Having recently opened her US flagship in a four-story 1910 landmark on New York’s Madison Avenue, Johanna Ortiz is on a roll, steering her successful JO Caravan concept into an elegantly festive space at Bal Harbour Shops for the holiday season. “My wish was always to be at Bal Harbour,” says the 51-year-old Colombian luxury fashion designer as she sits on a white cushiony fiber-crafted chair in the pop-up boutique she curated herself. “I have a vacation home here in Miami and this is where my family came since I was very young. I grew up here and consider it the perfect shopping place.”
Ortiz’s collections are renowned for their handmade artisanal quality and celebrated fit no matter the body type. At her Bal Harbour pop-up, she translated that distinct craftsmanship into the design of the store. Using natural fibers and wood, she has created a welcoming ambiance that spotlights an assortment of gowns, accessories, ready-to-wear and resort pieces. The upholstered wallcoverings made of Schumacher’s natural Kiyoko jute highlight the floating wood shelves and handwoven carpets that pay tribute to her Latin American roots. Also on display are items from the Johanna Ortiz Home collection, offering the opportunity to order unique palm-print table settings, baskets, cloths, and more to truly immerse yourself in Ortiz’s lush lifestyle. “The palm tree has always been my signifier,” says Ortiz, “since I started 20 years ago, because in my country, in Colombia, I see the trees and mountains all around where I live. I wake up to a really tropical vibe. And for me, the palm tree is feminine in the way it sways. It’s what moves me.”
Ortiz reimagined the “A Palm is a Palm” print specially for the Bal Harbour boutique with unique colors that have transformed the space into a relaxing retreat that celebrates the natural beauty of the tropics and exemplifies her organic aesthetic. The JO Caravan has traveled to Texas, Saint-Tropez, the Hamptons, and Comporta, Portugal. Bal Harbour Shops is its final stop and the last chance to experience this special project, which ends March 30, 2025.