Colombian fashion is is the talk of the industry, and Johanna Ortiz is one of the primary reasons. A native of Cali—the world capital of salsa, which will not surprise anyone familiar with her ruffled, party-ready creations—she studied fashion design in Florida before returning home to launch her eponymous brand. Ortiz began showing her collections in earnest in 2014, and immediately reeled in some of the world’s most coveted retailers—Moda Operandi, Net-a-Porter, and Lane Crawford, for starters. As something of an unofficial ambassador for her country’s fashion industry, Ortiz has shown her collections at the White House and at the United Nations; she frequently enlists artisans from indigenous communities to manufacture her clothing. Next up: a collaboration with H&M, which will roll it out at its stores around the globe starting in March. But first, she divulges the key components to the good life …
Airline: One that’s always on time
Bag: A Colombian mochila
Bedtime: Everyone is sound asleep while I’m reading a good book.
Biking TRAIL: The beach in Key Biscayne
Birthday: One spent traveling
Breakfast: Good Colombian coffee or an almond cappuccino in bed, served along with the newspaper
Child: My three boys, Lukas, Joaquín, and Lorenzo
Cocktail: Does rosé à la piscine count as a cocktail?
Couple: One that laughs and dances often
Date: Midnight in a bar with my love
Diet: No restrictions on weekends or holidays
Disguise: Oversize sunglasses
Dress: Festive vibe
Enemy: Ego
Family: Mine, with all their imperfections
SHOES:
I’d rather be barefoot.
Good-bye: A kiss and a hidden, handwritten note
Hideaway: My bed
MatcH: A polo match, especially if my boys are playing
Name: Something that can be pronounced in most languages
Neighbor: Anyone who doesn’t complain when you have parties
Novel: Of Love and Other Demons, by Gabriel García Márquez
Pen: Stylograph
Ride: A convertible, driving on Route 69, listening to 80s music
Singer: Marc Anthony
Spouse: César
Storm: Tropical
Television series: Documentaries
Time of day: Around 5:30 p.m. in Cali, when there’s a pink sunset and a breeze
Toast: “Salud para todos!”
Vacation: Nights spent with hammocks, books, and handheld fans
View: The ocean. The waves.
Wake-up time: Eight in the morning
Weekend LOOK: A swimsuit and pareus
Work of art: Humans
Johanna’s Musts
