Black Label [EN]: Chapter 51

Black Label 50

51. Night of the Designers

“Shall we take a look first?”

As soon as Jaeseung finished speaking softly, the employees began to gather around the laptop.

On the main page of the Kuba Kuba Store online site, right in the center, was the large banner. The name ‘Wall Flower’ was once again on the main page of the Kuba Kuba Store.

[‘Wall Flower’ 2011 S/S Season Product Launch Celebration, Lookbook Unveiled]

Below the text were neatly posted ‘thumbnails’ (small, reduced images) of the model cut images taken this time.

‘Let’s see…’

Click-.

When Jaeseung clicked on the first thumbnail, a large image of the original size appeared on the screen.

“Wow, amazing!”

“It feels so different seeing it again, doesn’t it?”

“It feels different seeing it on the store site…”

Was it because of the proper retouching?

It was on a completely different level compared to the ‘straight shots’ that had been leaked online beforehand.

The photos of the two models wearing Wall Flower clothes and making mischievous expressions like troublemakers.

In Hongdae Playground, at the three-way intersection in front of Myeongdong A-Land [a popular fashion shopping center], on the streets of Yeonnam-dong, and in the dark alleys of residential areas.

The chemistry created by Lee So-myeong, whose features were clearly defined through shedding makeup, and Ryu Seung-ho, who maximized the rough feeling without any makeup, was truly fantastic.

Soon, Jaeseung began to flip through the photos.

Click-.

Click-.

The lookbook photos released through Kuba Kuba totaled forty. Forty photos selected based on strict criteria were played in the form of a ‘slide show’.

Soon.

When the model cuts of the ‘D or D’ series clothing designed by Lee Kang-jun himself appeared, Chu Ji-hoon exclaimed with a bright expression.

“Oh?! That’s the clothes Kang-jun *hyung* [older brother/male friend] designed!”

“…That’s right.”

Lee Kang-jun, who replied in a low voice, began to stare intently at the laptop screen with a touched expression.

What should I say? It was like the expression someone would make when breaking out of a hard eggshell and taking their first step into the world.

Before long, Jaeseung’s eyes met his. Then he gave a smile.

Jaeseung, who returned the smile, began to flip through the photos again.

Click-.

Click-.

After looking through all forty lookbook photos, Jaeseung looked around at the employees and opened his mouth.

“Ah! I was so out of it that I didn’t even mention it, but I actually added one more to the lookbook.”

“Yes? So, it’s forty-one instead of forty?”

“I guess so.”

Jaeseung, who replied briefly, pressed the mouse button again. The forty-first image file, which he had not told the employees about, appeared on the laptop screen.

The forty-first photo was not a model cut image of a new product, but a page included in the form of an ‘ending credit’.

In other words, it was a list containing the names of everyone who participated in the production of the 2011 S/S season products.

Starting with the names of each of the employees, to the models, to the staff of the filming company.

[Thanks To….]

To the design team employees, no, ‘family’ members, who had to suffer from working overtime throughout the S/S season preparation period, and who will continue to do so in the future.

Lee Kang-jun, Nam Gwang-min, Chu Ji-hoon, and the reliable logistics and delivery team employee Yoo Seung-woo, who are building Wall Flower with me.

Also, Ryu Seung-ho, a precious muse who volunteered to be the lookbook model, and those who worked hard for good photos despite the cold weather….

The employees, who had been staring blankly at the laptop screen, began to speak one by one.

“President, I really didn’t expect this….”

“Wow….”

“Our president is definitely a romantic.”

Jaeseung, who had been quietly watching the employees, slowly continued with a faint smile.

“Wouldn’t you say this is something to brag about? For your information, the image included at the end of the lookbook will also be included in the ‘paper catalog’ for this season that will be published soon. I’m letting you know in advance.”

Instead of a stale thank you, he wanted to give them a gift they would never forget. In short, he wanted to give them something symbolic that they could brag about to their families and friends for a long time.

He wanted to instill confidence that the direction they were heading in was the right one, and he wanted to create a small breathing hole in the hard ‘eggshell’ they were currently trapped in.

Through that breathing hole, he wanted to give them a little bit of a sense of what the outside world, the world of real designers that they were so eager for, was like.

The credit page included at the end of the lookbook and the secretly prepared paper catalog were gifts prepared with that intention.

Clap-!

Jaeseung clapped his hands together sharply to change the atmosphere and continued to speak.

“It’s a gift that was inspired by the ending credits of a movie, but if you think about it strictly, the expression ‘opening credits’ would be much more appropriate.”

“Yes?”

“Of course, preparing for the S/S season was difficult, but in reality, it’s a task that most brands do every year. Wall Flower has only just stood on the starting line.”

After finishing speaking, Jaeseung clapped his hands together sharply and said again in a very gentle tone.

“First, shall we put up the real-time sales status window and eat the chicken? I think it’s all cold.”

“Yes?! While watching the sales status?”

At Chu Ji-hoon’s surprised words, Nam Gwang-min nodded his head and replied.

“Well, it’s better to get hit in advance [to prepare for the bad news].”

Oh? Is that how it works?

Anyway, he put up the real-time sales status window for brand owners who were in the Kuba Kuba store on the laptop screen.

Soon.

“Wow, this is crazy.”

“Huh….”

“Oh my god.”

The expressions of the employees who checked the real-time sales status window quickly turned pale.

Even though it was late at night past midnight, the S/S season clothes were selling like hotcakes.

A storm of work was coming, which would forcibly turn the employees into ‘workaholics’.

* * *

A few days later, early in the morning. Lee Kang-jun, who arrived in front of the shopping center where Wall Flower’s office was located, took out a cigarette.

The cigarette he smoked in front of the shopping center like this usually became the last cigarette of the morning.

At least until lunchtime, it was common to work without a break.

Especially during times like these, when the phrase ‘busy without being able to lift your head’ was more than appropriate.

“Hoo, it’s cold….”

It feels like spring should be coming soon, but the weather doesn’t seem to be getting warmer.

Lee Kang-jun quickly put on his coat collar and started smoking like someone being chased.

‘By the way, when will the package arrive…?’

A few days ago, he sent a package to his parents for the first time in a while.

Along with a slightly early Lunar New Year gift, he enclosed this month’s issue of FTV magazine, which included a brief interview with him.

It seemed to be the first time.

Showing his parents quite plausible results, along with the words, “I’m doing well, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Hoo-.”

After throwing the cigarette that had burned to the filter into the trash can, he immediately entered the shopping center where the office was located.

Looking at himself in the elevator mirror and straightening his clothes, the moment he took his first step on the 6th floor of the building where the office was located.

Chu Ji-hoon, who seemed to have just come out of the bathroom, shook off the remaining water on his hands and said.

“*Hyung*, you’re here?”

“Yeah. Good morning. Ji-hoon, how’s the volume today?”

“It’s the same as usual. Today is death, death [extremely busy].”

“Is that so?”

Lee Kang-jun, who replied in a low voice, was about to turn the office doorknob when Chu Ji-hoon said softly in a gentle tone.

“Congratulations.”

“Huh?”

As soon as Lee Kang-jun stepped into the office, Jaeseung greeted him.

“Good morning.”

“Yes, President. Good morning?”

“Kang-jun, please take this first.”

Jaeseung, who spoke softly, picked up the file folder on his desk and handed it over. Lee Kang-jun frowned slightly and asked.

“What is this?”

“It’s a contract. Please take a close look at it and submit it by lunchtime.”

“Yes? A contract?”

“You contributed to the production of the S/S season clothes, so we have to promote you to a formal designer.”

“Ah….”

Lee Kang-jun was just staring blankly at Jaeseung when Jaeseung added an explanation in a small voice as if whispering.

“The contract is for one year, the annual salary is increased to 35 million won [approximately $27,000 USD], and 1% of the total sales of the ‘D or D’ series you designed will be paid as royalties. Take a look at the other details yourself.”

“Yes….”

“I’ve already told the other employees in advance, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

After finishing speaking, Jaeseung patted Lee Kang-jun’s shoulder lightly and said to the employees.

“Gwang-min and Kang-jun, please continue to check the order details. Only Ji-hoon, let’s go to the warehouse together.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Please check the product inventory periodically and bring the order details to the warehouse in units of 15.”

“I understand.”

“Okay. Then let’s all have a fighting day today [a phrase to wish good luck].”

Lee Kang-jun was still staring blankly at Jaeseung’s back.

It was such a radical treatment that he couldn’t even imagine it if it was a SPA brand [fast fashion] under a large corporation, or even any other brand.

At that time, Nam Gwang-min said with a faint smile.

“Kang-jun. Congratulations on becoming a formal designer.”

“Ah, thank you!”

“Ji-hoon and I will definitely be promoted to formal designers this F/W [Fall/Winter] season.”

“Yes, I’ll cheer you on.”

Nam Gwang-min, who nodded his head once, tapped on the keyboard with fluent hand movements and replied.

“Okay, thank you. Let’s do the backlog first. This order never ends, no matter how much we take out.”

“I know. It’s piled up when I wake up, and it’s piled up when I wake up, it’s like snow when I was in the army?”

“Hehehe. I know. By the way, it seems like the president slept in the office again today?”

“Yes? Again today?”

“It’s only this much because the president takes out a little bit of the volume in the early morning, otherwise it would have been really terrible.”

* * *

Meanwhile, at that time.

Jaeseung was standing in front of a pile of boxes and was busy talking on the phone.

It was because of a call from Kim Min-hyuk, the person in charge of the Kuba Kuba store.

– Now that we’re on the rise, shall we make some ‘coupons’ and spread them around?

“Coupons?”

Wall Flower’s 2011 S/S season clothes succeeded in placing as many as 5 types of clothes in the ‘Best 10’ of Kuba Kuba store’s recent popular products in just one day of release.

Even one of them was the D or D hoodie designed by Lee Kang-jun.

Thanks to this, the Kuba Kuba store was constantly coming up with various strategies and providing generous support.

– I’ll visit your office to tell you the details. If you have time today, can I visit?

“I’d appreciate it if you could.”

– Ah! And there’s one more important matter.

“An important matter?”

– Yes. This time, there’s a gathering of ‘owner designers’ of brands that are in the Kuba Kuba store.

“Yes? A gathering?”

– It’s called ‘Night of the Designers’, and you can think of it as a slightly late New Year’s party. As you know, designers are busier at the end of the year and the New Year.

Kim Min-hyuk on the other end of the phone paused for a moment and continued to speak.

– Actually, the place is a bar, so I couldn’t tell designer Lee Jae-seung. But among the designers who are attending this time, there are so many people who want to see designer Lee Jae-seung. Could you possibly come?

“It’s not difficult to attend, but I don’t know if I’ll have time that day.”

– It will probably be a very good place to build ‘connections’. I can guarantee that one thing.

Jaeseung nodded his head once. It is true that there are quite famous brands among the brands in the Kuba Kuba store.

If he could simply build friendships with some of them, it might be quite helpful later.

After thinking for a while, Jaeseung replied in a gentle tone.

“Okay, then I’ll attend.”

‘Night of the Designers’.

It seemed like it would be quite an interesting event.