Black Label [EN]: Chapter 242

Black Label 241

242. Diamond Look VS Wallflower

To Wallflower, Lee Kang-jun’s ‘Diamond Look’ is the most formidable competitor. But to all brands participating in Paris Fashion Week, is Wallflower the most formidable competitor?

That wasn’t exactly wrong. They had achieved great success at Paris Fashion Week last season and had become a mainstay in the mainstream fashion market.

All the prominent designers are curious about Wallflower’s new designs.

They are watching carefully, hoping that their perceived trends align with those predicted by Jaesung, the head of Wallflower.

“Tch, how annoying.”

Jaesung shrugged and replied gruffly.

“Feel free to hate me. It’s the fate of successful people.”

Jaesung said playfully, gently touching his chin and staring intently at the laptop screen on the table.

This season, Wallflower’s main concept is extremely simple and clear: Identity.

Didn’t they gain a lot of public attention and a strong sense of hero worship after their great success last season?

This season, the designs are structured and planned to feel like a signpost indicating the brand’s ‘identity’ and future direction.

“Anyway, what do you think? Do you really think it’s good?”

After clearing his throat with a “Hmm…,” Director Song stared intently at the laptop screen and continued.

“To be honest, at first, I thought it was too difficult. I mean, when this season’s design lineup was slowly being put together.”

“Yes, and?”

“I couldn’t bring myself to say it and just suffered in silence. Design is, after all, an area that is up to the individual, and I can’t interfere with the designers’ artistic realm.”

After speaking, Director Song turned his head and looked at Jaesung, continuing his remarks.

“After watching the rehearsal video, I felt relieved. It was like a mouse worrying about a cat [worrying needlessly].”

Director Song chuckled and then immediately added.

“What should I call this feeling…? Avant-garde [new and experimental]. Yes, the expression ‘Avant-garde’ seems to fit perfectly.”

* * *

Was it thanks to the fact that this was the second time preparing for Paris Fashion Week? Or was it thanks to the incredibly lucky draw?

Jaesung, as well as the staff, seemed to be preparing for the collection with more relaxed and comfortable minds than before.

Occasionally, after finishing work, they even had the leisure to share stories about the progress of their work over drinks in a quiet underground pub on the outskirts of the city.

Today was no different.

They had repeatedly rehearsed several times, but thanks to everyone’s busy efforts, it ended early in the early evening.

They went to a pub on the outskirts of the city to have dinner together and soothe their tired bodies and minds.

In the bustling atmosphere, the staff were paired up and having various conversations.

Kai Green, slightly drunk with slightly unfocused eyes, slowly began to speak with a slightly twisted tongue.

“Lee, I have a really good feeling. All conditions are close to perfect. The facilities and environment are much better than before, and the team members, who have already worked together once, are more experienced. Furthermore, what I like most is the concept of this season’s products.”

“Concept?”

“Yes. This season’s Wallflower designs have such distinct colors that it was easy to create the sketches and plan the stage.”

Kai Green smiled and said with confidence.

“After the collection, the public will once again realize that the brand at the pinnacle of the current fashion world is our Wallflower.”

Jaesung raised his glass and lightly shook it, proposing a toast. Kai Green lightly tapped his glass against Jaesung’s.

Clink-.

The clear, light sound echoed, and the beer inside sloshed.

* * *

Time passed quickly, and the opening day of Paris Fashion Week finally dawned.

As if to prove it, the city of Paris was bustling with tourists in dazzling attire.

Every few steps, you could encounter famous figures in the fashion world.

From famous bloggers and fashion editors to renowned models and designers.

It felt as if the entire street in Paris had been transformed into a photo zone.

Jaesung, too, was more conscious of his attire than usual and was strolling around the Tuileries Garden.

This was because the first day of Paris Fashion Week was scheduled to take place on the outdoor permanent stage in the Tuileries Garden, just like last season.

As soon as the passersby spotted Jaesung, they would freeze in their tracks.

Was it because of the sense of intimidation contained in the name ‘Lee’? There were no requests for autographs or photos.

They just stood at a distance, watching Jaesung walk casually.

“Kang-jun, have you been waiting long?”

Jaesung said to Lee Kang-jun, who was neatly dressed in the VIP seats right in front of the permanent stage.

Lee Kang-jun waved his hand and replied.

“No, I just arrived.”

Jaesung quickly took a seat next to Lee Kang-jun and asked.

“By the way, you must be very busy with the final preparations, so is it okay for you to leisurely watch the collection?”

“Yes. I felt like I was getting further and further away from the original plan when I kept working on it even after finishing the preparations. I kept making changes, and once I made a change, I kept revising it again….”

Jaesung nodded a few times in agreement.

Originally, most of the owner-designers participating in Fashion Week were busy spending time checking their collection until the last minute.

Fixing, fixing, and fixing again….

From experience, this is a vicious cycle.

Repeated revisions cause confusion in memory and inevitably move further away from the show’s concept or initial plan at the time of writing the wood board [initial design concept].

‘As expected, I don’t have to worry about Kang-jun.’

He felt much more at ease.

The fact that Lee Kang-jun, who is uniquely strict with himself, could be sitting in the audience so leisurely meant that the preparations were almost complete.

As the start of the show approached, the empty seats began to fill up one by one.

Soon after, majestic music announcing the opening ceremony of Paris Fashion Week and the start of the first day’s collection began to flow from the speakers installed throughout the venue.

“Designer Jaesung.”

Lee Kang-jun said in an infinitely serious tone.

Jaesung turned his head and looked at Lee Kang-jun.

Lee Kang-jun had a face full of melancholy.

Was it because of the hard work he had put in? His eyes were glistening, and the pupils in them were as black as could be.

“Since I joined Wallflower, I’ve been imagining standing on the same stage as the president every night with equal qualifications.”

“It’s become a reality.”

After replying, “Yes, thanks to you,” Lee Kang-jun continued, still fixing his gaze on the permanent stage.

“Do you remember when I missed the Saint Laurent sub-director recruitment offer because of the car accident? Do you know why I was so upset then?”

When Jaesung shook his head without saying anything, Lee Kang-jun said again in a low voice.

“The fact that I couldn’t show the president, no, the designer, any results made me upset. I wanted to show you what I had learned and how much I had improved while staying by your side. Public interest and fame are good, but what’s most important to me now is to be recognized by the designer.”

Why has his evaluation become the absolute standard?

As Jaesung hesitated, not knowing what to say, Lee Kang-jun finally turned his head and looked at Jaesung’s face, adding.

“I thought that the moment I was recognized by the designer, I would be able to realize that I had already reached a fairly high place when I looked back.”

“Kang-jun, you were already a great designer. Even when you were at Wallflower. Furthermore, my evaluation is not that absolute.”

“Do you remember what you told me before? I mean, when you explained it using ‘De-om’s children’ as an example.”

After briefly recalling, Jaesung cleared his throat, saying, “Ah.”

Yes. He remembered. It was around the time when he was preparing for the season with the help of Ryu Seung-ho, a famous fashionista in Korea.

During a staff meeting, he had used De-om’s children as an example to say various things.

“Just as the children who grew up learning sewing at De-om’s atelier [workshop] still call themselves ‘De-om’s children’ even after becoming masters… If I ever become a designer with skill and fame, I will call myself a ‘Wallflower Child’.”

“That’s really appreciated.”

“But I have no intention of remaining an ordinary child of Wallflower, which will produce countless designers in the future. I want to remain the first Wallflower Child and the best Wallflower Child.”

After speaking, Lee Kang-jun looked at Jaesung and added again.

“I practiced several times, but I got carried away with rambling and my words got longer. To summarize what I wanted to say… I prepared really hard. So that I can proudly say anywhere that I competed with the designer as the owner-designer of a competing brand on the same stage. And so that I can be unashamed in front of the dreams I hold inside.”

Jaesung looked at Lee Kang-jun with a faint smile and replied.

“Kang-jun. Internally, we are already thinking that Diamond Look is the strongest competitor this season.”

“Yes…?”

“Let’s compete properly. Kang-jun as the owner-designer of Diamond Look, and me as the owner-designer of Wallflower.”

Jaesung could clearly feel that Lee Kang-jun’s eyes were glistening with passion.

After smiling once, Jaesung began to look at the outdoor permanent stage again.

The host, who had just appeared, was proceeding with the opening ceremony according to the script written on the cue sheet.

Memories of the past come to the surface, and he begins to think deeply.

He feels strangely emotional and overwhelmed by the thought that the journey that started in an office of just over ten square feet has come this far.

But, well? It is true that he feels happy to meet him as a competitor on such a big stage, but he has no intention of considering the circumstances or conditions.

Of course, Lee Kang-jun would want that too.

It will just be a mediocre debut stage for Lee Kang-jun.

Wallflower will take almost all the glory, and the remaining part will be picked up by Lee Kang-jun and other brands.

It was the moment when the first day of Paris Fashion Week began.