Black Label [EN]: Chapter 286

Black Label Extra Story 37

“I missed you.”

Jaeseung hugged Marc Jacobs and spoke softly.

“If you missed me, you should have called.”

“Aren’t we both busy?”

“We’re both swamped with work.”

Marc Jacobs shrugged and said gently, “Besides, we’ll run into each other eventually anyway….”

Jaeseung smiled, then turned to hug Alexander King and other acquaintances. “Let’s postpone the rest of our conversation until after we discuss business.”

With that, Jaeseung walked towards the podium.

“Ah.”

The moment Jaeseung stepped onto the podium and spoke briefly into the microphone.

“Lee….”

Every eye in the spacious banquet hall was fixed on Jaeseung on the podium.

The designer of designers.

It was no exaggeration to say that the name Lee now carried a value and aura beyond measure.

All the designers looking up at him could be considered firmly established in the industry.

‘Amazing….’

Some couldn’t help but marvel at seeing Lee with their own eyes.

A living legend.

His career was truly worthy of that title.

He submitted the brand he launched as a student to Parsons School as a portfolio for admission.

From his undergraduate years, he demonstrated his genius and was chosen by Diom before he even graduated.

Moreover?

Meanwhile, Wallflower, where he served as the owner-designer, increased its sales several times each year and established itself as a premium brand.

In just a few years, he single-handedly built Wallflower into the ‘number one brand in total fashion industry sales,’ fully demonstrating his managerial skills.

Everyone knew the story of how he inherited Karl Lagerfeld’s fortune after being recognized by the notoriously picky and haughty Lagerfeld, who had been in charge of Chanel for half a century.

Even recently, he inherited the shares of the LVMH Group from Chairman Ardo, often called the emperor of the fashion kingdom, and gained control of management.

Those who had met him invariably recounted anecdotes with the consistent theme that ‘Lee has something that captivates people.’

It felt true.

Even standing on the podium at a distance, his aura was palpable.

“The atmosphere is different….”

As soon as one person spoke, others eagerly agreed. “Yes, definitely something….”

He exuded an aura that seemed impossible to approach carelessly.

“First of all, I’d like to thank you all for coming to Paris despite your busy schedules.”

Jaeseung began. “Think of this event as an introductory session for the newly launching 「Cardo」….”

As soon as Jaeseung brought up the main point and pressed the button on the remote control, a video was broadcast on the screen behind the podium.

「 Cardo 」

It was the brand name written in a custom font, commissioned at great expense.

“Consider this the current draft of the brand logo,” he said. At that, one designer asked, “Are you saying you’ll only use the font, without an image logo?”

Jaeseung answered immediately. “Yes, I didn’t feel the need to create an image logo.”

Then he continued his explanation. “Cardo plans to launch without any promotional means other than a documentary about the production process.”

“Why?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was to save on marketing costs and improve product quality?”

It was an absurd statement.

“Have you considered why most brands spend more than a few percent of their revenue each season specifically for marketing?”

Jaeseung replied, “I’ll make the customers find it.”

Immediately after, Jaeseung pressed the button on the remote control.

Click.

The image on the screen changed.

“Now, this is our marketing tool.”

It was a collection of logos from premium brands belonging to the LVMH Group.

“What do you think is the reason why the LVMH Group earned the somewhat embarrassing yet impressive title of ‘Fashion Kingdom’?”

“That’s….”

“Didn’t the first chairman, Ardo, buy any brand that had proven its value, even if it meant paying a premium?”

It was a mountain created by accumulating many successful brands.

“The brands under the group each pursue different identities and showcase their own products, but they share the marketing and distribution channels established by the group.”

After finishing speaking, Jaeseung paused and continued fluently. “Thanks to spending a very long time doing that, hasn’t the LVMH Group been able to develop a powerful weapon in the name of diversity?”

Jaeseung considered the word diversity to be the most essential element.

“If we hadn’t secured the weapon of diversity until now, we wouldn’t have even been able to imagine planning an innovative project called ‘Cardo.'”

To create successful branding, it was necessary to arouse consumers’ curiosity.

What would a brand look like if it combined only the advantages of these excellent brands with different identities?

“You must be curious too.”

Jaeseung continued. “What would it feel like if the unique leather processing method that the premium brand Belute [likely a fictional brand] has honed for nearly a century was combined with Diom’s classic style….”

Jaeseung scanned the venue.

“What if Givenchy’s stable, elegant, and sophisticated design was combined with Louis Vuitton, which has aristocratic DNA as well as heritage?”

Soon, a feeling akin to excitement appeared in the eyes of some designers.

To dare to think of combining the identities of several brands!

It was truly an outrageous idea.

It might be a pleasant thought from a ‘designer’s’ perspective, but sharing advantages was clearly a dangerous idea that could be directly linked to a decline in sales for the individual brands included in the project.

“Wouldn’t it be a dangerous decision?”

The designer who asked the question swallowed hard.

It was clearly an interesting project, but estimating the results…. It was a project that couldn’t be simply assured to be positive.

No.

Rather, he thought he could bet his entire fortune that it would lead to a decline in sales for the entire group’s brands.

“How about putting aside the risks and continuing to imagine?”

Jaeseung gave a subtle smile. “Now, let’s add some ingredients.”

Then he continued. “First of all, there’s Wallflower.”

At that, there was a stir.

“Does that mean Wallflower will also share its unique processes with the group’s brands….”

“If you convert Wallflower’s unique design IP [Intellectual Property] value, it would be an astronomical amount….”

“Why would you replace designs that will sell well even if you maintain them for decades….”

It was a shocking choice.

“Hasn’t Wallflower already secured several designs that can be called signatures?”

“That’s right.”

“But if you put it into this project, the image you’ve worked so hard to brand could go up in smoke….”

Jaeseung asked back, “I wonder?”

If he wasn’t confident in producing innovative designs like he is now, he would have made a conservative choice.

However….

Jaeseung was confident that he would be able to present a new lineup of innovative products every season, just as he had been doing.

“I think a little differently.”

Certainly, Wallflower’s main line products would continue to sell steadily even if the design wasn’t changed for decades.

As most successful premium brands adhered to this method, the signature model would continue to be produced and sold steadily, but….

“I am confident that this Cardo project will lead to a qualitative improvement in the entire fashion industry.”

Wouldn’t Wallflower also be able to give something and take something?

“I am confident in the success of Cardo.”

“Then….”

“I don’t want ‘Wallflower’ to be excluded from such a project.”

Silence fell for a moment.

“Anyway, as the CEO, I should bear the worries in areas outside of design, such as sales.”

Jaeseung added leisurely, “You just have to focus on the design that you are good at.”

It was an endlessly reliable statement.

“We have already roughly finalized the production volume directly related to sales, as well as the distribution channels and methods.”

Jaeseung added again. “Just think of yourselves as eccentric scientists and think about how to create a flashy and powerful chimera [a creature made of different animal parts].”

Silence fell for a moment.

“I’ll take responsibility for the aftermath.”

It was the next moment.

“I’m suddenly curious about the meaning of the name Cardo.”

Jaeseung answered immediately. “I combined the names of Karl Lagerfeld, the designer who gave me the greatest inspiration, and Chairman Ardo, who taught me the attitude and mindset of a businessman.”

It was simple and clear, but….

“It’s symbolic….”

It was quite a stylish name.

“But….”

Then someone asked, “Actually, I can’t shake the doubt as to whether the schedule is physically manageable.”

Jaeseung narrowed his brows. “Physically?”

Then he continued, “I wonder if you can handle such a large project in parallel while preparing for Wallflower’s new season, as well as handling overall practical work related to group management….”

Jaeseung chuckled. “Are you worried about me?”

“Aren’t you?”

“First of all, I am grateful, but….”

The next moment.

Click.

“Huh….”

Several clothing schematics appeared.

“Goodness….”

Although they were too small to see in detail….

“Is this a product to be presented at Cardo?”

Someone asked….

“Yes.”

Jaeseung answered again. “I have already created about 30 types of sample schematics for the product line that I want to present at Cardo.”

At that, another person asked, “How on earth….”

Jaeseung answered briefly. “I drew them by hand.”

Then he added, “With concentration.”

Silence fell in the venue….

Click.

Jaeseung said, pressing the button. “Now, shall we take a look at them one by one?”

The venue was as quiet as if cold water had been poured over it.