London: When North Korea’s new first lady was pictured carrying what looked like a Dior evening pouch, eyebrows shot up over the border in South Korea and across the rest of the world.
With its plush leather quilting and signature ‘D’-shaped silver tags, a Christian Dior handbag stands for all that is the most luxurious about Western culture, the Daily Mail reported.
However, in case of North Korea, the country of 24 million has suffered severe food shortages since a famine in the mid-1990s killed hundreds of thousands, but the state’s totalitarian rulers have copious personal wealth and are said to live a lavish lifestyle.
It is unclear whether the bag is genuine or an imitation, but South Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said it would cost 1.8 million won in the capital, Seoul.
Glamorous twenty-something Ri Sol-Ju has sparked intense media interest since she was unveiled as the wife of 28-year-old Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un in July this year.
A former pop singer, the attractive young woman has been photographed in a range of chic yet conservative outfits which recall the ladylike style of Kate Middleton or Carla Bruni.
The picture which reveals her costly bag was released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency, and was taken as the leader and his wife visited a unit of the Korean People’s Army.
In contrast to his wife, Kim Jong-Un was clad in his customary Mao-style dark suit.
Ri Sol-Ju has previously been snapped in a red polka dot jacket, black dress and somewhat nervous smile while attending the opening of an amusement park.
ANI
First Published: Thursday, August 09, 2012, 13:35