Alie Chang prefers "environmental designer" to other job titles such as "TV host" or "high-tech CEO", although her multiple talents have resulted in remarkable achievements in all of these fields.

"The essence of my designs is to bring a spiritual perspective to material life," says Chang, a Los Angeles-based designer and president of Alie Design Inc. "A good design aims for the right choices and creative solutions, but that does not always mean it must be necessarily more expensive."

Chang came to Beijing in late May to attend 2006 Olay Women's World Excellence Awards. Ten other elite Chinese women, including Singapore's Jennie Chua and table tennis player Zhang Yining, descended upon the Chinese capital to receive awards for their achievements in business, social services, art and sports.

Chang was the only recipient from the United States, and her design background distinguished her from the other winners. The awards made her feel like she was a part of China's economic development, she said in a one-minute speech, adding that the prize marked the culmination of her "individual struggles" over the years.

Chang says she would be glad to share the concepts of interior and environmental design with her Chinese peers in the future.

"A home is a refuge from the chaotic world, and the most challenging part of a design is to create a unique and distinct image that reflects the owner's philosophy of life," she says.

"Each home should have its own characteristics and mystique. It should reflect something in one's past, one's present, and in some way project one's future."

Over the past 30 years, Alie Chang has become one of the most renowned and respected leaders in a field dominated by men.

Chang has received a great deal of praise for her achievements in design and her contributions to California and Los Angeles. The State of California specially honoured her on August 12, 1990 by designating her birthday as "Alie Chang Day."

She attributes her success to "threefold creativity and excellence." This has helped her keep up with her male peers in the United States.

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