Hong Kong designer Kenny Wong's Molly dolls have become increasingly popular among collectors on the mainland. [Photo provided to China Daily]

His work quickly gained Wong fame. In 2006, he resigned from his job as an illustrator, set up his own company and created Molly the Painter, his signature work.

The idea for Molly came from Wong's experience in drawing portraits of children at a charity event. To make them keep still for his portraits, he asked them to sit down while he painted.

Wong said all the children were pouting because it appeared they were not satisfied with his work.

But their expressions impressed him. When he asked one girl her name, and she replied "Molly", he formed the idea for Molly the Painter.

In his early days, Wong was a boy with few words. He often sat in a corner pouting and painting quietly.

"I hope Molly can be a good companion to her owners when they feel lonely, " he said.

Does Wong feel the heat of the red-hot market among his fans?

"I think it's a promising market with more and more Chinese designers joining in," he said, adding that the large number of art colleges in the country provide a good advantage for the market in terms of designers.