NEW FACE: Self-Portrait on Friday appointed Chinese actress Liu Shishi, also known professionally as Cecilia Liu, as its latest global brand ambassador.

“I am delighted to embark on this new journey with Self-Portrait. The brand not only offers designs that embody the spirit and meet the needs of contemporary women, but also carries a unique gentle strength that accompanies them to attend every occasion with confidence. I hope to pass on this empowering confidence to everyone,” said Liu, who has over 34 million followers on Weibo.

A student of the prominent Beijing Dance Academy, Liu made her acting debut in 2005 with “The Moon and the Wind,” a television drama set during the Chinese Republican Era that featured a ballet segment. Further prominent parts in fantasy action and historical dramas also garnered her recognition.

Her breakthrough role was as Ruoxi, a 21st century woman who ends up thrust in the Qing Dynasty era and the female protagonist of the 2011 fantasy court drama “Scarlet Heart,” set during the Qing Dynasty. The series became a hit in China and abroad, earning Liu a raft of accolades that includes the Most Popular Actress awards at the China TV Drama Awards.

It also netted her real-life romance. Liu’s on-screen love interest was played by Taiwanese singer, actor and producer Nicky Wu, who she married in 2015. The pair have a son born in 2019.

After “Scarlet Heart,” Liu continued to find success on TV, including in “Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky,” which became a blockbuster with more than 2 billion views online. In recent years, Liu starred in “A Journey to Love” and supernatural drama “Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Love in Pavilion.” Her upcoming projects include “Dream” and “A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains.”

The actress also made a move toward the big screen by starring in feature films such as “Badges of Fury,” an action-comedy film released in 2013 where she worked alongside Jet Li, and “Scared Out,” a spy thriller film directed by Zhang Yimou this year.

Admired for her elegance, Liu has been cutting a chic figure at fashion shows in Paris and Milan over the years. She is also a global brand ambassador for the likes of Celine, Kering-owned Chinese jeweler Qeelin and watchmaker Omega.

And she is known for her philanthropic involvements, having served as Charity Package Ambassador for the China Foundation for Rural Development since 2011 and also supporting rural education and children with autism. In 2023, she launched the Shishi Cheer Up Love Plan, raising her voice to fulfill her social responsibilities.

Han Chong, founder and creative director of Self-Portrait, said Liu possesses “a quiet power of inspiration.”

“She is gentle yet resolute, poised and independent — this is exactly the ideal vision of the modern woman that Self-Portrait stands for. We not only admire her artistic achievements, but also cherish the authentic strength she embodies as a woman throughout her growth and life,” he added.

The London-based Chinese Malaysian designer forged a partnership with the Shenzhen-based Ellassay Group to co-manage the brand’s Chinese assets in 2019.

The brand now has 84 stand-alone stores in Greater China across key luxury retail hubs like Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Guangzhou, with plans to open more in the near future.