Looks that cast a spell

For Natasha Richard, the models Emma Pei, Liu Wen and Du Juan are the epitome of Chinese feminine beauty.

"They are natural, fresh and have elongated eyes," the US designer says. "Theirs is the face I see on ancient Chinese paintings, they represent a typical 'Oriental belle'.

"Most importantly, these supermodels are not going under the knife these days, and they always exude an air of confidence."

Richard also knows that the traditional Chinese notion of beauty was far from what Chinese girls aspire to be nowadays.

Throughout Chinese history, people have had distinct ideas about beautiful women. In general, they were small-boned with fair skin, boasted oval faces, bright eyes, willow-leaf-shaped eyebrows and mouths that curved upward at the corners.

Understandably, these standards fluctuated in different times to reflect changing cultural norms and customs.

Before the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), "effeminate and delicate" were the standards people used to judge a beautiful woman.

From the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) to the Southern and Northern Dynasties (AD 420-581), they stressed morality over physical beauty.

During this time, women's clothes and accessories were very simple but they did allow their faces to be powdered with a special rice-based foundation.

During the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618) and the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), natural, plump, graceful and healthy became bywords for beauty.