Black Label [EN]: Chapter 294

The morning of the Cardo show arrived.

Snooze, snooze—.

Jae-seung, waking at his usual 6 AM, glanced at his wife and child sleeping soundly beside him.

Hugging each other tightly, they seemed to have left him out.

“Guess I’m not needed there….”

He gently kissed them each on the forehead before heading out of the bedroom.

“Alright, let’s get to it.”

Following his morning routine, he drank water, took his vitamins, and was about to head to the shower when—.

“Appa—.”

His daughter emerged from the bedroom, rubbing her bleary eyes.

“You’re already awake?”

“Ung….”

“Why didn’t you sleep longer?”

Yul replied, “Mommy said today is the day Appa has his big test….”

A test. An apt description.

Designers faced this twice a year.

They had to prove themselves on the execution stage.

‘Indeed apt….’

If they failed to prove their worth….

‘That would be awful.’

Their accumulated value would plummet, though thankfully, not their heads.

“So, Yul woke up early to cheer you on….”

Jae-seung grinned.

“Okay, I’ll do my best.”

He’d put on countless shows, but this was the first time his daughter had encouraged him on the morning of one.

“I’ll ace the test and come back.”

He stroked her drowsy hair.

“Let’s go play after the test.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, we’ll play all day.”

He hoped he could return with a smile.

* * *

That afternoon.

“Let’s check everything one last time.”

Jae-seung meticulously inspected all the equipment for the show.

Lights, screens, beam projectors.

He checked the secret props, expensively prepared for the Cardo show, as well as the standard equipment used in other fashion shows.

“Everything’s working, right?”

Even the ‘subway’ itself.

“Yes, it is.”

The engineer, sitting in the cockpit and retesting the operation, smirked.

“A fashion show in a subway is certainly… unique.”

Jae-seung replied nonchalantly, “I chose the subway because it’s a great space to express the Cardo brand’s identity.”

The location perfectly matched the unique identity he had defined for Cardo.

However….

Since ‘evaluation’ ultimately rested with the public, the reaction was uncertain.

“Anyway, I have to do my best.”

The engineer responded, “It’ll be fine.”

He then scratched his nose.

“I don’t know much about fashion, but I saw the rehearsal, right?”

“Yes.”

“Even to me, it seemed like a really great and… meaningful show.”

Jae-seung smiled brightly.

“I’m honored that my first audience gave such a generous evaluation.”

“I’m the one who’s honored to help someone so famous.”

Just then….

Step, step—.

Jae-seung’s personal secretary entered the control room.

“Lee.”

Jae-seung responded immediately, “Yes.”

The secretary paused before continuing, “Only 15 minutes left.”

Only 15 minutes.

“15 minutes….”

Barely enough time for a cup of coffee, and the innovative brand created with enormous risk—Cardo—would either become a positive or negative example, a brand etched in fashion history.

“Hmm.”

Since the die was cast, he didn’t feel particularly nervous.

However….

A subtle feeling of anticipation and excitement coiled in his heart.

“Ticketing has begun, and the audience is entering the abandoned subway station.”

Jae-seung’s secretary always gave the impression she wouldn’t shed a tear even if pricked with a needle.

She always wore a perfectly pressed suit, her hair tightly bound.

Moreover, she exuded elegance, an intimidating gait, and a formulaic attitude, regardless of familiarity.

Her consistently expressionless face and stiff, cold tone sometimes made him wonder if she was an artificial human, but….

“I’m a little nervous.”

Seeing her tremble, unable to cope with the rising tension, he was reminded of the project’s scale.

Hundreds, thousands of billions [of Korean won, roughly equivalent to millions of US dollars].

Perhaps even greater losses would follow, making it extremely reckless, but if he didn’t do it, no one else would.

“There’s no need to be nervous.”

As he said, the die was cast.

“Good results will come.”

Already, the two hundred models he’d hired were waiting, wearing Cardo designs.

Even Jae-seung, a veteran of the mainstream fashion world, was staging a show of this scale for the first time.

He had rented the entire abandoned subway station, and thanks to the uniqueness of the space, hired two hundred models.

Not only that….

He had leased a subway train actually running within the ‘Paris Métro’ [the subway system of Paris] for a huge sum.

This required consulting with high-ranking officials, and he had spent hectic times to proceed as planned.

“Anyway, we did our best, right?”

He had done everything he could, honestly and without shame.

Now….

The time for ‘immersion’ and ‘concentration’ was over; it was time for evaluation.

That much was the same.

From renting a commercial building in Korea for his first show to the several shows still talked about today.

Always.

He felt this pleasant trembling, eagerly awaiting the show’s start.

The reason he could do that….

Perhaps….

It was because he had done his best.

“Hoo—.”

Jae-seung took a deep breath.

“Well, let’s go.”

It was time for the show to begin.

* * *

Géraldine Saglio, editor-in-chief of Paris Vogue, tried to suppress her trembling heart as she walked down the stairs.

Toc, toc— [sound of heels on the stairs].

Surprisingly, the show venue prepared by ‘Lee,’ the new owner of the LVMH Group [a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate], to showcase the new brand Cardo was….

“A subway?”

An abandoned subway station.

“I’m already looking forward to it.”

Géraldine, who usually tried to remain composed, replied excitedly to her new employee.

“Yes, definitely….”

At least, she was certain she wouldn’t see a terrible, bland show unsuitable for gorgeous clothes.

“Shall we go in?”

Unlike the two who entered the abandoned subway station with anticipation….

“What kind of show is held in a place like this….”

Some invitees sneered, disliking the venue.

“They don’t even make clothes people who ride the subway can afford….”

“Exactly….”

“Really, there’s no consideration for the people watching the show….”

They were unhappy about walking down a steep staircase and then even further.

“Excuse me.”

Géraldine called out.

“Oh, Géraldine!”

They recognized her, the editor-in-chief of Paris Vogue, and greeted her brightly.

“It would have been nicer to see a collaboration with the Philharmonic Orchestra instead.”

“Yes?”

Géraldine added, “Isn’t that so? Plays, musicals, operas by actors from the National Theater Company, and many other things.”

“I don’t know why you’re going through so much trouble when there are so many comfortable shows to watch.”

“Géraldine!”

“It seems you want to find fault with Cardo, but that’s not a reason for criticism.”

Géraldine continued, “Why? Why not suggest holding shows on the same stage?”

“I know you’re friendly with Lee, but we’re not finding fault, just talking about ‘consideration’….”

“Why watch the show of a designer who doesn’t consider the people who came to watch?”

She questioned them.

“If you came to work, how about thinking more professionally?”

“You’re going too far!”

“You came here looking for something to cut down, didn’t you?”

Géraldine smiled.

“Then shut up and look for elements to criticize. Don’t complain like angry kids from the entrance.”

A moment of silence.

“Let’s go.”

The new employee, who had been watching with wide eyes, replied loudly, “Yes!”

He diligently followed Géraldine and added, “Editor-in-chief, you’re so cool!”

“Yes?”

“You’re my role model!”

Géraldine shook her head.

“I just don’t like seeing it, okay?”

As they moved further into the subway station….

“That, that impudent woman!”

The critics, suddenly rebuked by Géraldine, seethed.

“They can’t even remember their rookie days!”

“Editor-in-chief of Paris Vogue, huh?”

“I’d rather quit, it’s so dirty!”

Because they relied on selling mediocre columns and receiving fees….

“If she wasn’t the editor-in-chief!”

They couldn’t go against Géraldine, who occasionally bought their columns.

“Well, let’s see how great a show they’ve prepared!”

Soon, they moved towards the venue.

Hostility towards Cardo burned like oil had been poured on it.

More precisely, hostility towards ‘Lee,’ the owner and designer of Cardo.

“If we find even one lacking aspect, we must criticize it harshly.”

“Yes, let’s show them what’s what.”

“Let’s show them why they say the pen is mightier than the sword!”