Black Label [EN]: Chapter 147

Black Label 146

147. At Grandville’s Birthplace

No sooner had Jae-seung finished speaking than a mix of loud and quiet murmurs arose from all corners of the room.

Everyone seemed genuinely surprised by Jae-seung’s bombshell announcement.

“Did I hear correctly? You definitely said ‘all stop,’ right…?”

“To halt all work entirely when every minute, every second is precious?”

The content was so shocking that it was hard to believe one’s ears.

Just then, Albert, the CEO, stepped forward and asked with an unusually agitated voice.

“Lee! What on earth are you talking about? All stop, in this situation?”

“I hope you can understand. The work stoppage will be no more than two or three days at most.”

Jae-seung replied firmly, showing no intention of changing his mind. Albert frowned deeply and continued in a rather fierce tone.

“Given the gravity of the matter, shouldn’t you explain the reason first?”

Although he didn’t say it outright, Albert suspected that Jae-seung’s decision was a way of expressing dissatisfaction.

He assumed that this declaration was made to oppose the board’s decision to send ‘Chloe,’ the atelier’s [a workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist or designer] Meister [master craftsman], to New York.

“I’ve realized that this Haute Couture [high fashion] is heading in a seriously wrong direction.”

After speaking, Jae-seung added, “That’s all.”

A cold atmosphere lingered between the two for a moment.

Albert exhaled sharply and said with a hint of resentment.

“You know that all rights come with responsibilities. Our board will compile the details of your decision and report it to the LVMH Group [Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, a French multinational corporation and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods].”

Jae-seung nodded once, and Albert continued to speak.

“Just be aware that this was a significant decision, serious enough to warrant a discussion about dismissal. I hope it wasn’t an emotional decision….”

Albert trailed off, made brief eye contact, and then left the design room.

The other board members followed suit.

They glared at Jae-seung with displeasure and hurried after Albert.

Soon, Erica approached Jae-seung and asked in a hushed voice.

“Lee, what on earth are you thinking…?”

“The car?”

“It’s waiting.”

“It’s best to move first.”

Jae-seung replied curtly, clapped his hands once, ‘Clap-,’ and declared the meeting over to the bewildered audience.

“I think it would be good to rest well for the next two days. This concludes today’s meeting.”

After speaking, Jae-seung immediately left the design room.

Erica, who was anxiously chewing on her lower lip, also followed Jae-seung with hurried steps.

* * *

About an hour after Jae-seung declared the work stoppage.

Chairman Ardo, upon hearing the news, furrowed his brow and sighed, “Haa….”

Unable to cope with the throbbing headache, he pressed his temples a few times. Chairman Ardo opened his mouth in a rather eerie tone.

“This director seems to be causing trouble in a different way.”

His secretary, standing opposite him, nodded in agreement.

Lee doesn’t enjoy excessive drinking, doesn’t indulge in illegal drugs, and doesn’t excessively pursue women.

But that’s it.

He was constantly making them feel uneasy in unexpected ways.

“He cited the wrong direction of this Haute Couture as the reason for the complete work stoppage….”

Chairman Ardo muttered in a low voice, “Direction…,” then raised his head slightly and asked again.

“And?”

The secretary swallowed hard and calmly began to explain the situation again.

“The board’s reaction is severe. Apparently, there was a conflict recently regarding the atelier Meister ‘Chloe’s’ business trip to New York.”

Chairman Ardo nodded a few times.

The conflict between the board and the director was like an annual event that happened every year.

Chairman Ardo leaned back into the plush chair and asked quietly.

“So, the board sees Lee’s decision as a blatant act of retaliation for the previous conflict?”

“Yes, that’s right. Some board members are strongly urging for Lee’s dismissal.”

If that were the case, taking steps for dismissal immediately would be the right course of action.

But why? He didn’t think Lee would make such a decision simply out of resentment for the previous conflict.

Chairman Ardo asked again in a rather nonchalant tone.

“So, Lee?”

“Yes?”

“Where is he, and what is he doing?”

“That’s….”

The secretary hesitated for a moment, then cautiously continued.

“He’s moving to Dior’s birthplace.”

“Grandville…?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

After a moment of silence, Chairman Ardo stood up abruptly and added.

“I think it’s best to meet him once.”

* * *

The place Jae-seung sought out was a beautiful coastal city named ‘Grandville.’

Grandville, where famous French architects were heavily involved in the construction, is an affluent neighborhood with mansions situated between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

Jae-seung’s reason for visiting was quite simple.

He wanted to gain inspiration from the birthplace where Christian Dior spent his childhood.

The limousine carrying the group drove along the coastal road for a long time without stopping.

Everyone was eager to ask Jae-seung various questions, but they couldn’t bring themselves to do so.

Jae-seung was constantly gazing at the horizon with melancholic eyes.

The limousine finally came to a stop in front of the iron gate of a grand mansion now known as the ‘Dior Museum.’

“Lee, we’ve arrived.”

At Erica’s words, Jae-seung immediately got out of the limousine.

Beyond the firmly closed iron gate, a vast garden that was impossible to estimate in size could be seen.

“This is Dior’s birthplace.”

Jae-seung said quietly and smiled faintly.

Christian Dior loved this coastal city, Grandville, during his lifetime.

His autobiography included the story that the source of his creativity was Grandville, and in fact, Dior’s products include a women’s handbag product called ‘Grandville Bag.’

Even from a glimpse beyond the iron gate, the garden seemed to be quite well-maintained.

He loved flowers and had a hobby of gardening.

How else could he have answered that the happiest time of his life was “the childhood he spent managing the garden with his mother?”

As Jae-seung was lost in thought, looking at the iron gate.

Tommy, a reporter from CNN STYLE, asked Jae-seung cautiously.

“Lee. I’m very sorry to bother you, but would you mind telling me why you came here?”

“I have a feeling that all the answers I’m looking for are hidden here.”

Jae-seung gave a vague answer, smiled, and added.

“Shall we talk while walking first?”

Colorful flowers were in full bloom on both sides of the long promenade.

The occasional breeze carried the salty yet fragrant scent of the sea, along with the scent of flowers.

How long had they walked? As the towering three-story mansion came into view in the distance.

Jae-seung opened his tightly closed mouth.

“Actually, yesterday, I read the first edition of Christian Dior’s autobiography that I received as a gift from Albert. As I was about to leave the office, I felt as if that old book was calling me.”

Everyone walking along the promenade next to Jae-seung began to listen intently to his words.

“It was a book that described his life in a simple, unadorned, and nonchalant style. When I closed the book after reading the last chapter, I suddenly had a question.”

“What question are you talking about?”

“It may not be a great question. I just suddenly wondered, ‘What were the concerns I had while preparing for this 2014 Christian Dior Haute Couture?'”

Jae-seung looked at the mansion in the distance and added.

“I’m sure it wasn’t a pure concern for a more intense beauty.”

After speaking, Jae-seung smiled bitterly and began walking along the promenade again.

If he had to summarize the feeling he had after reading Dior’s autobiography in one word….

Reflection.

It was no exaggeration to say that Christian Dior’s life was solely focused on the pursuit of more intense beauty.

On the other hand, what about himself?

He was filled with ambition for his career and worries about the criticism he would receive when the Haute Couture was over.

He was primarily concerned about all the criticism and attention that would come back to him if this season failed.

He had long admired Christian Dior’s Haute Couture, but in reality, he saw it more as an ‘opportunity.’

At least among the concerns he had since stepping into the Dior House, it was clear that there were no concerns about pure beauty at all.

That was the ‘wrong direction’ that Jae-seung was talking about.

Jae-seung and his party passed through the first and second floors of the mansion, where Christian Dior’s relics and early Haute Couture products were displayed, and headed straight to the third floor, where the rooftop was located.

As soon as they stepped onto the rooftop, the vast horizon greeted them.

Jae-seung immediately grabbed one of the wooden chairs placed all over the rooftop and sat down, staring blankly at the horizon.

That was all.

He didn’t say anything from his seat, he just kept staring at the horizon.

Lee Kang-joon, who was sitting directly across from Jae-seung, Erica, who was standing behind with her arms crossed, and reporter Tommy, who was watching from a distance with his camera fixed, acted carefully so as not to disturb Jae-seung’s contemplation.

The waves kept crashing.

The wind, carrying a salty yet fragrant scent, blew and messed up their hair.

The time of silence continued.

The more that time passed, the more Jae-seung’s mind became firm.

As time passed, and the bright sunlight gradually began to fade.

A well-dressed gentleman suddenly appeared on the rooftop, put his hand on Jae-seung’s shoulder, and spoke.

“Want a smoke?”

“Chairman…?”

It was none other than Chairman Ardo. Along with the question, he handed over a thick cigar.

Jae-seung nodded once and put the cigar he had just received in his mouth.

Since experiencing the strange phenomenon of regression, this was the first time he had put a cigarette in his mouth.

“It’s a museum, but is it okay to smoke?”

“It’s okay.”

Chairman Ardo replied briefly, smiled, and added.

“I own this mansion.”

Then, he pulled up an empty chair and carefully asked.

“The board of directors at Christian Dior is showing movement to demand your dismissal. I’ve heard the board’s story. Before making any decisions, I thought I should come and hear your side of the story.”

After speaking, Chairman Ardo lit the cigarette and added a few words in a rather eerie tone.

“If the purpose was a childish boycott, you would be on a plane to Korea tomorrow morning.”

Jae-seung took a deep breath, skillfully exhaled the pungent smoke, and replied.

“I was so focused on achieving the same results as the directors who had gone through Dior. I struggled to fill the quota and gave the okay to designs that weren’t satisfactory.”

After speaking, Jae-seung looked at the horizon again and added.

“But, not anymore. I will accept any evaluation. No, I won’t even worry about that part. There is something else where I need to pour all my energy.”

“…….”

“From this point on, I will only worry about ‘more intense beauty.’ Just like Christian Dior did during his lifetime. Even if I only present one outfit, I will present a beautiful Haute Couture that will be clearly imprinted in the minds of those who see it.”

Chairman Ardo, who had been silently watching Jae-seung, nodded in satisfaction and asked back.

“If you want, I can increase the scale of the project. I will take all the responsibility related to the numbers, so would you like to try it as you please? Instead, you must present extremely refined, true beauty. If you give me a definite answer on this part, I will double the reward and glory you will receive when you finish the job.”

After pondering for a moment, Jae-seung tilted his head slightly and replied.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m confident.”

Chairman Ardo smiled and continued in a slightly trembling voice.

“Just twenty or thirty years ago, the blind pursuit of beauty was taken for granted. Not anymore. Times have changed. Everyone is risking their lives for different values. I think everything has deteriorated. The market has grown to an unimaginable size, and it seems to be the most representative example of the negative changes that have come with it. Maybe I encouraged those changes.”

Jae-seung stared at Chairman Ardo with wide eyes.

Was it a delusion? The wrinkles etched on his face, bathed in the sunset, seemed particularly deep.

Finally, Chairman Ardo drove the wedge.

“I’ve been longing for this kind of adventure, and a colleague like you, for a long time. I’ll be looking forward to it, so show me without regret. What Lee’s Haute Couture is, and what kind of feeling the beauty he pursues is.”

It was a grateful remark.

The burden that the name Dior had given him seemed to rise with the cigarette smoke and dissipate in the air.

The scenery he had been admiring for the past few hours seemed even more beautiful.

The remaining period was only about 8 weeks.

But he didn’t feel impatient.

Silence came again.

A silence devoid of distractions….

A much more comfortable silence.