Hot on the heels was bad-boy French designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who celebrated his 60th birthday in May with a massive haute couture catwalk in Beijing, featuring tight shirts, biker jackets and trenches.

In early July, Stephane Rolland closed his couture fall/winter 2012 show in Paris with Chinese actress Fan Bingbing as the main guest model.

Does the duo have plans for China?

"Now that we know China better, our trips to China gave us many ideas and sources of inspiration," says Gabbana. They are thinking of "doing something special in China in the next few months".

Industry insiders say the label is planning their next Alta Moda show in Shanghai in November.

But they admit that the Chinese haute couture market is still in its infancy. "It is still at the beginning, as in many other markets, but it is developing very quickly. Chinese women want and like special things, because they have a very strong personality, so it is only natural for them to be drawn to Alta Moda," Dolce says.

As a general rule, haute couture designers do not talk about prices, or name their clients to protect their privacy. But Chinese consumers prefer prices to be upfront, and they link the designers' reputation with their client name list.

Does the duo classify their consumers? No. In Dolce's opinion, consumers all over the world nowadays are very similar. They all buy the same products at the same places, and products are now available everywhere.

"Today is really different from the past when certain things could only be bought in the boutiques of Monte Napoleone or in Paris and New York," he says.

Contact the writer at gantian@chinadaily.com.cn.