Chinese actress Liu Shishi, also known professionally as Cecilia Liu, is Celine’s latest global ambassador, the French luxury brand said Tuesday.
In a statement revealing her appointment, Liu said she’d been “enchanted by Celine’s creations” for as long as she could remember. “For me, Celine embodies the essence of Parisian sophistication and utmost femininity,” she said.
The French brand counts 42 stores in mainland China. It unveiled in April the revamp of its 3,000-square-foot store in Hangzhou’s Mixc shopping complex.
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 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 in TV series such as “Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky,” which became a blockbuster with more than 2 billion views online.
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 starred alongside Jet Li.
In recent years, Liu starred in “A Journey to Love” and supernatural drama “Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Love in Pavilion.”
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 Tod’s, Kering-owned Chinese jeweler Qeelin and watchmaker Omega.
Liu joins Celine’s global ambassador roster that also includes South Korean singer and actress Su Ji “Suzy” Bae, South Korean singer V, a member of BTS currently in military service, actor Bogum Park and singer Danielle of the group NewJeans.
The brand also tapped actress Gengxi “Teresa” Li as a local ambassador.
