Feel good florals! Exotic flowers and luscious fruits by luxury label Ortiz have made their way onto the High Street thanks to a H&M collaboration
- Exotic prints like palm fronds and tropical flowers are everywhere this season
- H&M have collaborated with Ortiz to bring her Beyonce’s looks to High Street
- Collection features midi and maxi length skirts and dresses plus swimwear
Exotic prints are everywhere this spring. Palm fronds, jungle creepers, tropical flowers and luscious fruits have made their way onto dresses, skirts, summer suits and swimwear.
Jennifer Lopez gave the look a serious boost when she appeared at Versace’s Spring 2020 show in a recreation of that daring palm-print dress she wore to the Grammys in 2000. So popular was that particular outfit that she famously ‘broke’ the internet, forcing Google to invent a new search tool. Fast-forward two decades and while 50-year-old J-Lo still wears it well, exotic print has a new queen in the form of Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz.
Anna Pursglove reveals this season’s collaboration with Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz and H&M. Pictured: Dress, £39.99, hm.com; shoes, £25.99, newlook. com
Dress, £39.99, hm.com; shoes, £20, asos.com (left). Top, £17.99, and skirt, £34.99, hm.com; shoes, £99, kurt geiger. com (right)
Her creations have taken both the fashion and celebrity worlds by storm, cleverly mixing feminine ruffles with strong silhouettes. By her own admission, Ortiz is ‘curvy’ so her designs work on real women, not just catwalk models. Michelle Obama picked Ortiz for her book tour and Beyonce is also a fan. The trouble is, though, the label is expensive. We’re talking close to £1,000 for a skirt and sometimes a whopping £2,000 and more for a dress. There isn’t much change from £500 for a swimsuit either.
That was until H&M got on board, collaborating with Ortiz to bring her looks to the High Street. The collection (which launched in stores and online on March 12) features midi and maxi length skirts and dresses plus shirts and swimwear.
Dress, £49.99, hm.com; shoes, £245, russelland bromley. co.uk; jewellery throughout, merola. co.uk
If full-scale jungle print makes you nervous then have a look at the black and white skirt, £34.99 (above), which you could wear with the white puff-sleeve shirt, £17.99. It’s got just a hint of salsa-party without being too over-the-top.
Braver souls will love the pale-pink, satin, one-shoulder dress, £49.99 (above left), just right for a summer party.
The red, long-sleeve dress, £39.99 (centre), meanwhile, will appeal to anyone who favours the current Seventies-inspired look.
As always with H&M’s designer collaborations, pieces tend to sell fast. So order now before the madness starts and clothes change hands online for outlandish prices.
Dress, £39.99, hm.com; shoes, £245, russelland bromley. co.uk (left). Dress, £49.99, hm.com; shoes, £20, asos.com (right)