H&M launches new designer collaboration with Johanna Ortiz

Swedish fashion giant H&M is gearing up for the release of its capsule with Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz.

The collection was first announced last November after the release of Giambattista Valli's collection. The pre-drop comprising of a tunic, a mini dress, a wrap dress and a floor-length variant with floral prints were released on December 3, 2019, in selected shops and online. The main collection will be significantly larger than the pre-drop and will include not only dresses but also separates and swimwear.

'The prints all stem from my obsession with flowers, palm trees and the beautiful colors that I see from my window when I wake up at home in Cali, Colombia (the capital of salsa),' Ortiz said in a press release. 'I'm most excited about the fact that I'm taking a bit of my design and a bit of Colombia and reaching a new audience of women.'

The cooperation with Johanna Ortiz is a first for H&M because it is the first designer collection with a Latin American designer. Ortiz founded her label in 2003 and is also socially involved in her home town of Cali, a small town in Colombia. She introduced a training program in her factory that offers free sewing and knitting courses and promotes the financial independence of future employees. The H&M partnership will allow her to expand the initiative and further professionalize local artisans.

Known for her colorful and flamboyant creations with exotic prints and feminist silhouettes Ortiz's designs are must-haves and have been sported by Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Alexa Chung, Jessica Biel, Olivia Palermo, and Sienna Miller.

'I'm most excited about the fact that I'm taking a bit of my design and a bit of Colombia and reaching a new audience of women. I think that's really satisfying. We tried to make the designs in the image of what I have liked most in my collections, and not only the prints, but also the silhouettes. I love dresses, I love floral dresses worn without shoes and I want people to really enjoy the way they feel in my designs,' Ortiz said.

The Johanna Ortiz x H&M collection will be available in stores and online on March 12, 2020.

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