Photo provided to China Daily

"No matter how good a design is, clothes are for people to wear. The dress has to complement the wearer, not overshadow her. Some dresses might look good on a model but not necessarily on real people."

This is also incorporated into his ready-to-wear line. For instance, Bu avoids using earth tones in his designs as he finds they don't flatter Asian skin in general. Instead, he has created what he calls the "whitening palette" that makes the wearer's complexion look brighter.

"You have to wear the clothes, not the other way around," he says.

Speaking about the increasing presence of Chinese celebrities at international fashion events and all the debate it has generated, Bu says people sometimes tend to take fashion weeks too seriously.

"It's like a big party. It's not the Oscars. You can wear whatever you like. Play a little, fashion can be fun."

Contact the writer at sunyuanqing@chinadaily.com.cn