评论
打印
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.
在动物世界，外表花哨的往往是雄性。但在男人主导的全球政坛，第一夫人们却不得不代替她们衣着毫无亮点的丈夫，吸引浮躁公众的注意力。
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.
中国新任国家主席习近平的迷人夫人彭丽媛，在上周的首次外事访问中大获成功。与很多时髦的第一夫人（尤其是米歇尔•奥巴马(Michelle Obama)和卡拉•布鲁尼•萨科齐(Carla Bruni Sarkozy)）一样，作为中国著名歌唱家的彭丽媛也是一名职业女性。而且，她也选择身着清一色的本土设计师品牌展开这场外交“T台秀”。这对中国时装的宣传效果要强于一切时装表演。但有什么理由只拿这些时尚高标准去要求世界政要的夫人们呢？其实，男人们比当今的第一夫人更需要一些时髦。
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.
戴维•卡梅伦(David Cameron)的着装只能用平庸来形容。弗朗索瓦•奥朗德(François Hollande)缺乏法国人本该与生俱来的雅致。弗拉基米尔•普京(Vladimir Putin)的着装品位像是兰博(Rambo)中掺点人猿泰山(Tarzan)的味道——但他只会在私人别墅里这样穿。一到全球峰会，他便完美地融入到沉闷深色西服的海洋中。
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.
如果说第一夫人的时尚是通过形象来传播软实力的话，那么男性也应当加入进来。卡梅伦可以穿保罗•史密斯(Paul Smith)的衣服，因为其“新意经典”符合首相“（关心民众的）新意保守派”的宣传。马里奥•蒙蒂(Mario Monti)应该穿上普拉达(Prada)，尽显书生气的技术官僚范。奥朗德可以借助让•保罗•高缇耶(Jean Paul Gaultier)的潮流款式，塑造鲜明的形象。Comme des Garçon的流畅款型则能反映出安倍晋三(Shinzo Abe)的传统主义思维。
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.
当然，面对紧缩带来的艰难困苦，政要们必须留意成本。但剑桥公爵夫人（Duchess of Cambridge，即凯特王妃）赢得了英国人的心——她证明如果选择得当，那么英国的大众服装也能与高档时装相媲美。对于我们选举出来的领导人而言，仿效她的成功并不难做到。
