Black Label [EN]: Chapter 37

Black Label 36

37. Recruiting Talent to Grow with Wall Flower

Kuba Kuba Store’s entry into the main banner? Anyone could see it was a great opportunity.

It was a chance to have your name plastered on the main screen of a site with daily traffic reaching thousands, even tens of thousands.

Because of the sudden opportunity, Jaeseung’s mind was in a daze. He was staring blankly at Kim Minhyuk, as if his soul had left his body.

“Jaeseung, are you still operating as a one-man business?”

“Yes? Yes, still….”

Jaeseung hesitated for a moment, then began to gaze intently at Kim Minhyuk. It seemed he was about to bring up the topic of hiring employees.

Hiring employees.

Jaeseung had also thought about it several times. But in the end, he had concluded that it wasn’t something to deal with right now.

For now, he was managing smoothly enough by occasionally enlisting the help of Yeongguk, so he had put it off for a while.

Jaeseung then added.

“I was planning to decide on the employee hiring issue after seeing the reaction to the new street clothing line we’re releasing this time.”

“Hmm. It might sound presumptuous, but I think it’s better to fill the manpower first.”

Kim Minhyuk began to speak in a serious tone.

“The main banner effect is beyond imagination. It’s a bit much to say, but even clothes that are mediocre often sell out once they’re *DP (Displayed) on the banner. That’s how powerful it is.”

“Ah….”

“Moreover, if it’s the quality of jeans that Jaeseung is releasing this time, I think a complete sell-out is practically guaranteed.”

As Jaeseung nodded a few times, Kim Minhyuk spoke with a confident tone.

“I’m guessing, but the order volume will explode. Even if it doesn’t reach that level, it won’t be a quantity you can handle alone. I think the right course of action is to post a job advertisement right away.”

He was right. From product logistics management to shipping-related issues, factory handling, and designing new products.

It was definitely too much to handle all of this alone.

The areas where Yeongguk could help were also too limited.

“It’s going to be really hectic for a while.”

“But don’t worry too much.”

“Yes?”

“We can help you enough with the hiring problem.”

Help? How?

For a moment, question marks filled his head.

“We post job openings for brands that are in the Kuba Kuba Store, in the site’s notice section.”

“Ah!”

“I’ll send you the form, so please fill it out and send it back today. If there aren’t enough applicants, we’ll even put up a pop-up window on the site’s main page, so don’t worry.”

The Kuba Kuba site has a fairly high percentage of people in fashion-related jobs or majors among its users.

Since those who want to work for designer brands visit the site frequently, he thought that getting help would definitely reduce the difficulties.

Jaeseung then expressed his gratitude.

“That’s a relief. Thank you very much.”

“No problem.”

Kim Minhyuk, speaking in a rather firm tone, straightened his tie and added again.

“You don’t have to thank me that much. Job postings are just a benefit that is equally supported for all brands that are in the store. And we are also a ‘company’.”

“Yes?”

When Jaeseung asked again, he shrugged his shoulders once and continued smoothly.

“At least when it comes to handling work, we don’t include personal feelings. The top priority is ‘profit’. If we had judged ‘Wall Flower’s’ future potential to be below standard, if the jeans sample you showed us today was not good, we wouldn’t have even brought up the story about the main banner.”

“Thank you for seeing it favorably.”

“I hope you get good results and prove that my judgment was not wrong. That way, we can see ‘Wall Flower’ often on the site’s main banner.”

Kim Minhyuk smiled brightly after speaking. He had felt it several times before, but he was definitely a person who was very strict about public and private matters.

‘Hmm….’

Jaeseung nodded a few times, repeating what he had just said in his mind.

He spoke in a gentle tone, making it sound good, but it was also a subtle threat.

We value ‘skill’ and the ‘quality’ of clothes the most.

We gave you a good opportunity, so make well-selling clothes and show us the results.

Then we’ll give you opportunities again and again.

Yes, this is much better.

If I can prove my skills, I can receive continuous preferential treatment.

I don’t have to worry about ‘entertainment’ or ‘lobbying’ other than making clothes.

Jaeseung then said sincerely.

“Thank you again.”

Kim Minhyuk, who responded with a smile, glanced at the watch on his wrist and replied.

“First of all, my meeting time is approaching, so I’ll get up. The job posting form will be in your email now. Please fill it out and send it as soon as possible.”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

* * *

Not long after Kim Minhyuk left, an email arrived in his inbox.

It was the job posting form to be posted on the fashion webzine, Kuba Kuba’s notice board.

– Recruiting talent to grow with the new designer brand, ‘Wall Flower’.

First of all, the number of people listed in the announcement was a total of four.

First, three design majors who will help him with various tasks, and one part-time worker who will be in charge of logistics and delivery-related tasks.

That’s what he had written in the announcement, but if there were any among those who submitted their resumes that he liked, he was willing to hire one or two more.

‘Can I really do well…?’

That was the thought that came to mind as soon as he sent the completed announcement to Kim Minhyuk’s email.

He had quite a bit of experience working with someone or working under someone.

But this is the first time he’s had someone under him.

It was a natural doubt.

Fortunately, the worry soon subsided. It may be a vague thought, but he knows the difficulties of subordinates well.

He will act like the superiors who moved his heart.

“Hoo….”

Jaeseung, who took a breath, picked up his coat that he had hung on the hanger.

It was to head to the sewing factory, ‘Taeyangsa’, run by CEO Song.

* * *

“Oh, you’re here. Did you wait long?”

As soon as he stepped into the president’s office of Taeyangsa, CEO Song asked in a rather friendly tone.

Thanks to CEO Song, who was busy as always, he had to sit and wait for almost thirty minutes.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Anyway, it’s been a while. Is it the first time I’ve seen you in a year?”

Jaeseung asked back in disbelief at CEO Song’s words, who showed his yellow teeth.

“Yes?”

What is he talking about again? It couldn’t have been more than a month, no, not even half a month.

CEO Song clicked his tongue a few times and continued, as if frustrated.

“Because the year has changed, it’s the first time I’ve seen you since last year, right? You don’t know jokes, you don’t know jokes.”

“….”

Just as Jaeseung couldn’t find the words to accept it and closed his mouth like a mute who had eaten honey.

CEO Song asked again.

“By the way, what happened to the lambskin handbag? Did it sell out?”

“Yes. Fortunately, I didn’t have to pass the stock on to you, CEO.”

“Yes. I thought so….”

He hesitated for a moment, clapped his hands once, and asked back.

“Let’s talk about work first. Are you here today because of the fabric? I think it will take a few days for the lambskin to come in.”

“No. I’m here to request some samples and pattern production for the products I’m releasing this time.”

“Hmm? Samples and patterns?”

Jaeseung picked up the clutch bag he had placed next to him and continued.

“I’ll show you the schematics and work instructions first. The release schedule was suddenly moved up, so I’m short on manpower.”

“Really? What kind?”

“Jackets and T-shirts.”

He visited to request the production of samples of rider jackets and cotton T-shirts, which he originally planned to release with jeans.

The Kuba Kuba Store side only requested Paint Jeans, but they wouldn’t stop him from releasing them together.

Anyway, releasing a large number of items at once is beneficial to each other.

It may be greed, but he judged that if he entrusted the production of samples to a reliable company without making them himself, he could release ‘jackets’ and ‘T-shirts’ together, so he took the step to entrust the request.

“The sooner the deadline, the better.”

“Hmm, it’s a bit difficult to sew….”

“Is it possible within two days?”

CEO Song, who was looking at the schematics with sparkling eyes, nodded once and replied in a nonchalant tone.

“I’ll try my best. Anyway, I’ll try my best not to miss the deadline, so don’t worry.”

“Ah. And this order, can I entrust it to a seamstress with gray hair and a plump body?”

“What? Why?”

“I was watching for a while while waiting, and I thought that person was the most skilled.”

CEO Song smiled and replied.

“Okay. I got it.”

“Thank you.”

Jaeseung, who answered briefly, picked up his clutch bag and got up from his seat.

“CEO, I’m sorry, but I don’t have time today. I’ll stop by again on the day the samples come out.”

“Okay. I got it. Go carefully.”

At that time, Jaeseung put the shopping bag he had placed at his feet on the side table and said again.

“Yes. And this.”

“What is this?”

It was a shopping bag with the ‘Wall Flower’ logo neatly engraved in cursive.

Jaeseung smiled and continued smoothly.

“It’s a gift made from leftover fabric.”

“Really? What is it?”

“It’s not a big deal, it’s a wallet.”

It was a gift for CEO Song, which he made while making wallets for Yeongguk and Yeongguk’s mother.

When he stopped by last time, he saw an expensive luxury wallet on his desk, so he wanted to make something else if possible, but he couldn’t help it because the amount of leftover fabric was not enough.

“I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh? Okay, I’ll use the wallet well. Thank you.”

“No. See you the day after tomorrow.”

“Okay, go carefully. I’ll call you.”

Jaeseung, who bowed his head, left the president’s office of Taeyangsa in a hurry.

CEO Song, who was staring at the door that Jaeseung had opened and left, smiled pleasantly.

“It’s really amazing….”

The skill felt in the ‘schematics’ and ‘work instructions’, the unique luxurious design, it’s a guy that gives a strange feeling every time I see it.

The schematics of the handbag I saw last time, and the schematics of the jacket and T-shirt I saw this time were the same.

These clothes also felt as well-organized as the products of other ‘Premium Brands’.

‘By the way, how did you know that the old man is the best and put in an order by designation? Did you really see it for a moment?’

CEO Song tilted his head once and took out his thick wallet from his back pocket. It was a luxury wallet worth 2 million won released by ‘LOUIS CARTIERZ’.

Soon.

“…The wallet is good.”

He muttered quietly, humming a song and began to take out cards and cash bundles from his wallet.

* * *

As soon as Jaeseung returned to the studio, he immediately sat down in front of the PC. It had been quite a while since the job posting was posted, so he wanted to check if there were any support emails that had arrived.

‘Hmm, it would be nice if there was at least one….’

In fact, he didn’t have high expectations. It had not been 6 hours since the job posting was posted.

Unless it was a famous designer brand, there was no way that applications would pour into a new brand like Wall Flower.

Anyway, as the situation was, if there were signs that the response was not very good, he planned to send an SOS to Kim Minhyuk to put a pop-up on the main screen.

Click-. Click-.

Jaeseung, who was staring at the monitor and clicking repeatedly, exclaimed “Oh!” at once.

First of all, there were a total of 2 job application emails that arrived. This was a pretty good defense.

“Good….”

Jaeseung then opened each email and began to scan the contents carefully.

First of all, the first applicant was a 23-year-old male who was on leave from Hongshin University’s Department of Fashion Design.

It’s not important, but his academic background is quite good, and the impression in the attached ID photo is also good.

‘I’ll have to tell him to come for an interview.’

Click-.

Soon, the moment Jaeseung opened the second applicant’s email.

“Uh….”

Jaeseung’s eyes widened on their own.