The dynamic duo

Fan Bingbing appears in a red gown (left) and dragon robe at the Cannes International Film Festival, in 2011 and 2010.

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Designer Bu Kewen and actress Fan Bingbing have become an unstoppable fashion force. Mei Jia reports.

The US TV show Fashion Police once compared Chinese actress Fan Bingbing with Jennifer Lopez when both were clad in Elie Saab designs. The program's hosts concluded "the No 1 star in China" beat Lopez with her "that's-called-style" way of dressing. Fan was attending Paris Fashion Week in the spring of 2011 with the Lebanese designer's "bling-bling" camisole wrapped around her head. As her stylist, 32-year-old Bu Kewen (also known as Chris Bu Kewen), puts it: "Fan's appearance surprised many. Everyone said she must be some Arabian princess."

Bu's work with Fan continued to captivate the public's gaze through that year's Cannes Film Festival.

Fan took to the red carpet in a red crane gown Bu designed, clutching a pearl purse. Her hair was in a bouffant.

Her "Chinese-style" dress won the Red Carpet Fashion Award's best gown of the week.

"When she first showed up in Cannes in 2010, foreigners didn't know her well," Bu says.

"But after she appeared in the crane gown, all the top brands started inviting Fan to try on their creations."

Bu was also behind Fan's dragon robe at the 63rd Cannes. Working with Laurence Xu, he had turned the ancient emperors' official robe into an evening gown.

Bu is proud Fan conquered the red carpet with his design, while promoting Chinese sensibilities in global fashion circles.

Stylist的caption：Fan Bingbing's stylist and bromeo Chris Bu Kewen talks with China Daily at a cafe in Nanluogu lane in Beijing.[Photo/China Daily]

"It's not easy to dress correctly for occasions dominated by international heavyweights," he says.

"That's especially true for mainland actresses, who are relatively new to the challenges. You can't dress like the others, and you can't dress just to remind people you're Chinese."

The stylist's secret to "being Chinese and glamorous" is that he creates garments that feature designs that appeal to global trends, with Chinese elements, he says.

"For the crane gown, I used Chinese textures," he explains.

"I chose from 20 rolls of cloth of different red hues, and incorporated Chinese embroidery and symbols. But the ultimate standard is beauty."

Bu freelances in Beijing and works with other big-name clients, including actresses Zhao Wei and Sun Li.

He developed a habit of researching patterns and designs in the library of Beijing Film Academy, where he got his bachelor's degree.

Bu has continued his meticulous studies. He spent eight months innovating on embroidery and an additional five searching for textures and patterns for the crane gown.