Black Label [EN]: Chapter 153

Black Label Episode 152

153. Preparing for New Glory

“Emergency! Emergency! Just got a call, she’s coming in early for today’s meeting!”

Inside a spacious office within the headquarters of ‘Paris Ella,’ one of the world’s leading fashion magazines.

A few words shouted by a female employee, who leaped up from her seat like a spring, sent all the employees in the office into a frenzy.

Some tidied up their cluttered desks, while others gathered the boxes scattered at their feet to one side.

Still others reviewed the reports and documents to be used in today’s meeting.

“Everyone, move quickly!”

“Get rid of anything that could be criticized, even slightly!”

“What’s her mood like? What does it seem like?”

“It might be my imagination, but her voice sounded dark.”

“Damn it, it’s a natural disaster.”

Just as everyone was moving busily.

“Good morning.”

The moment a woman with graying hair entered the office, the atmosphere became incredibly heavy.

She looked around the office and began to walk quickly toward her office.

It felt as if the air around her was freezing coldly.

All the employees in the office were glancing at her, to the point where it felt like they were even holding their breath.

Her name is Isabelle Huppert.

She is the editor-in-chief of Paris Ella, and one of the most influential figures in the Paris fashion scene.

Even though she was already in her mid-fifties and heading towards her sixties, her figure and fashion sense were nothing short of admirable.

“What time did they say they would arrive?”

Isabelle, who had reached her private office at the end of the office, asked as she tossed her coat to her personal secretary.

The young female secretary, with her hair neatly tied back, hesitated for a moment before answering, “Uh…”

“They said they would arrive around 11 a.m.”

“It’s an important guest. Everyone knows that, right?”

“Of course.”

Isabelle nodded, seemingly satisfied, and glanced at the clock on the wall.

There was still about an hour to spare until the appointed time. Isabelle sat down in her office chair and opened her mouth.

“I left without eating breakfast.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll prepare a meal for you.”

“Veal steak and salad, within 15 minutes.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The young secretary, responding in a very polite tone, immediately turned around and began to leave her private office in a hurry.

Here at Paris Ella, Isabelle’s word is law and rule.

In fact, it is virtually impossible to deliver the ordered menu within 15 minutes, but it must be done somehow.

The personal secretary, who had left the office, took out her cell phone and immediately called a restaurant near the headquarters building.

“This is Paris Ella. We need a veal steak and salad for Isabelle. I’m sorry, but time is very tight. I’ll come pick it up right away, so please make it as quickly as possible.”

She quickly crossed the office and was about to reach the front door.

As she was reaching for the doorknob, the door suddenly swung open, causing her to lose her balance and stumble forward.

She almost fell. Thanks to being caught in the arms of a mysterious man standing beyond the door, she was barely able to avoid falling flat on her face in front of the office door.

“Are you okay?”

At the low, resonant voice above her head, she tilted her head slightly and looked at the owner of the voice. It was a young Asian man who looked very familiar.

“Could it be…”

“Yes?”

“Lee…?”

The personal secretary, held in Jae Seung’s arms, widened her eyes without realizing it.

Lee, the genius up-and-coming designer who is currently showing the steepest rise in the fashion world and leading all the buzz, is standing in front of her.

He’s even lightly holding her shoulders and looking down at her with a worried expression.

Gulp.

The young secretary, swallowing the saliva that had filled her mouth, turned her head slightly and began to look behind her.

All the employees of Paris Ella in the room were looking at Lee, unable to hide their surprise.

The young secretary, swallowing the saliva that had filled her mouth, took a few steps back and said.

“Lee, I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry. Um, so… I’m Isabelle’s personal secretary, ‘Alice.’ I’m so embarrassed to have made such a bad first impression.”

“No. You don’t have to worry about it. I’m sorry for visiting so suddenly without prior notice. My schedule finished much earlier than I expected.”

Jae Seung glanced at his wristwatch and said.

“Is there a place where I can wait until the appointment time?”

“Yes?”

“If not, there’s a Starbucks nearby…”

“No! No!”

The young secretary, waving her hands urgently, immediately got to the point.

“I’ll take you to the editor-in-chief’s office right away. You can talk to Isabelle until the preliminary preparations for the meeting are completed.”

At any other time, it might be different, but at least now, no magazine company would dare to make Lee, who has successfully completed the Christian Dior Haute Couture show and is receiving rave reviews from the entire industry, wait.

Of course, this also applied to Paris Ella.

Alice, the personal secretary, hurriedly began to retrace her steps, gesturing to the editors.

The employees seemed several times more nervous than when Isabelle, the editor-in-chief known as the ‘Ice Witch,’ had arrived at work.

* * *

“I would like to apologize for the column that was previously published. It seems that the editors of our Paris Ella were somewhat careless. Of course, it’s my mistake for not reviewing it properly.”

Jae Seung replied, “It’s okay,” to Isabelle’s pretentious words, and continued.

“After all, it’s all in the past, isn’t it? Today is about discussing future business opportunities.”

“That’s right.”

“Still, it seems a bit much to pass all the responsibility to a subordinate. Even teen magazines displayed at bus stop kiosks go through a meticulous process under the editor-in-chief’s approval, you know.”

As soon as Jae Seung finished speaking, smiles appeared on the faces of the editors sitting side by side in front of the large table in the conference room, only to disappear quickly.

Jae Seung seemed to have scratched their itchy spots so refreshingly.

Isabelle was such a picky and ruthless person that she had earned the nickname ‘Ice Witch.’

It was no exaggeration to say that more than 90% of the reasons why Ella’s employees decided to resign were because they couldn’t handle her tyranny.

How could they not laugh when she was just fumbling around, not knowing what to say?

Jae Seung took a sip of the bottled water in front of him and immediately opened his mouth.

“Anyway, shall we talk business?”

Jae Seung, who asked in a gentle tone, gave a smirk.

The best advantage of gaining such a huge reputation was that he could say everything he wanted without filtering it.

Before and after the design reveal, so much has changed.

In particular, the relationship with world-renowned magazines has completely changed 180 degrees.

Before, Jae Seung himself was ‘Eul’ [the subservient party in a business relationship] and the magazine was ‘Gap’ [the dominant party], but now, Jae Seung himself was ‘Gap’ and the magazine side was in a situation that could be called ‘Eul.’

Isabelle gave an awkward smile and began to continue speaking with difficulty.

“First of all, Lee’s interview has been selected as the main topic of Paris Ella to be published this month. I would like to put Lee’s picture on the main cover as well, but is that okay?”

His picture was about to be on the cover of Paris Ella. However, Jae Seung continued to speak without even a hint of a change in expression.

“Well? I think you decided too quickly. After all, I haven’t given you a definite answer about the interview yet.”

“Yes, that’s true, but…”

“I will maintain a cooperative attitude as much as possible if you add just one clause.”

“Can I hear what kind of clause you are talking about?”

Jae Seung leaned back slightly and continued, leaning comfortably on the back of his chair.

“Next year, during Fashion Week, my brand Wall Flower will be challenging one of the world’s four major fashion weeks.”

“I saw an article that you were offered to be recruited by an agency under the LVMH Group [Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate], so was Lee’s brand Wall Flower acquired by the LVMH Group?”

“No. It’s true that I received an offer, but unfortunately, the contract was not signed.”

A heavy silence hung in the air for a moment. Isabelle, who had easily realized what Jae Seung was asking for, kept her mouth shut.

It was clear that he meant to ask her to support his brand Wall Flower during the next four major fashion weeks.

What Jae Seung was asking for was simple but difficult.

Columns or reviews would be poured out by the editors with just one gesture from Isabelle.

However, no brand can be sure of unconditional success in the next season.

This was also the case for Lee’s brand, Wall Flower, which was undergoing deification.

It was a moment when they had to look at a really uncertain future and make a bold investment.

After a long period of silence.

Isabelle let out a sigh and continued in a slightly trembling voice.

“Yes, I understand. I will prepare the contract right away.”

Jae Seung, who had replied, “Thank you,” once, gave a bright smile as if satisfied.

He was slowly building a foundation for premiumizing Wall Flower next year by utilizing the reputation he had gained this season.

Not only Ella, but also countless other famous magazines had already accepted the same proposal.

If he doesn’t show overly poor designs at next year’s Fashion Week, a foundation will be laid to rise to the ranks of premium brands without difficulty.

It was Chairman Ardo’s idea.

He advised, “It would be better to give the present and receive the future from the hyenas who are eyeing you,” and Jae Seung began to move according to the content he had interpreted.

Just as he was waiting for the contract to arrive, he suddenly thought of Director Song in Korea.

While preparing what he could, he had given Director Song a new mission.

‘I wonder if he’s doing well?’

* * *

[Lee Jae Seung’s Right-Hand Man, Lee Kang Joon. Currently in negotiations with premium brand ‘Saint Roran’ for Creative Director Scout.]

There is an up-and-coming designer who has been overshadowed by designer Lee Jae Seung, who is receiving rave reviews from the fashion world after successfully completing the 2014 Dior Haute Couture show.

Designer Lee Kang Joon, who has been active as a sub-designer for designer Lee Jae Seung at Dior House in France.

Designer Lee Kang Joon has proven his skills at the brand ‘Wall Flower’ led by designer Lee Jae Seung… (omitted) …Designer Lee Kang Joon revealed in an interview with Paris Vogue that he had received a creative proposal from the premium brand ‘Saint Roran,’ but is still coordinating the details.

“Wow…”

Director Song, who was staring intently at the monitor screen, let out a sigh of admiration.

It was because of the contents of the news article that appeared on the screen.

Soon, VMD [Visual Merchandising] employee Nam Kwang Min approached Director Song’s seat from behind and quietly opened his mouth.

“Were you looking at Kang Joon’s article?”

“Yes. It’s amazing how a person’s life can change in an instant.”

Nam Kwang Min nodded a few times as if agreeing, and carefully expressed his opinion.

“I know, right? I’m so glad it worked out well. There may be a few other places that have sent additional feelers, but I hope things work out well with Saint Roran if possible.”

“It’s said to be in coordination, but it can be regarded as virtually confirmed. If it wasn’t confirmed, he wouldn’t have brought it up in an official setting in the first place. Anyway, so a premium brand director from Wall Flower is born. Gosh, it’s a new feeling. It doesn’t feel real…”

Good news was constantly coming one after another.

Even the media companies, which had little exchange with him in the past, were praising Jae Seung with words such as ‘Pride of Korea’ and ‘Achievement of Korean Fashion.’

Not to mention Korea, the reaction was no different overseas.

What would happen if it was revealed that the number of Hollywood stars who would be wearing Jae Seung-designed haute couture dresses at this year’s year-end awards ceremony could not be counted on just ten fingers?

Thanks to the pleasant imagination, a smile seemed to appear on his face without realizing it.

Just as Director Song was laughing to himself, Nam Kwang Min tilted his head slightly and asked curiously.

“By the way, Director Song. When are you going to leave work today? It’s almost time to go to work…”

“I’m only staying because of your boss; my heart has already left work hundreds of times.”

“Because of the boss?”

“Yes. What company sends you out on business at 4 a.m.? Seriously, when I see things like this, it’s a complete mess.”

“Where are you going?”

“Dongdaemun [a large commercial district in Seoul, South Korea].”

“Yes? Why Dongdaemun?”

At first, I thought it was because of buying fabric, but that’s the job of the interns.

Even if Director Song went instead for a special purpose, there was no need to go at 4 a.m.

Director Song shrugged his shoulders and answered. It was time to move.

“How would I know? He wrote down a few addresses and said that if I go there, there will be Meister…”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“He said there are people he has to bring, and they’re all owls [people who are active at night]? He said it would be difficult to see their faces if I go during the day, so be sure to visit around 4 a.m.”

“Are you talking about imitation copiers?”

Director Song, who had replied, “Maybe?” shook his head a few times and got up from his seat. It was time to move.

“Anyway, I have to do what I’m told. If you just listen to the boss, you’ll get lucky even while sleeping.”