No one else combines her knowledge of fashion with a real knowledge of the territory," says Michele Norsa, CEO of Ferragamo. Part of Wong's success, he says, is also owing to her physical presence. "When she enters a room, you see all her jewels and you feel her power." Wong, a Singaporean who does not speak Mandarin, is also an expert at the guanxi—loosely translated as "connections"—that are vital within China.