Black Label [EN]: Chapter 205

Black Label 204

205. D-day (3)

“I’ll eat well.”

Jaeseung said this right before taking a big bite of the rye bread sandwich, carefully wrapped in paper.

Immediately, Director Song slightly narrowed his brows and muttered in a mocking tone, “Too shabby for a last supper, don’t you think…?” Jaeseung retorted without giving him even a moment’s pause.

“Shouldn’t we leave some room for the evening party?”

“Yeah, well….”

“Of course, that’s only if the collection goes smoothly.”

“Wait. What if it doesn’t go well?”

Jaeseung replied with a wickedly sly smile.

“As a sign of repentance, shouldn’t Director Song and I abstain from food and drink for the day and focus on the brand’s future?”

Just as Director Song was making a face as if he had bitten into a bug, Kai Green, who had been munching on his sandwich without complaint, opened his mouth with a somewhat excited tone.

“Lee, it seems like our performance is really hitting the mark?”

“Pardon?”

“Take a look.”

Jaeseung began to stare intently at the screen of the smartphone in Kai Green’s hand. It was clearly good news.

From the time they broke through the reporters stationed at the entrance of the Tuileries Garden to the time they entered the temporary waiting room inside the park,

Had it only been twenty or thirty minutes?

In that short amount of time, articles about their flamboyant entrance had already been reported all over the web.

It was a groundbreaking promotional effect that they could never have achieved with just the rental cost of four coupe vehicles with the ‘supercar’ title.

Then, Kai Green shook his head once and said in a low voice.

“It’s all good, but it’s a bit of a shame because of ‘Wizdom Khalifa’ and ‘Justcus.’ I never expected them to show up in luxury sedans covered in gold.”

He wasn’t wrong. The two young Billboard stars, who could have garnered attention just by showing up, had split the spotlight with them thanks to their gold-plated Rolls Royce vehicles.

But, well?

“Kai, there’s plenty of room for positive thinking. First of all, with this level of promotional effect, the rental costs are not a waste at all, and….”

Jaeseung trailed off, then grinned and added.

“Would you mind taking a closer look at Wizdom Khalifa and Justcus’ outfits?”

“Ah, could it be…?”

“Yes. They’re all our Wallflower products.”

In the photos attached to the internet articles, Wizdom Khalifa and Justcus were practically draped in Wallflower products.

For their bottoms, they wore ‘Painting Jeans’ and ‘Coating Jeans,’ which were early Wallflower products, and for their tops, they wore inexpensive t-shirts from the street line, and over that, they wore jackets that had been released in collaboration with Korean celebrity Ryu Seung-ho.

Considering the influence they both wielded?

It was as if they had achieved a massive promotional effect that couldn’t be created even with the amount of money that could buy a supercar, let alone rent one.

Kai Green, having finished his calculations, smiled brightly and replied.

“At this rate, I don’t mind splitting the spotlight in half at all. I’ve heard that Lee and Justcus are close, but I never expected such blatant support.”

“Hmm, it would have been nice if a quick-witted reporter had pointed this out, but it’s a bit of a shame.”

“Lee, if you’re okay with it, I’ll take immediate action. I know a reporter from the French public channel ‘*Canal Plus*’ who is quick-witted and gets the job done.”

“That’s fortunate. Then, I’ll leave it to you.”

As soon as Jaeseung spoke in a gentle tone, Kai Green began to make a call and disappeared out of the temporary waiting room.

Jaeseung muttered, “Good…,” and slumped into a flimsy folding chair, lost in deep thought.

The board he had already completed had become even more solid.

Thanks to good fortune and various efforts, Wallflower had become the most watched brand in the grand scheme of Paris Fashion Week.

Yes, in fact, it was mostly thanks to good luck that he was able to achieve these results. The image-making he had done on his own was like a simple domino effect.

It was as if he had lightly pushed it with his fingertip, and it had started to fall one after another.

At first, it became a hot topic because he was simultaneously participating in Paris Fashion Week as the Sub-Director of Chanel.

Then, the lookbook shot with the *Zero Gravity* concept became a hot topic, and then Chanel’s current season became a hot topic.

Even the collusion of domestic department store brands was mentioned in foreign media, successfully creating another buzz.

From then on, he poured all kinds of efforts into creating gossip, and he succeeded in creating as much buzz as he had put in effort.

Of course, the biggest help was the LVMH Group and the Chanel Group.

Thanks to the enthusiastic influence of the two chairmen, countless people who had predicted Wallflower’s slump were able to turn into allies overnight.

‘Just show them.’

For a good defense, all he had to do was show the public a show that wouldn’t disappoint them.

But, what he wanted wasn’t just a good defense, was it?

For success, he had to show a show that could stimulate everyone.

Jaeseung looked at Nam Gwangmin and asked.

“Gwangmin, how much effort do you think you put into this show?”

After hesitating for a moment without answering immediately, Nam Gwangmin replied in a calm, resolute tone without any inflection.

“If I had to put it into a number, I’d say about ‘120%’.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because that’s how we can show our ‘100%’.”

Self-esteem from pride and confidence are clearly different concepts.

What was evident in Nam Gwangmin’s words was clear confidence.

Jaeseung smiled brightly as if satisfied and replied, “Thank you for your hard work,” before looking down at the watch on his wrist.

Even at this moment, with only an hour left until the start of the collection, the watch was constantly ticking, ‘tick, tock-.’

All that was left was to wait for the time of judgment. No matter what actions he took, he would not be able to change the already determined future.

Even though there was no need to be preoccupied with worry and anxiety, his heart kept pounding with unease and tension.

‘It’s okay, it’s okay….’

As is often the case, ordinary people tend to support David in the fight between David and Goliath.

What if you compare Wallflower to the brands that have firmly established themselves in the Paris fashion world? Wallflower’s position is clearly David.

In other words, at least until this Paris Fashion Week, it means that they are in the position of the weak, who cannot help but naturally receive public support from the beginning.

Jaeseung licked his parched lower lip once to moisten it, then stood up and reopened his mouth in an deliberately indifferent tone.

“There’s only an hour left. I think it’s best we move to do the final check, don’t you think?”

Time to move.

Toward the front line.

* * *

Originally, models begin the ‘cutting’ process to remove body fat according to the season.

After undergoing a diet at an insensible level that can cause health problems, they go through a ‘banding’ process that severely limits the amount of carbohydrates they consume.

After that, they approach their desired body shape by increasing the amount of carbohydrate intake again through a ‘loading’ process to increase the definition of their muscles.

Is that the end? Absolutely not.

The process is completed only when combined with hellish cardio and ‘water control.’

Despite spending several hours a day on a cycle machine or treadmill, they only consume about 600ml of water.

A grueling process that inevitably causes both blood and tears to minimize body fat is carried out over several months.

Only then can they go on the runway with a slim face with prominent cheekbones and a sleek body with clear definition.

Thanks to this, by the end of the season, models inevitably become so sensitive that they can be compared to ferocious beasts that have been starving for days.

Jaeseung was aware of this fact after going through several collections and watching Ashlyn’s season preparation process as an active model.

But, what was it today?

Could it be due to the influence of the model waiting room, which is inevitably poor due to the nature of the outdoor stage?

Or, is it because of the pressure and influence of the name Paris Fashion Week?

It just felt particularly severe.

“I’m ruined, I’m really ruined. My face is swollen because of the soup I ate last night? No matter how you look at it, this is not a level that can be covered with shading makeup.”

In response to one model’s words, a middle-aged employee from the agency replied, flustered.

“You held up well until the end, didn’t you? Why did your will suddenly collapse?”

“Hans. I didn’t say that to be nagged. Find a solution.”

“First of all, other than makeup….”

A white model, having muttered, “Damn it…,” once, raised her voice again and continued.

“When I think about it, it’s even more annoying. Can’t you think that this is all because of an unreasonable diet and an excessive schedule?”

“Okay. I understand, so calm down first.”

Usually, when the ‘designer,’ who can be called the client, appears, the atmosphere becomes subdued. That’s the usual course of action.

But today? They didn’t seem to have any intention of doing that at all. Paris Fashion Week is a large-scale event that is more than enough to determine the fate of the participating models.

Thanks to the combination of these conditions, the models’ stress must have reached its peak.

Standing in the middle of the model waiting room with his arms crossed, he even felt that it was cute to see them unreasonably complaining to their agency staff.

Some couldn’t control their emotions and shed tears, shouted profanities, or threw random objects on the floor.

Then, Kai Green came to Jaeseung’s side and said something intended to reassure him, as if whispering.

“Lee, don’t worry. Even though they’re like this, they’re pros who become indifferent as if nothing happened when they get on the runway backstage.”

“Of course. I know. My girlfriend is an active model, isn’t she?”

After finishing speaking, Jaeseung looked around once.

It was to find Ashlyn, who was the main model of this collection. The seat where she should have been sitting was empty.

Jaeseung went outside the temporary waiting room and asked a VMD [Visual Merchandising] team member.

“Have you seen Ashlyn?”

“She’s probably in the restroom.”

“Thank you.”

When he arrived in front of the public restroom not far away, he was able to face Ashlyn, who looked at least several times more emaciated than usual.

She was so thin that her elbow bones looked prominent, and the shadows under her eyes stretched down to her cheeks.

Her slightly open mouth made her look even more powerless, and her lips were far beyond pale, they were even dyed gray.

“Ashlyn, the reason you went to the restroom wasn’t by any chance….”

Ashlyn replied in a neurotic tone, “I just went for a moment,” and immediately added.

“I’m okay, so don’t say anything.”

Jaeseung sighed deeply once and put his hand on his forehead. His head started to throb as if it would explode, and his chest felt constricted.

It was because imagining Ashlyn sitting in the bathroom holding onto the toilet, squeezing out stomach acid with a contorted expression, made his heart ache.

“Lee, can you respect me? This is the way we compete, isn’t it?”

Competition, competition, competition….

Somehow, it had become the most unpleasant and annoying word among the two-syllable words that exist in the world.

He felt like he wanted to hold her hand right now and leave for somewhere where that word wasn’t needed, no, didn’t even exist in the first place.

Then, Kai Green’s voice was heard from afar.

“Lee! The collection is about to start! Put the romance aside for a moment, and I think you should check the ‘Cue Sheet’ [a list of events or signals in a production] first-?”

Jaeseung immediately replied, “Yes, just a moment,” and said again.

“Ashlyn, did you hear that? He said romance? You know Charlie Chaplin’s famous saying, right?”

“Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot?”

“Yeah. That’s exactly what we look like.”

The two chuckled for a moment as if they had promised each other. Jaeseung gently stroked Ashlyn’s hair and said.

“Ashlyn, let’s go on vacation after we finish this collection safely. If possible, to a place with an open sea.”

“Really? Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Let’s go anywhere.”

Ashlyn was clearly excited by Jaeseung’s unexpected proposal.

Jaeseung turned his back on her and started walking straight toward the model waiting room.

After finishing this Paris Fashion Week schedule, and after organizing the business that will come after that, and then going on vacation….

He was planning to propose. On a yacht floating on the emerald sea, he would put a ring that suited Ashlyn’s long, slender finger.