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In the animal world, the male is usually the fancy dresser. But in the masculine jungle of global politics, it is the first lady who has to seduce a fickle public on behalf of her dully plumaged partner.
在動物世界，外表花哨的往往是雄性。但在男人主導的全球政壇，第一夫人們卻不得不代替她們衣著毫無亮點的丈夫，吸引浮躁公眾的注意力。
Peng Liyuan, the glamorous wife of Xi Jinping, China’s new president, triumphed on her first foreign outing this week. Like many modern first ladies (think particularly Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni Sarkozy) Ms Peng, a popular Chinese singer, is a career woman. Also like her peers, she has adopted the practice of taking to the official catwalk dressed entirely in homegrown designer labels. This does more to advertise Chinese couture than any fashion show. But why should only the wives of the world’s leaders be held to such high fashion standards? If anything, the men are more in need of flair than today’s first ladies.
中國新任國家主席習近平的迷人夫人彭麗媛，在上周的首次外事訪問中大獲成功。與很多時髦的第一夫人（尤其是米歇爾•奧巴馬(Michelle Obama)和卡拉•布魯尼•薩科齊(Carla Bruni Sarkozy)）一樣，作為中國著名歌唱家的彭麗媛也是一名職業女性。而且，她也選擇身著清一色的本土設計師品牌展開這場外交“T臺秀”。這對中國時裝的宣傳效果要強于一切時裝表演。但有什么理由只拿這些時尚高標準去要求世界政要的夫人們呢？其實，男人們比當今的第一夫人更需要一些時髦。
David Cameron’s sartorial style can only be defined as bland. François Hollande lacks the Gallic chic that should have been his birthright. And Vladimir Putin’s dress sense could be summed up as Rambo with a dash of Tarzan – but only at his dacha. At global summits he blends in perfectly with the sea of dull, dark suits.
戴維•卡梅倫(David Cameron)的著裝只能用平庸來形容。弗朗索瓦•奧朗德(François Hollande)缺乏法國人本該與生俱來的雅致。弗拉基米爾•普京(Vladimir Putin)的著裝品位像是蘭博(Rambo)中摻點人猿泰山(Tarzan)的味道——但他只會在私人別墅里這樣穿。一到全球峰會，他便完美地融入到沉悶深色西服的海洋中。
If first-lady fashion is about using image to project soft power, the men should join in too. Mr Cameron could wear Paul Smith, whose “classic with a twist” approach fits with the “Conservative with a (caring) twist” brand. Mario Monti would cut a dash in Prada’s nerdy technocrat style. Mr Hollande could sharpen his image with Jean-Paul Gaultier’s edge, while Comme des Garçon’s flowing shapes would reflect Shinzo Abe’s traditionalist instincts.
如果說第一夫人的時尚是通過形象來傳播軟實力的話，那么男性也應當加入進來?？穫惪梢源┍Ａ_•史密斯(Paul Smith)的衣服，因為其“新意經典”符合首相“（關心民眾的）新意保守派”的宣傳。馬里奧•蒙蒂(Mario Monti)應該穿上普拉達(Prada)，盡顯書生氣的技術官僚范。奧朗德可以借助讓•保羅•高緹耶(Jean Paul Gaultier)的潮流款式，塑造鮮明的形象。Comme des Garçon的流暢款型則能反映出安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)的傳統主義思維。
Of course, leaders have to be sensitive to the hardships imposed by austerity. But the Duchess of Cambridge has won British hearts by showing that the UK’s high street can compete with haute couture when the right choices are made. A similar feat should not be beyond the capabilities of those we elect to lead us.
當然，面對緊縮帶來的艱難困苦，政要們必須留意成本。但劍橋公爵夫人（Duchess of Cambridge，即凱特王妃）贏得了英國人的心——她證明如果選擇得當，那么英國的大眾服裝也能與高檔時裝相媲美。對于我們選舉出來的領導人而言，仿效她的成功并不難做到。
