[1] Born in Paris on 29 June 1947 to a Spanish father and a German mother, Montana began his career by designing papier-mâché jewelry covered with rhinestones.
[15][16] He was an avid colorist and favored blue, red, metallic, and neutral tones, in luxurious materials such as cashmere, leather, and silk.
He started his own company, The House of Montana, in 1979, and quickly became a darling of 1980s high fashion along with Thierry Mugler, who also favored aggressive shapes and strong colours.
[24] By fall of 1988, he had moved in most of his garments to a completely natural shoulder while still maintaining a commanding line,[25] now given to a geometric trapeze shaping[26] that extended even to wide-hemmed pants,[27][28] a silhouette he would focus on through the first half of 1989.
[36][37] In the earliest 1990s, Montana returned somewhat to futuristic looks, this time joining a trend toward sixties Space Age revival,[38] with sharply tailored suits featuring vivid colors, prominent zippers, stretch fabrics, and angular but narrow shoulders.
Despite critical acclaim, Montana's bold designs were financially disastrous for the house, created at a total estimated loss of $50 million, and he was ultimately replaced by Dominique Morlotti.