Flora Cheong-Leen

Flora Zeta Elizabeth Cheong-Leen (born November 20, 1959) is a Hong Kong actress, entrepreneur, educator, creative director, producer, ballerina, and fashion designer.

Biography

Cheong-Leen was born in Hong Kong and has Australian citizenship. Her father Hilton Cheong-Leen was born in Georgetown, British Guyana but is of Chinese descent and her mother Pauline Chow is from Beijing. In her youth, Cheong-Leen graduated from The Royal Ballet in U.K. and at the Paris Opera in France. After returning to Hong Kong, Cheong-Leen was selected as leading actress in ten full-length motion pictures including Life after Life (Cinema City), Duel to the Death (Golden Harvest), Chasing Girl (Cinema City), Return of the Deadly Blade(Champion International Film), Lung Gem Wei (Golden Harvest), and Cactus. After a brief career as a film actress, she went on to create award-winning fashion designs and costumes, and then later on to manage and host over 50 television productions with TV Broadcasts, Cable TV, Asia TV, Shanghai TV, Oriental TV, and Phoenix TV, and worked as image director for clients such as Nina Ricci, Conde Nast, French Vogue, Milan's, GRUPPO GFT Italy and Vidal Sassoon.

At the Royal Ballet in U.K. and the Paris Opera in France, Cheong-Leen studied in various fields of dance, choreography, costume design, stage direction and theatrical production. She further pursued her performing arts career throughout Italy, Germany, China and the United States. It was while studying costume design that Cheong-Leen became enchanted by fabrics, and the art of creating something from nothing.

After dreaming up costumes for operas including Madame Butterfly and Romeo for opera houses around the world, Cheong-Leen launched her first clothing line, Pavlova, in 1981. Pavlova was followed by the exotic Tian Art label, and now Cheong-Leen couture collection, inspired by her own life and family roots.

Cheong-Leen’s creations have been shown on the runways at shows in the U.S., Asia, and Europe including New York’s 7th on Sixth, the Mercedes Australian Fashion Week, Hong Kong Fashion Week, along with shows in France, Russia, Germany, and the UK.

A motivational speaker, Cheong-Leen has reached thousands around the globe through her image-building seminars and leadership talks.

Cheong-Leen is currently the founder, CEO and the Creative Director of The Conservatory of International Style and Cultural Arts, Tian Art Foundation Ltd., Pavlova (Holdings) Limited, Tian Art International Co., Ltd., Techno Artists Production Co., Ltd., Techno Artists Management Co., Ltd., Flora Zeta LLC, Flora Zeta Boutique, Techno Artists Fashion Designs Inc. Cheong-Leen has businesses in Los Angeles, London, New York, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.

Cheong-Leen has been a leader in many cultural and charitable organizations, including Hong Kong Civic Association, the Hong Kong Council of Early Childhood Education and Services, the Hong Kong Community Chest, the Hong Kong Ballet, Hong Kong Council of Performing Arts, Arts for the Disabled Association, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Spring Blossom Project Foundation, China Literacy Foundation, and Green Field Foundation.

Awards

Cheong-Leen's success as a creative director, producer, fashion designer, educator and entrepreneur, coupled with her background in dance and performing arts, has won her critical acclaim and numerous awards internationally not only for her creative talents, but also as a philanthropist, including: The World Outstanding Chinese Award in 2007, The Ten Outstanding Young Persons' Award in 1990, The Outstanding Montblanc Business Ladies of the Year 2001 Award, The French Chamber of Commerce Award of “Women of the 21st Century” by Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Italian Award for the Most Inspiring Modern Women by Marina Rinaldi, The Les must de Cartier Best Dress Award, The Best Costume Design Award of the Royal Ballet Choreographic Competition in U.K., The Australian Fashion Design Award represented by “Catwalk 97” in Perth Australia, “Nokia Design Star Odyssey” Award, The Colourful Fashion Designer Life Award by Casio Japan, The Best Designer Personality Award for the Ceremony of the National Day of China, The Ten Most Famous Brand Name Grand Prize in Chine “天art”, The Outstanding Fashion Designer 2002 Rado Timeless Award, The Shanghai International Fashion Week “Best Designer” Award, The Kenneth Macmillian Choreographic Award Competition in U.K. and The Korean Fashion Designer Award by Korea Fashion Festival.

See also

References

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