AGENDA 43 sundaytelegraph 9.6.2013

Peng Liyuan is sending the country crazy by wearing a range of outfits from leading Chinese designers during her husband’s trip to the Americas ’s : a new kind of power chick Fashion and power are a heady mix for China’s These new , Peng clothes Liyuan. The famous would not be singer and President’s ‘‘available to the wife is leading a fashion masses renaissance, defiantly US under a false name. Surrounded by Chinese bodyguards at all times, wearing Chinese 20-year-old is something of a celebrity in her own right — designer outfits in her someone has even gone to the trouble of setting up a fake Twitter account in debut on the world her real name. Quite obviously false, Sian Powell (unless it is a double-bluff by a pert stage. and young person), the account has a Phoebe Peng number of links to articles about her report family, and about Harvard, and many that are critical of China, including n China’s online shopping some from Australian newspapers. site Taobao, ‘‘National Xi and Peng’s grand Americas tour Mother’’ copycat this week has been seen as a triumph handbags and scarves are of soft diplomacy in China. In now for sale. A glut of Trinidad and Tobago, Peng Liyuan eagerO customers has crashed one tried playing a steel drum; in Costa Chinese label’s website and the Rica, President Xi picked a flower and Chinese internet is buzzing with daily held it for his wife to sniff; in Mexico, observations on the poise and Peng hugged a child patient in a glamour of Peng Liyuan, wife of hospital. Finally in the US, Xi got China’s new president and down to business in an informal a former soprano and television star. summit with Barack Obama. Most, if not all, of Peng’s The tour coincided with an ensembles were specifically created emotional anniversary. This week for her by , a publicity-shy and huge crowds in Hong Kong braved eco-conscious Chinese fashion bucketing rain to gather for a designer whose couture label candlelight vigil commemorating the Wuyong (or Useless) has been massacre 24 years applauded by western observers. ago, the only place in China where Ma Ke also has a hand in the such a mass commemoration is designs at Exception de Mixmind, a permitted. This week, too, a photo ready-to-wear label with more than Peng Liyuan (centre) was a music star before she married the Chinese President emerged on the internet which was 100 shops in China, owned by her apparently taken of Peng Liyuan in a ex-husband. When word spread in famous contemporary folk singers complement the shades of her outfits. network with 300 million accounts. A military uniform, singing to massed China that Ma Ke was designing who has been married to Xi for more Dr Zhu Jiangan, a professor at Hong major-general in the People’s and helmeted Chinese troops for the beautiful, dynamic Peng than 25 years, has apparently been Kong University’s faculty of politics Liberation Army, she has been immediately after the bloody Liyuan, demand soared and the wearing Ma Ke’s creations for more and public administration, thinks described by Xinhua.net, China’s Tiananmen military crackdown. Exception de Mixmind label was than 10 years. She asked the designer Peng Liyuan’s good looks and stylish state-run news agency, as a ‘‘soldier Copied from a book, the photo was suddenly a must-have. to create outfits specifically for her get-ups are a credit not only to her of the arts’’, and in the past the rapidly deleted from the Chinese It would be a brave Chinese first overseas tour as the President’s husband but to all China’s new 50-year-old native of internet, ‘‘disappeared’’, long before fashion entrepreneur who tried to wife to Russia and Africa earlier this leaders and Peng’s image is much province in China’s north has often it could generate much heat. maximise profit by cashing in on a year. ‘‘I did not feel surprise or any admired by ordinary Chinese citizens. been seen in an elegantly-fitted Chinese censors have been hard at connection with the President’s wife, pressure,’’ Ma Ke told the China ‘‘It’s positive,’’ Dr Zhu says. ‘‘The military uniform. She has sung work, ensuring the picture of the first so a discreet silence reigned for a Daily newspaper. general feeling is very positive. I don’t rapturously about the People’s couple remains a glowing one. One time, with Exception refusing to ‘‘We’ve been friends for many think people are jealous of her. She’s Liberation Army: in the lively rapidly reposted microblog has been confirm its relationship with Peng. years and I know she loves and very careful; her clothes were actually ‘‘Laundry Song’’ for example, she equally rapidly deleted: ‘‘In the 70s, a Eventually Exception conceded understands my designs.’’ made by domestic factories; they’re extols ‘‘the dear PLA; the saving star girl’s dream was to be a female that some of Peng Liyuan’s clothes Ma Ke’s designs have been on not like famous brands.’’ of the Communist party’’. Earlier in soldier; in the 80s, a girl’s dream was and been designed and manufactured display this week, as President Xi and It’s a new look for the Chinese his career, -born Xi, son of one to be a university student; in the 90s, by both Exception and Wuyong — his stylish wife have waved and leadership, often seen as a dull and of the founding fathers of China’s a girl’s dream was to be a star; in the albeit with the careful addendum that smiled their way across four nations. robotic clique of men who work hard communist party, was reputedly best- 00s, a girl’s dream was to marry a these clothes would not be available Peng’s wardrobe is filled with tailored to keep the restive population known in China as Peng Liyuan’s high-ranking official; in the 10s, girls to the masses. Chinese designer suits and double- shackled, with largely retiring wives husband. Turning 60 next Sunday, watching Zhen Huan Zhuan ‘‘On this occasion the design and breasted jackets in an array of who stay well in the background. his first marriage ended in divorce (‘‘Empresses in the Palace’, a popular manufacturing are specialised and seductive hues, with floating silk By contrast, Peng is centre-stage within a few years, and in 1987 he period soap opera) want to be a custom-made and the items are not scarves and upstanding collars, or on this tour, and a ‘‘Loving Li’’ fan- married Peng. queen; and all of these have been for sale publicly,’’ the company said. cheong-sam style outfits in rich club has sprung up on Sina Weibo, They have one daughter, who is miraculously realised in a woman: Peng Liyuan, one of China’s most brocades. Xi wears ties that carefully the Chinese Twitter-like social reportedly studying at Harvard in the Peng Liyuan.’’