BEIJING — Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan's choice of attire has sparked a flurry of excitement over an independent homegrown label, an unusual phenomenon in a country where political figures are more frumpy than fashionable and wives usually shy away from the spotlight. Images of Peng stepping off a plane arm-in-arm with her husband, President Xi Jinping, in Moscow on Friday have circulated widely in the Chinese Internet, prompting praise of her style as understated and sophisticated. Bloggers identified the leather handbag she carried and double-breasted black trench coat she wore as items designed by Guangzhou-based label Exception. Online retailers have sought to associate their products with what news portals are terming the “Peng Liyuan style.” Heavy traffic to the company's website has caused it to crash since Friday. — AP
