Black Label [EN]: Chapter 55

Black Label 54

55. Sometimes Recklessly

While most galleries these days pursue modern interior designs, Gallery ‘TT’ had an antique feel reminiscent of the Middle Ages.

From the dazzling chandeliers to the sleek display tables that appeared to be crafted from high-quality wood, and even the gold-plated candlesticks adorning them.

“Wow….”

Nam Gwang-min, who had been admiring the scene, began to look around with the wide-eyed wonder of a country boy visiting Seoul for the first time.

“How is it? Do you think it’s suitable?”

“Yes. It’s amazing.”

“I’m glad.”

Jae-seung replied briefly, a satisfied smile playing on his lips, and continued.

“After looking around, this seems to be the place that best embodies the design concept for this Fall/Winter season.”

“Pardon? The design concept…?”

Jae-seung nodded. “Yes,” he confirmed, prompting Nam Gwang-min to ask again.

“Well, it’s a bit of a contrast, isn’t it?”

Minimalism, where ‘simplification’ and ‘plainness’ are key, versus an interior with a dazzling feel that resembles a replica of the Vatican Basilica.

In reality, it seemed more like ‘opposites’ than harmony.

“Most galleries aim for a modern style interior, don’t they?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

As Jae-seung pointed out, almost all galleries, with the exception of TT Gallery, were built with a modern interior as their guiding principle.

The walls, floors, and ceilings are painted in primary colors.

The trend is modern interiors that minimize sculptures and even display stands.

“Perhaps holding a show in a modern gallery with a similar aesthetic might be a choice that creates a harmonious picture.”

“Yes, but?”

“Would you like to consider it from a different angle? In a space like this, can the advantages of minimalism be maximized?”

In minimalist fashion, it is common to use only two colors in one outfit.

The colors of all the clothes worn on the top and bottom are made up of only two colors.

For example, a black blazer jacket with a white skirt, or a navy dress shirt with black slacks.

Occasionally, three or more colors are mixed and matched, but it is standard to use similar tones.

What if those clothes were displayed in an extremely simple, modern-style gallery?

It might create a harmonious feeling, but it certainly wouldn’t highlight the advantages of minimalist fashion.

Nam Gwang-min then exclaimed, “Ah…,” as if he finally understood.

Jae-seung smiled brightly and continued in a gentle tone.

“In my opinion, this gallery is the place that will make our clothes shine more brilliantly.”

“Yes. I think I know what you mean.”

Nam Gwang-min replied briefly, adding, “It’s similar to how light stands out in the dark, right?”

Jae-seung nodded in response, then shifted his gaze and began to observe the back of the gallery staff member walking a few steps ahead.

‘Hmm….’

First of all, I really liked the gallery itself.

The antique interior, which seemed to have been created with considerable effort, was very satisfying, and I highly valued the fact that it harmonized with the ‘minimalism’ design concept for this Fall/Winter season.

I even seemed to have a clear picture in my head of how to divide and display the gallery building, which consists of a total of three floors.

But….

The cold-hearted staff member bothered me.

The cliché and sharp tone, the distrustful eyes, and the treatment that I thought was terrible.

While Jae-seung was lost in thought, the 40-year-old woman who had been walking stopped.

“Would you like to come in?”

“Ah, yes.”

The place where the 40-year-old woman stopped was a small reception room inside the gallery.

The space itself was small, but one wall was made entirely of glass, giving it a modern and open feeling.

As soon as Jae-seung and Nam Gwang-min sat down in the chairs in front of the table, the 40-year-old woman swept her hair behind her ear and asked quietly.

“Did you find out about us online?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

She replied in a low voice, nodded a few times, and placed a pamphlet on the table.

– Gallery ‘T’ime ‘T’ravel

It was a pamphlet with a map of the gallery’s interior, a few photos of the interior, and a brief record of the names of the artists who had exhibited at the gallery.

While Jae-seung was skimming through the first page of the pamphlet, the gallery staff spoke again.

“You may already know this, but our gallery’s rental fee is a bit higher than other galleries.”

Jae-seung replied in a nonchalant tone to her words, which were clearly spoken with a hint of condescension.

“Yes. I’m aware of that as well.”

Perhaps it was because it was not an unexpected reaction that she was able to accept it more calmly.

In fact, it was not just an unexpected level, but a reaction that I had been anticipating from the moment I first met her.

It was quite unpleasant, but I didn’t bother to show it.

After a moment of silence.

“If you don’t mind, may I ask what kind of works you are planning to exhibit?”

After finishing speaking, the gallery staff added with a faint smile, “If the works do not match the character of our gallery, it will be impossible to exhibit them.”

This was a matter that all galleries commonly checked before renting out their space.

It is also common practice not to accept exhibitions that could lower the gallery’s prestige or harm its reputation.

But, it was a very subtle tone.

What should I say? I could feel a deep sense of pride, which made me feel even more repulsed.

Jae-seung cleared his throat a couple of times and carefully opened his mouth.

“First of all, we are a new designer brand called Wall Flower.”

“A designer brand….”

“And I am Lee Jae-seung, the owner and designer who is currently leading Wall Flower.”

“Yes, nice to meet you. I’m Michelle Kim. You look quite young, but you’re the owner and designer.”

As soon as she heard the words ‘owner designer,’ her eyes seemed to change.

Soon, she asked again with a subtle smile on her face.

“I see you’re planning to hold a fashion show?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

The principle of business that President Song of my past life emphasized to the point of exhaustion was none other than ‘bluffing’.

He used to say that lowering or hiding sales was not humility, but foolishness.

His theory was that big things come to people who look like they are doing big things.

I didn’t completely agree with that.

However, I strongly agreed that depending on the occasion, situation, and target, that method could be the best method.

“Models from Double S Team, the best model agency in Korea, will be on the runway stage. We are planning to invite promising new designers and related people.”

“Oh, I see….”

“It’s a new brand, but after launching the new season’s products, we usually make at least hundreds of millions of won in sales that month [hundreds of thousands of US dollars]. It would be great if we could work with Gallery TT in the process of moving forward.”

At Jae-seung’s words, the gallery staff adjusted her horn-rimmed glasses and asked again.

“Designer, may I ask you a rude question?”

“Yes?”

“Are you from a foreign school?”

As I was unable to find an answer to her sudden question, she said.

“The reason I ask is that I am from ‘S. A. T.’ [Seoul Arts Technical College].”

“Yes, and?”

“I thought it would be nice if you were an alumni. Where are you from, designer? Saint Martin [Central Saint Martins]? Parsons [Parsons School of Design]?”

She seemed to assume that I was from a foreign school.

I was somewhat prepared because she said it was a rude question, but I never thought it would be this rude.

“No.”

“Then?”

“I’m not from a foreign school.”

“Ah….”

Her eyes changed again.

A coldness began to circulate again over her thin, sharp eyes.

The distrust that had been withdrawn seemed to have returned to its place.

“I see. Then where is the brand store?”

“Excuse me?”

“Are you in an offline 편집 shop [multi-brand store]?”

“No. We are currently in an online 편집 shop [multi-brand store].”

She nodded once and said in a small mumble, “I guess it’s about the same size as an online shopping mall that makes a lot of sales.”

Looking at Nam Gwang-min’s face, he seemed to have lost his composure.

He usually has a very gentle personality.

He was frowning and clearly expressing his displeasure.

Jae-seung then grabbed Nam Gwang-min’s hand under the table and spoke again.

“We’re okay, so please feel free to tell us if it’s difficult to rent the space.”

It was clear that Gallery TT was a good fit for this show, but there was no need to be so attached to it.

The story of being turned away from a gallery for not being from a foreign school was a kind of cliché among domestic designers.

I had heard of the situation, but I was actually a little embarrassed. Now that I had experienced it myself, I felt very new.

“You said it was in July, right?”

“Yes.”

The gallery staff hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened her mouth.

“You have to pay part of the contract fee today, is that possible?”

“Of course.”

“The contract fee is 20% of the total rental fee.”

The cost of renting the entire Gallery TT building is about 2 million won per day [approximately $1,500 USD]. It costs 6 million won in total to rent for 3 days [approximately $4,500 USD].

First, I paid 20% of that, 1.2 million won [approximately $900 USD], and wrote out the related documents.

While writing the documents, Nam Gwang-min could not control his unpleasant feelings and just sat next to Jae-seung with a dark expression.

And then.

“Thank you. I will visit you again before the deadline.”

“Yes. Goodbye.”

I was guided by the gallery staff and went outside the building. As soon as I got outside the building, Nam Gwang-min revealed his feelings in a low voice.

“President, do we have to do it here?”

“Are you angry?”

“How can there be such an insensible person?”

“I know.”

Getting into the passenger seat of the car, Jae-seung added in a gentle tone.

“We don’t have to be the same kind of person.”

“Yes, but….”

“Still, it’s been resolved, so cheer up. We’ve come all the way out here, so shall we have a delicious lunch and go back?”

When Jae-seung said this, Nam Gwang-min also tried to smile.

Jae-seung then had a chat with Nam Gwang-min and glanced back at the gallery building that was getting farther and farther away.

I felt strangely uneasy.

Suddenly, a baseless anxiety began to rise.

It was clear that it had been resolved well, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

‘Hmm….’

I decided to think of it as the aftermath of having a long conversation with someone who doesn’t understand common sense.

Anyway, one big thing has been resolved.

* * *

After finishing the contract and returning to the office. I first dealt with the backlog of work.

And then, when the employees were preparing to leave work one by one.

Jae-seung sat down with his laptop in front of the office coffee table and carefully asked a question.

“Is there anyone here who is good at English?”

Choo Ji-hoon tilted his head slightly and asked in a low voice, “Why English?”

“There’s a place I need to send an email to, but I’m not sure if the content I wrote is grammatically correct.”

“Excuse me? Where is it going?”

“Just here and there….”

Choo Ji-hoon tapped his chest a couple of times and replied in a confident tone.

“I got a grade 2 in English on the college entrance exam. You could say I’m almost a native speaker.”

At those words, the other employees offered a word of criticism.

“He’s always going too far,” “He’s not a native speaker, he’s a native.”

Jae-seung then gestured to Choo Ji-hoon and said in a gentle tone.

“Then please take a look at this.”

“Yes. Just a moment.”

Choo Ji-hoon frowned and began to look at Jae-seung’s laptop screen.

Choo Ji-hoon, who was reading the contents while muttering, widened his eyes and asked again.

“Nick Wooster? This looks like an invitation to our upcoming 2011 F/W season show, are you acquainted with Nick Wooster?”

‘Nick Wooster’.

The person Jae-seung was trying to send an email to was none other than British fashion director Nick Wooster.

Formerly a fashion director at ‘Bergdorf Goodman’, a fashion director at ‘John Bartlett’, and even a fashion director at ‘Ralph Lauren’.

He is a British fashion director who shines with a dazzling career.

Choo Ji-hoon continued to speak.

“Oh? This person is the editor-in-chief of Vogue Magazine, and this person is the fashion director of Time Magazine….”

The people Jae-seung was trying to send emails to were all globally recognized giants in the fashion industry.

People so famous that it would be difficult to even exchange a word with them even if you spent your whole life in the fashion industry.

Jae-seung smiled awkwardly and replied.

“No. I don’t know any of them. How would I know them?”

“Excuse me? Then…?”

“There are about a hundred people on the list I’m trying to send this to.”

“A hundred people…?”

“Yes. It’s easy to find email addresses.”

Most of them have their email addresses published on related sites, Twitter, and other social media.

Jae-seung shrugged his shoulders and replied in a serious tone.

“You never know. If even one person comes, the brand’s reputation will change. Don’t you think so?”