Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power:
Why What China’s First Lady Wears Matters
It all began with her first trip to Moscow. Cameras flashed as the plane carrying China’s First Couple landed at the airport and opened its doors on March 22, 2013, capturing them waving hands and then walking down the stairs arm in arm. In those pictures, Peng Liyuan is seen wearing a dark navy double-breasted belted trench coat, paired with a light turquoise silk scarf and a black handbag. A renowned soprano, Peng is no stranger to the limelight, but those photos created a worldwide sensation, marking her arrival on the international stage as China’s “first” First Lady.
From there, the discussion about Peng Liyuan’s personal style, dubbed “Liyuan Style”, began.
It was then revealed that Peng’s outfit, which was included in Vanity Fair’s annual Best Dressed list, came from Chinese designer Ma Ke, a graduate of Central Saint Martins who founded the first Chinese designer label, Exception de Mixmind, and later a second line, Wuyong. Ma and Peng formed a friendship long before the latter became first lady, and Peng has since worn Ma's designs in many national and international occasions.
Elegant, polished yet subtle – most of the designs worn by Peng Liyuan remain unknown to the public, with the exception of Ma Ke’s works. “Liyuan Style” is infused with a strong sense of Chineseness, including modified cheongsams, Mandarin collars, tailored cuts, structured jackets, pankou (a traditional Chinese button), silk, as well as Chinese embroidery and prints, accessorizing with pearl earrings, brooches, and scarves. Peng’s sartorial choices were highly praised by the international media, with the New York Times placing her on par with Michelle Obama: “modern, outgoing, intrigued by fashion.”
Americans have been fascinated by their First Ladies since the beginning of the nation’s history, since they have shaped how Americans see marriage, motherhood, and gender issues. As representatives of their husbands, first ladies have played a symbolic and substantive role. In China, however, this is not the case. Since Chinese presidents are not elected by the people but decided by the National People’s Congress, the political system does not necessitate the president to represent his family images and values. Thus First Families were largely opaque, and first ladies garnered little media attention, remaining either voiceless or invisible. Peng has taken a completely different path from her forebears and has no First Lady prototype to follow. But Peng’s fashion choices are no coincidence.
The long period of closure before the reform and opening up has left the world with little understanding of Chinese culture. Despite centuries of “Chinoiserie” obsession and the “Asian chic” of the 1990s, the Orientalist legacies have led to a Western image of China “exotic, feminine, and Other”. China is viewed politically as threatening and untrustworthy. Along with its rapid economic development, China has recognized that in order for the world to recognize its place and role in the international community, Chinese culture must be truly accepted, understood, and appreciated. Culture has become an increasingly significant part of international relations in the context of diplomacy. Governments are using the potential of culture in public diplomacy to effectively promote their national interests and image on the worldwide stage. Cultural diplomacy has emerged with the goal of fostering a positive external environment and broadening a country’s cultural influence. President Xi Jinping has emphasized the goal of increasing cultural soft power and building a culturally strong nation since assuming the office.
The First Lady's function cannot be separated from her husband’s political agenda. Peng’s sartorial choices and image are unmistakably in line with Xi’s initiatives. Peng Liyuan presents a historical yet modern image of Chinese women and China in general through her fashion choices that combine traditional Chinese aesthetics with western silhouettes as well as her impeccable diplomatic etiquette. Unlike another globally renowned Chinese designer, Guo Pei, whose designs commonly incorporate Chinese epitomes such as dragon prints, cloud patterns, and auspicious colors, Ma Ke’s designs are more in tune with Chinese aesthetic philosophy. Ma Ke’s designs are more concealing, with techniques of hand-sewing and natural coloring, her unusual textures, architectural shapes, and earthy tones help her create designs that are both traditional and modern. For instance, in 2015, while accompanying her husband Xi Jinping on a visit to the British Queen, Peng Liyuan wore a navy blue coat dress with subtle Chinese motifs, a Mandarin collar, and Chinese buttons from Ma Ke. Pearl earrings, brooches, a white belt, and a handbag completed the ensemble. As a country with an ancient and vibrant culture to be acknowledged and respected, China, through its First Lady, conveys a charismatic, approachable, and communicable image.
China has long been regarded as the world’s factory in the international fashion and culture industries, with a reputation for mass manufacturing, reproducing, and even copying low-cost goods. China’s goal is to move from being a manufacturing center to being a creative center, and the concepts of design, innovation, and creativity are reinforced. However, the reputation of “Made in China” is so engrained that, despite the presence of many talented local designers, they are frequently unknown to the rest of the globe — although deeper factors including colonial legacies and power dynamics should be considered regarding this issue. People care about what the First Lady wears, not only for the design, but for the fact that she is wearing it. Peng Liyuan’s appearances in Ma Ke’s designs at international events immediately resulted in an increase in Ma’s international recognition, as well as increased media attention to Chinese design and designers. This also contributes to the development of a positive world image, the enhancement of soft power, and the promotion of Chinese culture.
Peng’s fashion choices are also politically significant on a domestic level. Xi Jinping took office with one of the most intense anti-corruption campaigns in modern Chinese history. Many government officials wear clothing or watches from luxury brands that are exorbitantly expensive in comparison to civil servants’ salaries, which often relates to corruptive practices. The media is obsessed with celebrity culture and the dressing of First Ladies, and wearing expensive luxury brands can bring unwanted attention and even trouble. Peng Liyuan maintained a low-key image by wearing garments such as Exception or Wuyong that avoided obvious brand logos. Melania Trump, the First Lady of the United States, accompanied her husband Donald Trump to China in 2017 with her statement fashion choices including world-class luxury brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci. Unlike Melania, Peng once again opted for understated outfits with Chinese elements, including an embroidered cheongsam and a sheer black evening dress with a mandarin collar.
Peng’s understated, approachable image was also appreciated by the Chinese public. In China, the First Lady is frequently referred to as “guomu”, which can be literally translated as “mother of a nation”. This title — though traditional — suggests what the Chinese expect of their First Lady, which is to have feminine charm, uphold motherhood and be a supportive wife. Peng’s elegant, dignified but friendly style certainly fits such a role. In China, Peng is affectionately known as “Peng Mama”, while Xi Jinping is known as “Xi Dada”. It stands a good chance of contributing significantly to Xi Jinping's political success by bridging the leadership-citizen gap.
The Xi Jinping government has embraced nationalism to foster social cohesion and achieve the “revival of the Chinese nation”. One of the primary efforts is to boost cultural confidence through the development of cultural soft power. The Chinese people have always been proud of their long history and cultural traditions, yet they have no say in today’s Western-dominated fashion industry. As China’s First Lady and a Chinese woman, Peng Liyuan has established herself as a symbol of modern China in which the Chinese can take pride as she exerts her international influence. With a First Lady who already exudes international attractiveness wearing clothing with Chinese elements created by local designers, average citizens feel proud and confident of their culture and commodities. Patriotism and nationalism are deeply rooted in Chinese education and curriculum, and the cultural confidence and psychological identification with leaders is essential to building a credible government.
Along with her elegant, friendly, and modern image, Peng Liyuan has won domestic recognition and international standing for her performance in a variety of public service tasks. Peng joined the Chinese People’s Liberation Army at the age of 18 and later established a reputation as a popular soprano, performing multiple times on national television’s New Year’s Eve show. Holding the honorary rank of Major General, her fame is not limited to China. In 2004, Peng played the female lead role of Hua Mulan in the opera “Mulan Psalms” based on Chinese folklore; in 2005, Peng starred in the performance at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York, and at the Vienna State Opera House in 2008. Since 2007, when her husband became a potential presidential nominee, she has been lowering her profile. But her involvement and contributions to public affairs do not end there. Peng has been dedicatedly volunteering in China’s fight against AIDS since 2006; and she served as an ambassador for tobacco control in 2009. Since 2011, she has been serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Health Organization for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS prevention. Along with joining her husband on official state visits, First Lady Peng engages in constructive dialogue with her counterparts. For instance, Peng Liyuan invited Michelle Obama to visit China in her own name. Peng accompanied the Obama family on visits to Beijing, Xi’an, and Chengdu during her tour.
Men continue to dominate today’s political sphere, and women’s engagement in politics is largely limited. Even in the United States, First Ladies are subject to the constraints of the traditional gender role. Fashion is often associated with the gender of women and is used to dismiss them. Powerful First Ladies, including Peng Liyuan, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton, all demonstrate that women can use fashion as a weapon, a tool, or a statement to communicate their own or their husband’s political agenda. Their influence on ordinary women is also remarkable, as they serve as role models, inspiring ordinary women to embrace fashion unapologetically and proving that a passion for fashion does not preclude women from fulfilling their social significance. More importantly, as countries worldwide modernize through Westernization, Western feminist values are frequently employed as a global measure for progress and modernity, and those who do not achieve this standard are frequently viewed as backward and regressive. Peng Liyuan and her fashion choices showcase a new type of femininity to Chinese women and the rest of the world, decentering the Western-dominated idea of legitimate “modern women”.
The other day, when I was talking to friends, I noticed that those who did not know me well referred to me as “the girl in the black dress with a shoulder bag”. All of us, to a large extent, are what we wear. This is particularly true in political settings, what China’s First Lady Peng Liyuan wears is more than a dress; it is a signal, a symbol, a statement. ▪︎