johanna + friends
Hilary (Johanna & Hilary)
She is my very good friend who also happens to be actress-turned style icon and trendsetter for the Hong Kong fashion scene. Hilary and I both share a passion for fashion and clothes and shoes and bags…and it was inevitable that we got together to form a line of our own. We also share the same tastes and we like to mix and match fashion labels with niche finds, and all things vintage.
“Johanna & Hilary” is a line that is edgy,cool and a bit girly…just like us! It’s also an upcycled knitwear line that is made of old knit samples (mainly from Johanna’s past collections) and second hand clothes (mainly from Hilary’s own closet!)Therefore, each piece and design is unique as no two pieces are the same!! Awesome!!!
Leanne (HO:CLAXTON)
My so talented friend! Leanne is the most charming and the sweetest girl ever! Also a fellow St. Martins graduate, British artist/print designer Leanne Claxton,was originally trained as a painter but later developed a passion for textiles design. Her organic prints and kaleidoscopic colour palette translates perfectly into digitally printed fabric, resulting in exquisite wearable art. I first worked with Leanne in 2010 together on a concert costume for CantoPop star Eason Chan. The collaboration was such a happy experience that we decided to work on a line together…which resulted in “HO:CLAXTON”, a line of cool and elegant jersey dresses and sculptural knits, that also focuses on eco-friendly concept by using zero wastage pattern cutting techniques, in which each garment has no leftover fabric wastage.
ro (ro:jo)
ro is like my big brother. It’s a utility bag line initially for men. Always dreamt of having my own bag line (and a cool utility one for working girls). So when Yvonne Roe, the chief designer for ro, approached me to collaborate on a line for women, it was an inevitable yes. ro was founded in April of 1999 in New York city. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Yvonne worked as a fashion designer for several years until she decided to create a collection of bags from an outsider’s perspective, offering new insight in the making of contemporary accessories. In 2003, Yvonne moved the entire design studio to Recanati, Italy, taking advantage of the rich resources of Italian materials, leathers, and traditional bag making techniques. Both mothers of two kids, Yvonne and I understands the importance of balance between work and family. We both love our work, and the birth of ro:jo is the start of many great and wonderful things to come!
BECCA
Honestly, I am NOT a big fan of makeup, but I still like to put a bit on. I know I sound pathetic,but at least not the traditional way. I have always been told off by my grandmother, who has white porcelain skin, that I should do something with my freckles…”too much sun!” she would say, and that I should get as much concealer as possible to cover them up. As years go by, my freckles are still all intact, and I’m proud to say that I’m quite happy with them simply because I’m quite happy for simply being who I am. That is why when I found out about BECCA, I was instantly hooked.
“My search for the ‘perfect foundation’ became a mission that was to prove as elusive as the search for the Holy Grail!” – Rebecca Morrice Williams, Founder of BECCA
Rebecca started her career as a makeup artist in Perth, Western Australia. Frustrated by her own inability to find the perfect foundation, one that would look natural, conceal blemishes, feel weightless on the skin and stay fresh all day, she set out to create it herself. After 6 years of scientific research and development, Rebecca’s passion and persistence has resulted in the ultimate range of skin-perfecting products that make it possible for all women to experience the pleasure of a flawless and radiant complexion. The BECCA line has evolved to delight the most demanding makeup artists globally, excited the most respected beauty editors, and met the needs of the busiest modern women around the world. Totally my kind of makeup…and hence the reason I’m having my very own selection here…
Johanna ho X LOVE by e.m.
Loving all things knit, I always enjoy finding more fun and interesting ways to explore the boundaries in knitwear.
I first met the designer (Tobita san) from e.m.(one of the most amazing jewellery brand from Japan), some seven/eight years ago, when I was living and working in Japan. Working with e.m.is like exploring Aladdin’s cave. Everything is so delicate and intricate, modern, yet with always with a twist of vintage feel to it. Which is precisely the reason why I approached e.m.to work with me, to work on a line of knitwear-come-jewellery. And the result, a simply mind-blowing synergy that is full of creativity, beauty and love, love, love.
Titakaka X Johanna Ho
I am a self-confessed shoe craze. Ever since the chance of working with Jimmy Choo, who designed my shoes for my Masters degree graduation show at Saint Martins during London Fashion Week, I just never looked back. It was just inevitable that I had to have my own shoe line. Working with Titikaka was therefore an absolute dream come true. Titikaka,(Titicaca) originally the name of a lake in South America, is already a well established shoe brand in Hong Kong. The brand has their very own factories in China, and has been making shoes for many many years. They take great care and pride and attention to the design,the lasts, its fit, and to the finishing details. Shoes can look great, but one also has to stand and walk in them in a good period of time. Therefore, it has always been my goal to design a shoe line that not only looks great, but also has to feel great without sacrificing the height or designs. The titikaka X johanna ho line is just all about that. Great designs, great fit, and of great friendly prices that just won’t break your bank.
