“It’s inspired by the Garden of Eden, but in the conception that it’s not a place, but a state of mind,” Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz said of her fall collection, which made its runway debut in Madrid’s Circulo de Bellas Artes ballroom on Tuesday evening. The show was a milestone for the designer, who has previously shown collections via presentations in Paris and who this season served as the opening guest international designer of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid.

While Ortiz has become known for her special occasion cocktail dresses and fabulous gowns, the designer flexed her skills for fall, offering rich new sensibilities through an expansion of separates and outerwear, with nods to the Spanish city through Tolero-inspired jackets and details.

“We work a lot in our atelier in Colombia to give movement to embroidery and show the volume and texture of the fabrics. I’m always obsessed with making things for several uses — it’s not a one event dress, but for multiple occasions. It’s more in the styling that gives it the attitude for the occasion,” Ortiz explained.

The collection nicely displayed a bohemian spirit that while glamorous, had an undone ease, as seen through feather-adorned caftans, cool embellished shearling vests and coats, and great cascading capes that topped her signature embellished and embroidered evening fare.

“I love this collection because it gave me the opportunity to work a lot with the separates, such as the fashion statement embroidered top that can be worn with jeans,” she said of new blouses with details spanning from striped sequins and pussybows to signature ruffles and floral prints and embroideries.

Layering also played a key role throughout, and stemmed from Ortiz’s study of global clients who need ample cold-weather layers, as seen through great new gaucho-inspired trousers with boots, which Ortiz said she’s proposing as the “JO” version of equestrian-tinged tuxedo pants.

“Fall is a collection that will show this magnificent woman who appreciates and enjoys fashion, but is not following any trends. The woman who enjoys and knows the value of artisanal work like hand embroideries and finished pieces that we work on in our atelier in Colombia,” Ortiz explained.