When Ben met Kate

Not many people will forget Kate Winslet's appearance in a fire-engine red gown at a certain red-carpet event. The designer was Ben de Lisi, and since then he has been heralded as the best thing to happen to A-listers across the globe.

He recently revealed the creative process that he embarks upon with Kate every time he designs a new frock for her. They begin with choosing a colour, and then Ben begins sketching. Kate has admitted feeling as comfortable in a De Lisi creation as in a pair of blue jeans, because his dresses are corseted and keep all the unruly bit from protruding in front of the paparazzi.

The New York-born, London-based designer hopes that such endorsements from Kate will help boost his presence in the US. He told reporters "The US market has become very insular over the past few years. I'm hoping that Kate will give the US business a shot in the arm."