Esteban Cortázar

As part of the 2017 France-Colombia Year, Cortázar made a personal selection of Colombian brands and representative products for the Colette concept store. This event lasted two weeks and was the subject of a specific installation of shop windows at Colette. One represented a typical Colombian grocery store, while the second was dedicated to Cortázar's capsule collection.

From July 10–22, 2017, France paid tribute to Colombia through cultural and artistic initiatives. Cortázar joined forces with the Parisian concept store Colette to honour his influences. The program featured: a water bar made in Colombia, which offered a special menu from Colombian chef Carlos Peñarredonda; beautiful books, including the limited edition of Botero d'Assouline which retraces the country's artistic culture; and clothing such as a hoodie imagined by Colombian reggaetón singer J Balvin. A set of collaborative pieces with local artists and designers emphasised Esteban's knowledge of Colombia.

In 2014, Cortázar created a strategy to lessen the interval from runway to store without compromising craftsmanship. His approach was to confirm orders and begin production before his runway shows cutting the gap. The strategy started a conversation that is reshaping the industry.

In 2012, Natalie Massanet approached Esteban to create a series of capsule collections for Net-a-Porter. This process ushered in the relaunch of his eponymous brand. His work earned international acclaim and a loyal following for his personal take on femininity, modernity, and luxury.

In 2007, Cortázar moved to Paris to run the House of Emanuel Ungaro. He familiarised himself with one of Europe's fashion icons. He has resided in Paris ever since.

In 2004, Cortázar graduated from Miami's Design and Architecture Senior High School, where he studied fashion design. From 2004 to 2008, he partnered up with Edit Meurrens as his business partner; she managed all financials for the company and was behind making New York Fashion Week at Bryant Park possible for the house of Cortazar for four years or eight seasons. At that time, Cortazar was the youngest designer to show in NY fashion week, which opened many doors and gave Cortazar more serious recognition in the fashion world. This made his move and transition to Paris possible.

In 1999, Esteban's early sketches caught the eye of Kal Ruttenstein, Bloomingdale's late fashion director. He later picked up Esteban's first collection. Other international retailers followed suit, and in 2006 Esteban became a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

South Beach during the 1990s, was Esteban's childhood playground. It featured an evolving fashion scene pioneered by designers Gianni Versace and Todd Oldham. The city's Latin cultural scene and kitsch trans-culture became the backdrop for iconic imagery, such as those by Bruce Weber, Peter Lindberg and Herb Ritz. Their collective vision of empowered, nonchalant supermodels stayed in Cortázar's mind as he came to view fashion as self-expression.

Esteban Cortázar (born May 17, 1984) is a Colombian-American fashion designer. He grew up in Miami, Florida and is one of the youngest designers to ever present at New York Fashion Week.

Cortázar was born in Bogotá, Colombia, to Colombian painter Valentino Cortázar and former British jazz singer Dominique Vaughan. His grandmother's wardrobe and mother's stage outfits formed his early fashion vocabulary. His childhood straddled continents, lifestyles, and subcultures, which he cites as influences. Other influences include the Ibiza scene of the 1970s (where his parents married) and Parisian disciplines.