Black Label [EN]: Chapter 246

The next morning, the media was buzzing, likely due to the aftermath of Paris Fashion Week.

[Emerging Designer Little Lee, ‘Kang Jun’ Makes an Appearance, Discussing the Potential of the New Premium Brand Diamond Look…]

[The Turbulent 2015 S/S Season Paris Fashion Week, Critic Phil Adore Says, “A Feast of the Highest-Quality Collection Stages in History.”]

[Philip Cho’s Instant Column, Briefly Reviewing the Main Designs of Each Brand.]

Articles and columns announcing that the level of Paris Fashion Week had risen several steps compared to the previous season were abundant.

Some media outlets and columnists even raved that Paris Fashion Week was the “highest-level fashion week event” among all four major fashion weeks in the world.

With Paris Fashion Week itself receiving great attention from the public, the most notable brand among many was undoubtedly Wall Flower, led by designer Lee.

[Is Paris Fashion Week Now Divided Before and After Lee’s Appearance? About the Young Genius Lee Who Is Shaking the Times.]

[Lee, Opening a New Horizon for Avant-Garde Fashion? An Analysis of Wall Flower’s S/S Season Design That Crosses the Ambiguous Boundaries of Popularity and Commerciality.]

[Premium Brand ‘Wall Flower’ Succeeds in Defending Its Throne Again This Year? An Exclusive Interview with Designer Lee, Presenting Consecutive Achievements After Establishing the First 8-Crown Record.]

* * *

Time passed quickly, and everything began to resolve smoothly and naturally, like gears meshing together.

“How is it?”

In front of the brand house, which was nearing the end of remodeling, Director Song asked, his chin raised high with a triumphant tone.

The originally magnificent brand house building had been transformed into a structure that harmoniously blended antique and modern sensibilities.

Once the interior work was completed, it would be ready to function as a brand house without any shortcomings.

“It’s perfect.”

Jae-seung replied quietly, taking a deep breath.

Even though Paris Fashion Week had ended, he couldn’t return home immediately.

He wanted to return to Korea right away and focus on preparing Wall Flower’s Black Label products, but well… everyone seemed to want him to stay in Paris longer.

“By the way, how is the interview schedule going? Do you think you can finish it within the next week?”

“If no additional schedules are added, I think I can finish it around then.”

Interview requests from TV programs in France, famous fashion magazines, and media companies were pouring in.

And that wasn’t all. Buyers from various countries, as well as agencies representing famous actors and artists, were constantly trying to make contact.

It seemed they intended to use Wall Flower’s products as stage costumes or awards ceremony outfits.

Thanks to this, Jae-seung had to maintain an even busier daily life than when he was preparing for Fashion Week.

What should I say? It felt like running around frantically on the hands of a clock.

He had to attend several meetings and photo shoots a day, and when he wasn’t, he had to prepare and practice for the next scheduled event.

So, was he overwhelmed? No.

Feeling that he was getting closer to his desired life, he felt that his mental strength was becoming much clearer than before.

As Jae-seung was immersed in deep thought, Director Song put his arm around Jae-seung’s shoulder and added.

“I think it would be better to unveil Wall Flower’s ‘Black Label Edition’ products here.”

“At the brand house?”

“Yes. We’ll postpone the opening until then and open it for the first time at that time. A historical edition release will take place in a historical location. How about it?”

Jae-seung began to look up at the brand house building again with shining eyes.

His heart was pounding.

He felt like he was only a few steps away from releasing the Black Label Edition products, which was his ultimate goal.

* * *

It was more than two weeks later that Jae-seung returned to Korea.

Thanks to this, he had to celebrate the new year of 2016 in France, and he set foot on Korean soil, feeling the colder air.

On the day Jae-seung returned home, another bombshell exploded, causing a stir in the world.

“President, hurry!”

At Director Song’s cry, Jae-seung immediately ran to the monitor.

Today was the day when the compilation album and music video of Billboard hip-hop artists, including the UK [United Kingdom], were released.

[Wow, this Billboard hip-hop artist compilation album music video is crazy.]

[Isn’t it really cool? The vibe itself is different. As expected, the class of native hip-hop….]

[If there are people who haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check it out. I saw that it was released on a free video streaming site?]

[Crazy, already surpassed 100 million views on YouTube (Utube). Considering the period, isn’t it really an all-time number of views that doesn’t make sense?]

[I agree. We’ll have to watch the trend for a few days, but at this rate, we’ll break the No. 1 record soon… ?]

The compilation album and music video had an incredible impact that was beyond shocking.

The runtime was a long video that lasted for 6 minutes.

The music video begins with a Black rapper from the slums returning to his hometown in a Bentley sedan.

As the prelude plays, he opens the window and starts handing out Wall Flower watches by the box to the children walking around the neighborhood.

The scene then immediately switches to a hotel penthouse. The carpet on the floor, the cushions on the sofa, and even the cigarette case were all engraved with the Wall Flower logo.

A scene where Billboard hip-hop artists participating in the album are having a party inside the penthouse.

The UK was also mixed in the ranks, and there was not even a speck of discomfort.

After all the videos were over, Jae-seung smiled.

It was because the lyrics of the UK, who was in charge of the last part of the compilation album, lingered in his ears.

– Open your eyes wide and look at the ‘WF (Wall Flower)’ clothes that fill my closet.

– This is no longer a trend, man. This is now a symbol of success, man.

Director Song then opened his mouth with a capitalist smile.

“President, I can hear the sound of money coming in, right?”

“I think so.”

“I’ll try to bring forward the Wall Flower Life project as much as possible.”

Wall Flower Life.

It was a project related to the production of daily necessities aimed at permeating the daily lives of the public.

Eyeglasses, mugs, tumblers, fountain pens, diaries, carpets, cushion covers, etc.…

A simple yet challenging project involving imprinting the Wall Flower logo on all daily necessities and producing them.

Soon, Director Song added another remark.

“We have to row hard while the water’s coming in.”

Jae-seung nodded once, then began to speak in a serious tone.

“Good. And, Director Song, isn’t it really time to focus on preparing the Black Label Edition products? I’d like you to reject any solicitations for the time being.”

“Okay. Got it. We can’t just let the amazing brand house sit idle….”

Until the Black Label Edition products are completed, shouldn’t the brand house be left unattended?

Director Song was also just hoping that the Black Label Edition products would be released as soon as possible.

Jae-seung nodded once and quietly added.

“I’ll be back in two weeks.”

“Two weeks? Where are you going?”

“Yes, I’m going to finish some work in a quiet place.”

“Where?”

After hesitating for a moment, Jae-seung replied with an awkward smile.

“Dongdaemun.”

* * *

The place Jae-seung headed to in his sports car was none other than a shabby building located on the outskirts of Dongdaemun Market [a large commercial district in Seoul, South Korea].

When he ran his hand over the walls of the dilapidated old building, a lot of orange powder rubbed off.

Jae-seung glanced at his hand and muttered to himself.

“Wow, it’s still the same….”

Soon, the real estate agent, who was standing by Jae-seung’s side, spoke in a cautious tone.

“You’re going to take over this building? It’s definitely cheap, but there’s a reason. The ceiling is made of asbestos, and it has many flaws here and there….”

“It’s okay. A staff member with a power of attorney will visit sometime today.”

“Hmm, I understand for now. If you change your mind, please let me know anytime, as I’ll introduce you to some good properties. I’d be happy to sell anything, but even so, I feel a bit uneasy about passing on a property like this….”

The middle-aged real estate agent, who was wearing rimless glasses, adjusted them once and handed over a bunch of keys hanging from his waist. It seemed to be a bunch of keys linked to the inside of the building.

After sending the real estate agent away by repeatedly saying it was okay, Jae-seung carefully held the bunch of keys he had received and began to descend the narrow, steep stairs.

A few light bulbs, which seemed to be nearing the end of their lifespan, were flickering uneasily, dimly illuminating the stairwell.

Eventually, Jae-seung reached the end of the stairs, gently grabbed the doorknob, which was covered in rust, and took a long breath.

“Hoo-”

This was the underground studio that Jae-seung from his previous life had rented and used.

When he was losing everything, when he was frustrated and tormented by his dreams dozens or hundreds of times a day.

It was the place where he spent the most time when he was barely making a living.

And….

It was also going to be the space where the diagrams for the products to be produced for this Black Label Edition project would be created.

Why did he choose this place when he could have left good workspaces behind?

It’s simple. Wasn’t it here that he started dreaming?

He also wanted to put a period to it here.

Soon, Jae-seung groped along the wall, found the switch, and immediately turned on the fluorescent light.

Click.

Everything was as he remembered it.

The platform where he slept or ate. The concrete floor where the stagnant water would freeze in winter.

Even the bumpy white walls where fruit flies would stick in the summer….

Yes, the period must be put here.

Isn’t he too caught up in the memories of the past? Well, maybe he is.

But for Jae-seung, the memories here were among the ‘things that must never be forgotten’.

Time is heartless, and the power of time is great.

It’s like a pill of oblivion that you’re forced to take every second.

Even things that should never be forgotten, precious memories, or vows and resolutions are buried at the bottom of the sea of memory.

It may be right to bury the past in one’s heart.

But no matter how much it is providence, he didn’t want to forget the memories here.

No, he didn’t want them to fade or be distorted even a little.

This place contains the memories of the most desperate moments of the past two lives.

It could be said that it is a place where the memories of dreaming most sadly are preserved intact, and at the same time, it has laid the groundwork for the current self to exist.

Tap, tap-.

Soon, Jae-seung dusted off the old workbench. Then he immediately slumped down in the chair in front of the workbench.

The chair made a groaning sound, ‘Squeak-,’ but Jae-seung didn’t care much.

Then, he immediately took out an old diary and a Monami ballpoint pen [a popular and inexpensive pen brand in South Korea] from the clutch he was holding.

What’s next?

Swish, swish….

He began to draw diagrams.

Moving the pen as he pleased, freely erasing the remaining lines at will.

He began to draw diagrams comfortably, without being bound by any formality.

A line is drawn on the white paper with a pleasant sound.

Jae-seung only believed without a doubt that the lines he was drawing would be a ‘stroke’ in the history of the fashion world.

He began to draw the designs to be included in the ‘Black Label Edition’ in the shabby underground studio in Dongdaemun, which he had visited after a long time.

A lot has changed.

But a lot remains the same.

That fact only made Jae-seung feel choked up and happy.