From pottery to fashion design

A crossover star

Renowned as a potter, Virgil Ortiz finds growing success as a fashion designerOrtiz said he currently supports his fashion career with money from his pottery, but he ultimately hopes the clothing will become a moneymaker in its own right. He said his mother told him not to make too much money on the pottery because it is sacred.

Over the past four years, he’s begun to gain a following for his clothing. Every year at Indian Market, he presents a new, progressively slicker line of clothing.

In 2003, fashion designer Donna Karan printed Ortiz’s modern interpretations of traditional motifs such as wild spinach onto fabric that she made into dresses for her spring line.

Since then, Ortiz has been working with manufacturers to produce his edgy, embellished jeans, leather jackets, jewelry and limited-edition handbags.