China’s First Lady Sparks Fashion Frenzy

As President Xi Jinping and his wife set off on their first state visit, China’s online fashion world began to scrutinize the wardrobe of First Lady Peng Liyuan, a 50-year-old singer. The Beijing News ran a full page on Peng’s appointments in Moscow accompanied by a photograph of her dressed in a tunic and skirt, writes the Telegraph. Meanwhile, Peng’s attire went viral on the Internet as copies of the simple black coat she wore on the trip began to appear on the Web selling for $80. Chinese websites were quick to crack down on the First Lady’s popularity and reportedly blocked key words connected to Peng.

China’s First Ladies have always had a tradition of keeping a low profile. Liu Yongqing, who was married to former President Hu Jintao, rarely appeared in public while her predecessor, Wang Yeping, also chose to step outside the spotlight. The Chinese public is now looking forward to seeing a lot more of the soprano who has performed in the Lincoln Center in New York City and the Vienna State Opera. “Because of her performer’s background and presence, I think she will definitely add points for her husband,” Tian Yimiao, an associate professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, told the New York Times. “It could make her into a diplomatic idol.”

As well as being compared to the Duchess of Cambridge, Peng has been likened by some to Michelle Obama — “modern, outgoing, intrigued by fashion,” according to the New York Times. There are hopes that Peng, who is a U.N. ambassador for health, may give a speech on AIDS during her trip to South Africa. Peng could be the soft-power presence China is trying to establish on the world stage.



Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/03/26/chinas-first-lady-sparks-fashion-frenzy/#ixzz2Oj03E2IQ