Black Label [EN]: Chapter 145

145. Contemplation to Find a Solution

The atelier was silent. Dozens of tailors were working, but the only sounds were the occasional breaths and the soft shuffle of footsteps.

Of course, conversations weren’t entirely forbidden within the atelier.

It was just that everyone was so focused on sewing the haute couture pieces they were responsible for, resulting in the unusual quiet.

As Jae-seung entered the atelier,

only a few tailors greeted him with a quick nod.

The rest seemed completely absorbed in their work, seemingly unaware of Jae-seung’s arrival.

Jae-seung responded to their greetings with a brief nod and walked towards Meister Chloe’s workbench, located in the inner part of the atelier.

Chloe was wearing a white gown and standing in front of a mannequin.

With thin silver glasses perched on her nose, she was draping (*Draping: a method of three-dimensional cutting by applying fabric directly to a mannequin to visualize the design).

She was so focused that she didn’t seem to notice Jae-seung standing just a few steps behind her.

Jae-seung stood behind her with his arms crossed, watching the process for a while.

He didn’t want to disturb her concentration.

‘Hmm…’

Jae-seung held his breath, staring intently at her hands.

Her wrinkled hands, tightly gripping the needle, were trembling slightly.

She was the most skilled and experienced tailor in this Diom House atelier.

But at this moment, she seemed to be working as carefully as a beginner, with slow and deliberate movements.

Sometimes, she would flinch as if she had pricked her fingertip with the needle.

She continued to cut with such cautious movements, yet occasionally moved boldly, leaving behind incredible, almost intuitive results.

Jae-seung watched every step of the process with shining eyes.

Although Jae-seung possessed excellent sewing skills, handwork felt somewhat foreign to him.

The trajectories created by Chloe’s hands, needle, and thread seemed almost magical to Jae-seung.

How long had it been?

Chloe took a long breath and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Then, Jae-seung carefully opened his mouth in a low voice.

“Excuse me, Chloe?”

Startled by the sudden call, Chloe widened her eyes and asked back.

“Ri? How long have you been here…?”

“Just a moment ago.”

Jae-seung replied briefly, pointing to the atelier door with his thumb and continuing.

“Could I talk to you separately for a moment?”

“Yes, of course.”

Jae-seung took the lead and began to walk out of the atelier, and Chloe followed behind him with her hands in her gown pockets.

As soon as they stepped into the hallway outside the atelier, Jae-seung spoke in a gentle tone.

“Chloe, I heard you had some concerns regarding the workload being assigned to the atelier.”

After speaking, Jae-seung turned his head slightly and began to look at the firmly closed atelier door.

After experiencing the atmosphere inside the atelier, he couldn’t quite understand why such a request was being made.

The atmosphere was so passionate that it made his own heart burn with inspiration.

He was convinced that even if they were given an impossible schedule, they would try their best to finish it somehow.

He was sure there was a valid reason for asking for a reduction in workload.

Chloe nodded once and began to speak in a soft voice.

“Yes, that’s right. I don’t know if it’s because the theme of this haute couture is unfamiliar, but the work speed is quite slow. But so far, we’ve been able to manage by starting earlier and finishing later…”

Chloe trailed off, adding cautiously.

“I can say with certainty that we will never be able to handle the same amount of work next week.”

“Why?”

Chloe took a long breath and answered Jae-seung’s sharp question.

“All products born in the atelier go through my hands. I finish the products that the tailors have almost completed.”

Jae-seung nodded. In any brand’s atelier, the finishing process is often the responsibility of the Meister [Master Tailor].

It was a very difficult and challenging process, and it was also the last chance to correct any mistakes.

“But, I have to go to New York for a few days next week. In short, it’s a business trip.”

Chloe’s explanation made Jae-seung’s expression twist.

“Wait, wait a minute, Chloe. I don’t know if you know, but even if we maintain the current speed, I’m not sure if we can meet the quota. In that situation, a business trip? What’s the reason?”

Jae-seung asked back in a trembling voice, unable to completely control his frustration, and Chloe carefully replied, watching Jae-seung’s expression.

“Ri, I’m sorry, but this is a decision made by the brand’s board of directors, and I have no right to refuse.”

“I think it would be good to hear the reason for the business trip first.”

“There is a customer who spends more than 600,000 dollars on Diom products every season. I have to go to New York to assist her with a fitting.”

Jae-seung unknowingly sighed deeply, “Ha….”

In the end, to summarize, the Meister of the brand’s atelier has to abandon important work and go on a business trip to help a wealthy client shop?

600,000 dollars, which is 700 million won [approximately $530,000 USD] when converted to Korean currency, is more than enough to warrant special treatment every season.

But, can it really take precedence over the collection?

The brand’s board of directors may think differently, but at least Jae-seung was sure that it was not the right call.

“Chloe, this doesn’t make sense. You could jeopardize the entire collection for one customer. If someone has to go, it would be better to send another tailor.”

Chloe said firmly to Jae-seung’s frustrated words.

“No, I believe I have to go myself unconditionally. It’s like comparing it to a top-class restaurant. Which restaurant in the world would send out a novice kitchen assistant when an important guest praises or criticizes the taste of the food?”

“It seems like a completely different situation. This is just a trip to help a VIP customer shop, not a business trip to receive ‘feedback’? The distance is the same. At best, it’s just going from the kitchen to the dining room? It’s not flying from Paris to New York.”

Chloe shook her head once.

“There is feedback involved in that process as well. She is a person who buys all the products released in a season without exception. Such customers give personal opinions on the products they purchased during the purchase process, and if the opinions are deemed worthy of consideration, they are actively incorporated.”

“Anyway, it’s clear that the brand’s board of directors made an absurd decision. The priorities have completely shifted.”

Chloe muttered, “Priority…,” and added one more word.

“Actually, it’s a bit of a gray area. One customer can’t be more important than the collection, but the collection can only be launched if there is money to fund it.”

Jae-seung covered his face with both hands.

It was no use arguing with Chloe here.

It seemed that he could only find a solution by directly negotiating with the brand’s board members, including Albert.

* * *

Jae-seung immediately visited Albert’s office, explained the situation in detail, and expressed his opposition to Chloe’s business trip.

However, the answer was the same.

“Ri, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can help you with this.”

“Albert-!”

Albert shook his head once and continued in a firm tone.

“She is a customer who spends at least 1.2 million dollars every year. It is only natural to give her the right to have fittings anywhere in the world. I am sure that the board of directors of any brand would make the same decision.”

“But you have to consider the timing. The haute couture product exhibition period is just around the corner. I don’t have enough time as it is to dedicate to my collection. Furthermore, it’s not just my name on the collection, it’s the name of the entire Diom.”

Albert replied in a low voice.

“Ri, this issue is also a matter of the brand’s survival. Just as Ri has a duty to create beautiful designs, the brand’s board of directors has a duty to create ‘reasons for consumption’ for VIP customers. Customer loyalty to the brand is never guaranteed.”

When Jae-seung was just looking at him without any answer, Albert added an explanation again.

“As Ri also knows, customers who consume premium brand clothing have a certain ‘compensation psychology’. They want treatment, no, preferential treatment for their spending. As I said, we have to provide these VIP customers with a reasonable justification for their consumption. That way, they won’t turn to other brands that can replace Diom, and they will continue to buy all of Diom’s products.”

After a moment of silence in the office, Albert continued to speak again in a slightly trembling voice.

“Ri, for your information, no one takes the collection lightly. The members of the board of directors who made this decision, Meister Chloe who is going on a business trip, and I are all in agreement on its importance.”

“Yes, I already know that….”

Jae-seung couldn’t help but feel frustrated and lightly ruffled his hair with one hand.

Preparing for this haute couture collection and maintaining the loyalty of VIP customers to the brand are both critical issues.

Even if we exhibit products with perfect quality, if we fall far short of the required number, we will not receive good reviews.

Since I heard a definite answer that I cannot reverse the decision, I thought I should focus on finding new solutions.

At that time.

“I don’t know if Meister Chloe told you….”

Albert trailed off and continued the words he had hesitated to say in a serious tone.

“This ‘2014 Diom Haute Couture’ is the last collection she’s been assigned.”

“Yes? Then…?”

“She will be retiring from the atelier at the end of this year. Her hand tremors are getting worse every year, and even her eyesight is slowly deteriorating.”

“Eyesight?”

Jae-seung made a worried expression. It was because Jae-seung had also experienced a decline in eyesight.

“It’s not because of an illness, it’s just simple presbyopia [age-related farsightedness]. But the degree seems to be quite serious. She is probably working harder than ever now for her last haute couture collection.”

When Jae-seung was just staring at Albert with a blank face, he spoke again.

“I hope you will understand with generous tolerance. Unfortunately, I cannot reverse this decision. I’m sorry that I can’t offer you any other solutions.”

Jae-seung replied, “I understand,” and immediately left the office.

It was no exaggeration to say that his head was full of worries.

It was a concern for his own career and for Diom.