COZINESS: Li Dongtian, sitting in his New York City restaurant on June 13, talks about his experience abroad (ERIC WONG)

Engaged in fashion over many years, Li Dongtian, well acquainted with designs from both the East and West, always does his own thing. The picky stylist is quite confident about his ideas. In his view, it is either all or nothing.

The globally famed stylist, born in 1972, recently opened a restaurant called Lotus Blue, similar to the one he owns in Beijing, in downtown Manhattan.

"Starting this year, we also introduced the Dongtian Kitchen bar in our new branch," Li said.

The stylist has decorated his venue with warmth and a natural sense of ease, far different from his catwalk cool and forward-looking approach.

"People who work with me would be surprised if they saw me during times of leisure. I'm normally very serious," Li said, "probably because I am a Pisces, whose two-sided characteristics are extremely prominent."

People often associate the designer with his various exaggerated styles, which make Chinese models look unrivaled. At present, Li is applying his confidence and experience to food.

Sino-West blend

"I often talk with my chefs about recipe innovation, such as what dish to keep and which to chuck. For example, rice noodles and beef vermicelli, as our signature dishes, must stay on menu.

It takes courage to open an authentic Chinese restaurant in Tribeca, a downtown area of New York City, where Chinese are not mainstream residents. As far as flavor is concerned, Li is firm in his idea.

"I won't change the original taste of Chinese food in order to cater to local New Yorkers. That is what I insist upon. In fact, many sweet and sour dishes were deleted from our menu," he said.

"I believe that a really distinctive restaurant has its own style and flavor."

Li's focus on recipe is mostly due to his deep understanding of and involvement in Chinese and world fashion. According to the designer, Westerners have gradually begun to accept the aesthetic views Easterners prefer. With China's mega-rise, a lot of Western people are becoming interested in what locals here like.

"I think Westerners understand what is acceptable to most Chinese. People have grown familiar with each other via increased cultural contact," Li said.

Li often designs for Asian models and clearly understands the facial characteristics of Eastern people.

"Generally speaking, Asians have more dimensionally shallow faces, compared to greater depth in Westerner equivalents. Whatever the case might be, I always try to strike a balance between the two," he explained.

"Due to their facial characteristics, Asians are more suited to matte colors, which lend features more dimension. Western stylists, on the other hand, often tend to flatten features."

Today, stories about his early success have become legend in fashion circles. Way back, when few believed Lu Yan qualified for the World Super Model contest in 2000, Li invited her to his studio and employed her as a model. Years later, she has become one of the most famous of Chinese catwalk stars.

"At the time, I believed Lu could become a super model. It was pure instinct," Li explained.