(USA Today) - Like the Guangzhou-based fashion brand Exception that she favors, superstar singer and new first lady Peng Liyuan is blazing an elegant trail unheard of for wives of Chinese Communist Party presidents.

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Peng, 50, is traveling with husband Xi Jinping, the Communist Party chief, on his four nation tour, stepping out in stylish attire and accessories. It's quite a contrast to her dowdy, barely seen and never-heard predecessors who were kept firmly in the background by the Communist Party propaganda machine.

Back home she is attracting more attention than Xi's official meetings and speeches.

Her sudden high profile is unusual in China, where for decades secrecy has cloaked the families of top leaders. It also marks a return to the spotlight for Peng, who had retreated from public life to avoid complicating the party's choreographed leadership transition to Xi, 59.

But she arguably remains more famous in China than her husband. Peng is a well known folk singer in China, a soprano with the rank of major general in the People's Liberation Army's arts troupe. During her three-decade career Peng could be seen often performing on state television - both in military uniform and dramatic dresses.

"It's great for China's image worldwide, as Peng is already a public figure, knows how to keep up appearances, and will make quite an impact," said Wang Qi, a shopper browsing clothes Tuesday at the Exception de Mixmind store in Beijing's upscale China World Mall.

"She's not just a wife but can make a contribution to China, too. It's her biggest-ever role," said Wang, 50. "Like the first ladies of the USA or U.K., she can promote charity work."

Peng's appeal is obvious, said Cai Hong, 33, a magazine reporter at Beijing's Modern Weekly, also window-shopping at Exception because of its newfound fame.

"She's beautiful, quite young and a star, whereas before we never even heard previous first ladies speak," she said. "I hope she speaks up on education issues, as China has a lot of challenges in this area. That's much more important than her appearance."

While admitting strong customer interest in their items in recent days, Exception store employees declined to confirm that Peng wears custom-made Exception items. Officials in south China's Guangzhou verified however that the company made the overcoat and handbag she sported Friday on arrival in Moscow.

That first outfit prompted a fashion frenzy in China and huge interest on Weibo, the China version of Twitter, which is blocked in China. 

Print publications show new pictures of Peng in new outfits each day, though among the dozens of magazines at a Beijing newspaper stand none featured Peng on the cover.

"That will change in the next six months," said vendor Wang Li, 32. "She's so beautiful, and I loved her singing on the New Year's Eve TV gala. I guess she has no time for that now."

Peng ended her 25-year-run on the show in 2007, the year Xi became a member of China's ruling elite, the Standing Committee of the Party Politburo. Although China has paparazzi-like photographers following entertainment celebrities, the rules governing images of senior leaders leave no room for candid or controversial snapshots, said Bruce Li, a photo editor at a state-run magazine. 

"There is progress, as we can now sometimes use our own photos of leaders, not only those from Xinhua (China's state-run news agency), but they must 'qualify' - meaning that the photo can't smear the leader's image, he must be in the center, with space above his head, etc." he said.

The party closely guards details about officials' private lives, and one can see why. The public seethes at the regular exposure of corrupt cadres living lifestyles far beyond their official salaries.

Peng toured Russia and Tanzania, and will tour South Africa and the Republic of Congo. One role she will explore in South Africa is her position as a World Health Organization goodwill ambassador in the campaign against tuberculosis and HIV.

Her compassion is no act, said Liu Xiaoran, 23, a volunteer who watched Peng for two days as she interacted with children and adults living with HIV.

"Each time she was in the same room, she'd give them a hug. I was moved by that. She can teach other people not to look down on those living with HIV," he said.