Black Label [EN]: Chapter 157

Black Label Episode 156

157. Time to Retaliate

Jin Young-il, who recently signed an exclusive contract with Wall Flower, was assigned to Wall Flower’s production factory located near Deokyi-dong.

Inside the atelier [a workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist or designer] within the factory, Director Song, who had just entered, asked quietly,

“Sir, are you satisfied with the facilities?”

“Yes, more than satisfied.”

It was incomparable to the dilapidated shopping district in Dongdaemun [a famous fashion district in Seoul, South Korea], which he had previously used as a workshop.

There was no asbestos dust flying around, and the air conditioning and heating were well-equipped.

In addition, there was plenty of expensive work equipment, and if you ordered the necessary fabrics and subsidiary materials through the intercom attached to the wall, employees from other departments would deliver them by hand.

It felt like a perfect facility where he could concentrate solely on his work.

The only drawback was that commuting was inconvenient because the factory site itself was located on the outskirts of the city, but that problem was easily solved.

Thanks to Wall Flower providing a new SUV.

Soon, Director Song glanced at his wristwatch and continued to speak.

“The tailors who will be working with you here in the atelier during the week will all be joining soon. Some of them will be familiar to you.”

“I suppose so. Dongdaemun is a surprisingly small place. But what brings you here?”

“We have your first assignment. We need you to copy some of the popular items from ‘Chanel’s’ current season as soon as possible.”

“You want me to make imitations?”

Jin Young-il asked quietly, furrowing his brow once.

It wasn’t that he was particularly upset, but he couldn’t understand the fact that the first task assigned to him after being brought in under such unusually favorable conditions was to manufacture imitations.

Soon, Director Song, stroking his chin, trailed off, saying, “Well…” and continued in a low voice.

“I don’t know what they’re going to use them for, but they shouldn’t be perfect copies.”

“Then?”

“We’re going to register a new trademark and get a design patent. We want them to look like Chanel from a distance, but when you get closer, you realize it’s not Chanel.”

The shadow above Jin Young-il’s brow deepened as Director Song finished speaking.

Perfect imitations aside, products that only give off a similar feel would have no commercial value.

After a moment of silence, Director Song, shuffling through the cards in his hand, took out a credit card and handed it to Jin Young-il.

“All official expenses, including fuel and vehicle maintenance, and exceptionally, even your daughter’s hospital bills, can be paid with this card.”

“Excuse me? Even the hospital bills? That’s a large amount…”

“It’s the president’s wish. The president expects Mr. Jin to fully demonstrate his skills in the best possible conditions, where he can concentrate solely on his work.”

Jin Young-il, staring blankly at the card he had just received from Director Song, bit his lower lip once.

A sense of gratitude towards the young president, whom he had never met, seemed to be welling up inside him.

They had written off hundreds of millions of won in debt that had been holding him back and offered him conditions that seemed unrealistically favorable.

If they genuinely recognized his skills, it was a series of absolutely impossible events.

Where else could he receive such treatment?

As he pondered these thoughts one after another, his sense of loyalty to the company, where he had just started working, seemed to grow rapidly.

Soon, Jin Young-il opened his mouth with a very serious expression.

“I will create the best possible results so that the president will not regret his decision.”

* * *

Inside Chairman Ardo’s private office on the top floor of the LVMH Group [Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, a French multinational corporation and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods] headquarters building.

Tyler, a ground warfare expert dispatched to assist Jaesung, had just entered the chairman’s office after being summoned by Chairman Ardo.

“Chairman, I heard you called for me.”

Tyler, who had opened the door and entered, spoke in a very respectful tone, to which Chairman Ardo replied while keeping his gaze fixed on the documents scattered on the table.

“How is it going?”

Tyler straightened his neck as if nervous and replied in an indifferent tone.

“It’s progressing smoothly.”

Chairman Ardo asked back, “Hmm, is that so…?” and then raised his head slightly and stared at Tyler with cold eyes, asking again.

“It doesn’t seem smooth at all on the surface? Am I mistaken?”

As Carl Lagerbelt [likely a play on Karl Lagerfeld, the famous fashion designer], the general director of the premium brand Chanel, and F Web Magazine began their attacks, several media outlets that had been lying low began to surface.

All of them were media outlets that had rashly made harsh remarks to Lee during the Christian Diom show and had missed the opportunity to reconcile or had refused to reconcile altogether.

Soon, Tyler raised the corners of his lips slightly and continued to speak in a confident tone.

“That’s how it is for now, but I’m confident that if the card that ‘Lee’ has prepared himself is revealed, the situation will change a lot.”

“Not you and your team, but the card that Lee prepared himself…?”

The people that Chairman Ardo had assigned to Jaesung were masters of aggressive strategic planning who had been scouted from famous brands around the world.

They were a ‘dream team’ created by gathering only those who had a history of suppressing rival brands with ingenious and sensible advertising and marketing techniques that are still talked about years later.

Of course, they were also proficient in ‘illegal’ methods as well as legitimate ones.

It was no exaggeration to say that they were a collection of people who were skilled at grabbing competitors by the neck and tightening their grip or exposing their weaknesses.

Even Tyler, who is standing in front of Chairman Ardo right now, was like that.

He was a talented director who played the biggest role in the ground war between BMW and Audi that had taken place before.

But Lee, not them, submitted an agenda, and that agenda was accepted and is being processed according to procedure?

It was a point that Chairman Ardo couldn’t help but be suspicious of.

“I felt it when I heard the anecdote from the official press conference the other day, but Lee is clearly specialized in this kind of controversy and conflict.”

“What do you mean?”

“He knows how to attack the opponent in an appropriate way without crossing the line in the area between likable and unlikable. It’s not an ability honed through learning, but something he was born with.”

After speaking, Tyler smiled deeply and added again.

“If Lee can handle the media a little more skillfully, he will be able to grow his influence even faster. There will be no public that won’t be fascinated by a star designer’s ‘showmanship’ and bold eloquence.”

“I’m curious to know what kind of agenda he put forward that you’re praising him so much.”

Soon, Tyler began to explain the agenda that Jaesung had put forward, and as the explanation came to an end, Chairman Ardo burst into laughter.

After laughing heartily for a long time, Chairman Ardo barely stopped laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes, adding softly.

“Tsk, the old men are going to get hit hard after being careless.”

After speaking, Chairman Ardo smiled again.

Didn’t they say that the most interesting sights are watching fires and watching fights?

He was convinced that this fight, in particular, would be a very interesting spectacle.

* * *

F Web Magazine is a print media outlet with a history and influence comparable to other famous magazines.

It has a large number of subscribers, and its strategic partnership network with famous celebrities, including designers and models, is also strong and solid.

Morgan Welter, the editor-in-chief of such F Web Magazine, was so proud of his position that it was no exaggeration to say that it soared into the sky.

However, there was an incident that damaged his pride some time ago.

‘Well, if you insist on maintaining such a high posture, I don’t think there’s any room for negotiation anymore.’

Morgan Welter, the editor-in-chief who had just entered the headquarters building of F Web Magazine, snorted and muttered.

“Tsk, how presumptuous…”

It was what Lee, a rising new designer, had said during negotiations.

In the case of new designers, it was common for them to mistakenly believe that their lives had completely changed after successfully completing one or two shows.

However, he couldn’t give up doing business with designers who were currently the talk of the town, could he?

Thanks to this, doing business with new designers was always bound to be stressful for Morgan Welter.

Editor-in-chief Morgan Welter was the key figure who led this ground war.

Lee was the first new designer in his nine years as editor-in-chief to reject negotiations with such an arrogant attitude.

No matter how arrogant a new designer was, they had at least tried to be polite in person.

He diligently moved to punish the impudent young designer.

He went around looking for media outlets and brands that had ill feelings towards Lee.

As a result, he was able to join hands with the Chanel Group, which had been heavily criticized in contrast to the success of Christian Diom Haute Couture [high fashion; the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing], and the preemptive strike was quite successful.

Even though a long time had passed since the column containing ‘Carl Lagerbelt’s’ harsh remarks had been published, Lee was not showing any signs of retaliation.

He thought he was probably in a daze.

Carl is one of the most influential designers in the current fashion industry.

Since such a big-name designer had made harsh remarks aimed at him in an official media outlet, Morgan Welter guessed that he was panicking and floundering, not knowing what to do.

As Morgan Welter approached the editor-in-chief’s office, his personal secretary greeted him in a slightly trembling voice.

“Good morning, Editor-in-chief.”

Morgan Welter smiled faintly and handed over his coat, replying, “It’s a peaceful morning,” and continued to speak.

“I accidentally came out without eating breakfast. I’d like you to prepare coffee and a bagel.”

“Um, Editor-in-chief…”

The personal secretary, who took a breath, handed over the current issue of Paris Fog, which was placed on his desk, and said.

“Actually, this is the current issue of Paris Fog that was published this morning. They have retaliated through this issue.”

“Retaliation? Who? Could it be…?”

In response to Morgan Welter’s question in a slightly trembling tone, the personal secretary nodded once instead of answering aloud.

Soon, Morgan Welter widened his eyes and began to examine the main cover of the current issue of Paris Fog.

How long had it been?

At the same time as Morgan Welter shouted, “Damn it!”, he threw the current issue of Paris Fog, which he was holding in his hand, to the floor.