My Perfect Weekend with cheongsam designer Josephine Ho

Who: Designer Josephine Ho, 51, is the founder of Qiqing, a local brand that makes modern cheongsam for women. In love with the traditional garment, the self-taught tailor founded her label in 2017.

Fresh out of the Chinese New Year peak period, Ho was recently invited to design and showcase a small collection of upcycled denim cheongsam at H&M’s flagship store in Grange Road, which has inspired her to explore creating one-of-a-kind, upcycled modern cheongsam.

She is married to an architect, and the couple have three sons aged 20, 15 and 13.

“My weekdays are usually very packed with designing, sampling, sourcing, production and meeting customers. But I am looking forward to this Friday. While it’s still the Chinese New Year period, I can start my day late around noon, while everyone is back at work.

I’ll be going on a date with my husband. He has been a very hands-on dad during my peak period, so I want to give him a good treat. This big treat will be lunch at a hawker centre.

He loves the nostalgia at old markets like the ones in Maxwell, Tiong Bahru and Ghim Moh. It might be simple, but he enjoys having chee cheong fun, carrot cake and char kway teow.

Afterwards, I will head to the library by myself, where I can enjoy the tranquillity and be immersed in magazines. My favourite place to unwind is library@harbourfront. I love to sit on the yellow beach chairs by the windows with a view of Sentosa and a stack of magazines.

I can read for up to three hours. Such rare moments alone are what I really cherish and they refresh my soul and mind after months of rushing work.

The only time I leave the library is when I get hungry. Starbucks and Coffee Bean are my usual joints for cold frappes, although sometimes I treat myself to tea at TWG.

Then it is time to meet the boys and husband for dinner. We will go to our favourite sushi place, Donburi King, for chirashi don and fresh oysters flown in from Japan. Spending mealtime with my boys is very important because it is the only time I can catch up on their lives and daily events.

If we want to pamper ourselves, we will go to iSteaks for its tender steaks and delectable sides like Cinnamon Candied Pumpkin, Cream Spinach with Parmesan, and Bacon Onion Sauteed Brussels.

Another place we head to for a satisfying meal is Tonkatsu by Ma Maison at Jewel Changi Airport – for its hearty signature Rosu Katsu set.

On Saturday, we will go to East Coast Park for a picnic and while away the day. My eldest son will likely be playing guitar or lazing on the mat, the second will be reading a book or cycling, and the youngest will be building sandcastles.

At night, we will take the boys to their favourite barbecue stall at Fengshan Food Centre in Bedok. Their favourite dishes are stingray, sambal sotong, cockles, satay and barbecued chicken wings.

Then we will head home for a movie on Netflix, with cup noodles and nuggets for snacks.

On Sunday, we will go to church and catch up with friends after the service. I will also be in town for some retail therapy. I need to be informed of trends as these give me inspiration.

In the evening, we visit my mother-in-law to have a home-cooked dinner together before my eldest son, who is doing national service, books into camp.

I will end the weekend in my massage chair and spend time with my husband over a cup of tea.”