and exuberant ruffles, is worn around the world. Her designs are sold in more than 73 stores globally, including Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Selfridges, and Lane Crawford. Ortiz has become an international influencer known for her off-the-shoulder frocks and an ebullient sense of joie de vivre. Beyoncé, Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, and Jessica Alba have all worn her designs. Ortiz's breakthrough moment came in 2014, when Lauren Santo Domingo, the fashion gatekeeper and founder of Moda Operandi, met the designer on a trip to Cartagena, Colombia, and quickly snapped up Ortiz's collection for her groundbreaking ecommerce venture. In the six years since, Ortiz has presented her collections in Paris, earning critical acclaim from Vogue. Ortiz's unique point of view has been essential to her success and is rooted in an affection for and an expertise in textiles. She has built a company 380 women-strong and established an on-site training program for potential employees that offers free professional-level seamstress and embroidery courses and fosters independence.