H&M announces collaboration with Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz

H&M has announced the launch of a new collection in collaboration with Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz. On December 3, the Swedish fast-fashion giant will launch a four-model pre-collection, while the complete collection will reach the stores in March 2020.

It is H&M’s first collaboration with a Latin American fashion designer. In the history of H&M’s collaborations, which began in 2004 with Karl Lagerfeld, there is a long list of Italian, British and US world-class designers, but this is the first time that a Latin American one is making the headlines by teaming up with H&M. The Johanna Ortiz label has been active on the international fashion market for nearly five years, since it was first launched on Moda Operandi and Net-a-Porter. It is still a relatively young label, but one that has had remarkable international success.

Speaking to FashionNetwork.com earlier this month, Ortiz said that “we have many collaborations for this year, but for the time being we cannot reveal any details,” hinting that the H&M collection will not be the only collaboration to be dropped in 2019.

The new collection is set to showcase all of Johanna Ortiz’s creative flair. The label is based in Cali, Colombia, where Ortiz herself hails from, and the designer repeatedly said that it is not necessary to live in one of the world’s major capitals to be successful.

The first four items in the collection are signature looks from Johanna Ortiz’s archives, where floral prints and bolero jackets with the label’s tropical vibe are among the most distinctive elements.

H&M provided no details about the collection’s launch event, though clearly this collaboration is changing the Swedish giant's strategy in Colombia and Latin America. H&M currently operates seven stores in Colombia, following two new openings in Medellín this month.

H&M announces collaboration with Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz

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