Black Label [EN]: Chapter 123

Black Label 122

123. Opportunities Don’t Come Twice

D-day

Finally, November 1st arrived, marking the grand opening of Wall Flower’s first brick-and-mortar store and the debut of their Spring/Summer (S/S) season collection.

– “A crowd of at least a hundred people is lined up in front of the Wall Flower store in Yeonnam-dong. They’re all eagerly waiting to purchase items from the collaboration between the brand Wall Flower and the renowned actor Ryu Seung-ho, which officially goes on sale tomorrow, November 1st, at 9 AM.”

– “As you can see, there are even a few international shoppers mixed in the crowd. But is camping out really worth it to get your hands on these clothes? Let’s talk to someone who’s been waiting since around 11 AM this morning.”

The TV screen displayed the Wall Flower store in Yeonnam-dong, still closed in anticipation of the grand opening.

The reporter, positioned in front of the store, was enthusiastically explaining the ‘camping craze’ with a serious expression.

As I watched the news with a blank expression, Director Song draped an arm around my shoulder and commented,

“Looks like the buzz is even bigger than we anticipated, doesn’t it?”

“It certainly does.”

I had expected a decent turnout, but this level of enthusiasm was beyond my expectations.

By midnight, the crowd had swelled to approximately one hundred and thirty people.

What would it be like as the opening time drew nearer?

Undoubtedly, dozens more would arrive.

Tapping my finger on the side table, I began to reflect on past events.

Now that I think about it, this seemed to be the first instance of such a large-scale camping craze in Korea.

The premium brand Balmung and the SPA [Specialty Retailer of Private Label Apparel] brand H&N were slated to ignite a similar camping craze that would be etched in the annals of Korean fashion history, but that was still two years away, in 2015.

Suddenly, Director Song nudged my arm and asked bluntly,

“What’s wrong? Why are you looking so glum? This season is practically a guaranteed success; you should be celebrating! Why the gloomy face?”

“Director, would it be possible to move up the arrival time for the store staff a bit?”

“The store staff? Well, I think we could manage to get a few of them here earlier, if not all.”

After speaking, Director Song inquired again, as if curious, “But why?”

“If we proceed as planned, there’s a potential risk of safety incidents. I think it would be wise to have the store staff arrive earlier and create a revised customer service protocol.”

The atmosphere had become unexpectedly intense. Of course, this surge of excitement was generally a positive sign, but we needed to be especially vigilant about potential safety hazards.

What if everyone rushed in at once to grab the products they wanted? An accident seemed inevitable.

We would need to divide the area, deploy staff strategically, and limit the number of customers allowed inside the store at any given time.

“I’ll call the store manager right now.”

Director Song started to rise from the sofa, but I raised my hand to stop him and continued,

“Also, until the waiting line dwindles, it would be beneficial to let customers in in groups of fifteen. Limiting the shopping time to about 20 minutes would also be a good idea.”

“That sounds like a good plan, but isn’t fifteen a bit too few?”

“Considering the store’s layout and the number of staff we’ll have on hand, I think fifteen is just right.”

Of course, we could squeeze in more people if we wanted to.

However, I made this decision because I believed we should provide an environment where customers already inside could enjoy their shopping experience as much as possible.

“Okay, I’ll make the call and be right back.”

Director Song, phone clutched tightly in hand, hummed as he left the design room.

Judging by his demeanor, he was already firmly convinced of this season’s success.

Of course, Director Song wasn’t the only one confident in the season’s potential.

Bee-. Bee-.

Bee-.

– “Designer Lee Jae-seung, I hope you’re doing well! This is Kwon Hyuk-tae, whom you met at the Designer’s Night event last time. Congratulations on Wall Flower’s S/S season being such a massive hit!”

– “I miss you. Do you happen to have any remaining stock of this season’s collaboration products? If so, please sell me one. Anyway, congratulations on the big success!”

– “I’m so happy for you. I knew you’d do well. I hope you continue to thrive. Please contact me when you have time; I’d love to treat you to a meal.”

The cell phone in my hand vibrated incessantly.

It was due to the flurry of congratulatory messages being sent by individuals within the domestic fashion industry and fellow designers.

As I continued to check the incoming messages, a sigh escaped my lips.

I couldn’t help but think that if I tried to respond to each one, my fingerprints might wear away.

* * *

As dawn broke, even more people gathered, creating a spectacle that was truly breathtaking.

The waiting list exceeded three hundred people, and vendors selling coffee and snacks had even set up shop in front of the line.

Finally, at 9 a.m.

As the scheduled opening time arrived, the first group of people in line began to enter the store.

Perhaps due to the twenty-minute time limit, the customer turnover was much faster than anticipated.

The reporters stationed there began to interview customers as they finished shopping.

“I even dipped into my savings account for this season, but because there’s a limit on the amount you can purchase per person, I only spent about 1/10 of what I had planned. But I did manage to snag a few collaboration items….”

“People who lined up after sunrise probably won’t even get a glimpse of the collaboration products.”

“If I hold onto the clothes I bought today for a few months and then resell them, I’ll make a profit equivalent to several months’ salary for an office worker. Camping out for a day to earn that much is a complete win.”

Meanwhile, Lee Kang-jun was dispatched to the Yeonnam-dong store for the day under the guise of ‘monitoring’.

“Wow….”

It was an incredible sight.

The people in line were eagerly entering the store and spending anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of won without hesitation.

Reflecting on the value that customers placed on Wall Flower, my heart swelled with emotion.

At this rate, all the prepared merchandise would be sold out by around 4 or 5 p.m.

Dressed in a sharp suit, Lee Kang-jun stood attentively in the corner of the store, carefully observing the customers as they meticulously selected and packed their purchases.

The store manager approached with hurried steps and spoke in a low voice.

“Designer, I apologize for the interruption, but a customer is asking for you.”

“Yes? For me?”

The store manager shook his head once and continued.

“No, he says he’s a manager for a famous celebrity and requested to speak with the highest-ranking manager. He’s waiting inside the product warehouse now, and I thought it would be best for you to meet with him.”

After speaking, the store manager handed over a business card he was holding and said, “The customer gave me this card directly.”

Looking at the business card, the logo of ‘YZ Entertainment’, one of the top 3 entertainment agencies in Korea, was prominently displayed.

“Yes, I’ll go right now.”

Lee Kang-jun replied briefly and immediately headed toward the warehouse.

Why would a manager for a famous celebrity be looking for the highest-ranking manager? Only one thing came to mind.

He was likely trying to acquire more products through a clothing sponsorship deal.

If the purpose was solely sponsorship, he would have contacted the company long ago instead of visiting in person.

Squeak-.

Soon, I opened the tightly closed door and saw a man in his 30s sitting on a box, looking around the warehouse.

“Have you been waiting long? I’m Lee Kang-jun, a designer on the Wall Flower design team.”

The man sitting on the box jumped up and immediately offered a polite handshake.

“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Seong-hyun.”

Lee Kang-jun shook his hand firmly and asked,

“So, what brings you here…?”

Lee Kang-jun’s gaze naturally drifted to Kang Seong-hyun’s feet.

Was he already done shopping? There were at least a dozen shopping bags at his feet.

Kang Seong-hyun licked his lower lip and carefully continued,

“Actually, the ‘friend’ I manage wants to meet designer Lee Jae-seung in person.”

Perhaps because he hadn’t anticipated such a request, Lee Kang-jun frowned slightly and asked in a slightly trembling voice, “Yes….”

“Do you happen to know Kwon Ji-hoon?”

“Ah, yes. I know him.”

“The friend I manage is that friend.”

Kwon Ji-hoon.

He was arguably the most influential figure in the Korean entertainment industry, especially among Korean idols.

Among designers, he was also known as ‘Sold Out Man’ because the clothes and accessories he wore on TV invariably sold out.

Originally recognized as a fashion icon, he further solidified his status by winning the grand prize at the ‘Style of Icon Awards’ in 2012.

Also, last year, the chief designer of Givenchy designated him as a ‘muse’, which became a major topic of discussion.

He also had more glamorous connections than most famous fashion designers.

He was close to renowned designers such as ‘Tom Ford’, ‘Saint Laurent’, and ‘Marc Jacobs’.

While Lee Kang-jun stood there in stunned silence, manager Kang Seong-hyun immediately pulled out his smartphone and began to show him several photos taken with Kwon Ji-hoon.

“You have my business card, but most people don’t believe it until I show them the pictures.”

As Lee Kang-jun looked at Kwon Ji-hoon’s photos on the smartphone screen with wide eyes,

“I haven’t mentioned it yet, but Ji-hoon often enjoys wearing Wall Flower products in private. He also wants to become friends with designer Lee Jae-seung and mentioned wanting to collaborate on an interesting project.”

Lee Kang-jun cautiously asked, “An interesting project?”

“Yes. It’s something that needs to be discussed between the parties, but to put it simply….”

“…….”

“He wants to fill the music video for his new song, which will be released soon, entirely with Wall Flower products.”

After speaking, Kang Seong-hyun picked up a shopping bag, took out the ‘Wall Flower towel’ that was being given away as a free gift to customers, and continued,

“Not just clothes, but all the small props too.”