The shopper: local label Johanna Ho opens first store

"It was like designing my dream house," says Johanna Ho Chi-yan of her new two-storey flagship on Central's Wyndham Street. A dedicated retail space in one of the city's major luxury shopping areas was a fantasy for the fashion designer until this year. But now it's real: "The granny wallpapers - because of my love of all things vintage - and the mixture of textures and colours make it kind of girly. There is a crazy use of different pinks, as well as hard-edged details of iron, steel, glass and neon," she says.

The mother of two is one of Hong Kong's most noted designers. Her clothes have an urban flair with retro twists and a hint of Japanese deconstruction. Ho counts local celebrities Karen Mok Man-wai, Faye Wong, Hilary Tsui Ho-ying, Miriam Yeung Chin-wah and Eason Chan Yik-shun as fans, as well as American songstress Lana del Rey.

With such a strong following and distinctive look (her short, choppy hair, freckles and cheeky grin are instantly recognisable), Ho is one of the first local designers to enjoy long-standing crossover success.

The interior design of the store, she says, is a big "mishmash of all the things that I love", and a chance to express her identity and design sensibility in a cohesive way - a 1,700 sq ft look inside the world of Johanna Ho.

Apart from her womenswear line and new menswear line, the upstairs also functions as a VIP room, where a customised design service - or "semi-couture" line - will be offered. This small range of intricate, one-of-a-kind pieces will give people the option of choosing their own colours, design details and sizing.

"I don't want to call them evening wear designs," she says. "They are more like special pieces that can be worn as party or evening wear, or matched with jeans." Ho describes her womenswear as "feminine, elegant, yet cool and edgy as well". Since becoming a mother, comfort and ease has also become a priority. Some would also add "eco-conscious" to the mix, as she has started to focus on zero and low-waste pattern cuts, more trans-seasonal products and sustainable materials.