WHO: Ms Jarenis Ho, 40, is the founder of women’s fashion label Y21. Better known by its former name Yacht 21, the brand started out as a cruise-wear label with dresses made for resort getaways. Post-pandemic, it has rebranded to offer urban resort wear for the modern woman.
The 12-year-old brand recently revamped its flagship store at Suntec City. Ms Ho is also working on a new upcycling venture called Y21 ReWork – to turn defective clothes and leftover fabric scraps from her manufacturers into new designs such as bags and tops. She is married to Filipino photographer Franz Navarrete, 42.
“Fridays mean hanging out in the design studio with my team. I like to grab lunch at Overbrod at Anchorpoint for my go-to combo of cold-brew coffee and Swedish meatballs.
The day winds down with an izakaya dinner at Shunjuu Izakaya at Riverside View, followed by a refreshing glass of ice-cold Japanese beer at my friend’s bar, Flow, at Robertson Quay.
I usually start my Saturday with a morning walk with my husband along the Green Corridor – near where we live – then grab brunch at Ghim Moh Market. Our favourite is Old Teochew Mee Siam – we can eat it every day.
Post-brunch, it is off to our go-to neighbourhood cafe, House Downstairs, also in Ghim Moh, for our coffee fix.
On Saturdays, we prefer a laid-back pace as a couple – listening to vinyl records and reading the afternoon away.
Evenings are reserved for grocery shopping and our go-to is Cold Storage Jelita in Holland Road. I really enjoy perusing the aisles – there is something therapeutic about strolling through them.
Sundays are dedicated to the family, with my husband and me usually having lunch with my folks and brother. Our preferred spot is Red Star Restaurant in Chin Swee Road for some delightful Hong Kong dim sum.
I particularly relish the lively chaos. Watching the dim sum trolleys navigate through the busy crowd sets an energising tone for the day.
Afterwards, we usually head to my grandma’s place in Tiong Bahru, where I spent my childhood.
The strong bond I have shared with her from a young age is one of the reasons I pursued entrepreneurship. She inspired me to do so – and, at 93, her strength and determination to stay healthy are truly admirable.
We like to catch a movie at The Projector to end the weekend. We recently caught Past Lives (2023) by South Korean-Canadian writer-director Celine Song and The Breaking Ice (2023) by Singaporean film-maker Anthony Chen.
Chen did it again – his film was so poetic and left the heart feeling bittersweet. As always, he adeptly depicted the emotions of loneliness and displacement. During the post-show chat, I was deeply moved by his film-making journey amid the pandemic and found it relatable.
This weekend before Christmas, I am going for my first pottery class with the Y21 team at Taoz Ceramics Studio at Orchardgateway. We are celebrating two of our team members’ birthdays. I am looking forward to making a pair of coffee cups for my husband for our wedding anniversary in January.”
