Black Label [EN]: Chapter 60

Black Label 59

60. Encounter with a Long-Held Dream

Geraldine, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the exhibition space, murmured as if in a trance,

“A secret garden….”

It was the perfect phrase to describe the exhibition space.

The sight was nothing short of spectacular.

The entire wall was covered in pale pink blossoms.

“Wow, it’s truly beautiful….”

Mélanie, the junior editor from Paris Vogue who had accompanied her to Korea, blurted out, clearly mesmerized.

Beautiful.

Geraldine nodded repeatedly, agreeing wholeheartedly, and slowly began to walk along the long corridor.

One step, then another.

She started down the straight corridor.

Everywhere she looked, blossoms were in full bloom.

It was dreamlike. She felt like she had fallen into ‘Wonderland,’ and become ‘Alice.’

Geraldine moved slowly.

Occasionally, she consciously took deep breaths. Each time, she inhaled the intense floral fragrance that threatened to overwhelm her.

Clack, clack….

Geraldine, her heels clicking rhythmically, soon reached the end of the corridor.

The moment she turned the corner and entered the inner part of the exhibition space.

“Mélanie.”

“Yes?”

“I think I really made the right decision to come to Korea.”

No sooner had she turned the corner than the color of the blossoms covering the wall completely changed.

This time, pure white.

Pure white ‘lily’ blossoms densely adorned the wall.

There were an enormous quantity, estimated to be at least several thousand blossoms.

The visitors were all busy taking commemorative photos.

Although a separate ‘photo zone’ wasn’t provided, it didn’t matter.

The entire, exquisitely decorated exhibition space was, in effect, a photo zone.

‘Hmm, it looks like they’ve decorated the walls with different colored flowers in each zone,’ Geraldine mused.

Just as she was lost in thought.

“Geraldine.”

“Yes?”

“I think that’s the showroom over there.”

Mélanie said, gesturing subtly with her chin towards the distance.

‘Show Window.’

It was the only space inside the building that wasn’t covered with blossoms.

A thin glass window, cleanly wiped, revealed a narrow space beyond. Inside, several mannequins were standing.

Geraldine, who had been gazing at the showroom in the distance, murmured quietly.

“Should we check out the designs first? The most important thing is the design of the clothes.”

Although she spoke aloud, it was practically a statement to herself.

She shouldn’t be distracted by the dazzling display and lose her composure.

As she’d said before, the most important thing is ‘the design of the clothes.’

“Hoo-.”

Geraldine took a long breath, pushed the sunglasses she was holding onto her forehead, and slowly began to walk towards the showroom.

Soon, the moment her gaze fell upon the mannequins standing beyond the showroom window.

No, the moment her gaze fell upon the ‘minimalism’ concept clothing displayed on the mannequins.

“Wow….”

She couldn’t help but exclaim involuntarily.

Somewhat baggy black slacks, a white dress shirt with no particular features except for the embroidery along the button line, etc….

The mannequins were all dressed in clothes that could be described as the epitome of ‘minimalism.’

And next to those mannequins, colorful blossoms were scattered all over the place.

Compared to the extremely sensual and flashy display, the design of the clothes was not flashy at all.

To put it nicely, it was simple; to put it bluntly, it barely escaped monotony.

That’s the nature of minimalism in the first place: finding the subtle beauty hidden in ‘ordinariness’ and ‘simplicity.’

Then, doesn’t the extremely flashy display detract from the design of the clothes?

‘No, not at all….’

Rather, the flashy display was highlighting the strengths of the minimalist look.

Geraldine, who had been stroking her chin for a long time while looking at the clothes, opened her mouth in a somewhat excited tone.

“Mélanie, do you know that the brand Wallflower is originally a ‘street brand?’”

“…Yes?”

“Since the brand’s establishment, they’ve only been releasing street clothes until this year’s S/S [Spring/Summer] season.”

At Geraldine’s words, Mélanie blinked her wide eyes. She looked as if she was asking, “Is that true?”

Geraldine smiled and continued to speak fluently.

“Actually, I still don’t know much about Wallflower’s owner-designer ‘Lee.’ The information I can find online is extremely limited, and I haven’t had any private conversations with him.”

“Um, and?”

“I guess Wallflower’s owner-designer ‘Lee’ is one of two types of people.”

“I’m curious.”

“First, he’s a seasoned designer who has grown up following an elite course. He’s at least thirty years old.”

“Next, what’s the second?”

“It’s simple. He’s a young, genius designer.”

Mélanie also began to nod in agreement.

Although they had to look through a glass window, both of them could clearly see.

The clothes displayed beyond the window clearly showcased the designer’s skills.

The texture and harmony of the chosen fabric, and the minimal style and beauty shown through the clean and neat ‘silhouette (*Silhouette: the overall outline of the garment*).’

All require ‘expertise’ or ‘genius.’

Among them, the most decisive factor is….

“Mélanie, would you take a closer look at the ‘finishing curves’ of those clothes?”

“Ah, yes. I was already paying attention to them. They’re really beautiful curves that catch the eye.”

“That’s not a ‘skill’ or ‘trick’ that can be acquired through repeated learning. Even if it can be acquired through repeated learning….”

Just as Geraldine was about to continue speaking, Mélanie smiled and provided the answer.

“You can’t acquire it unless you copy the clothes made by designers from ‘premium brands’ for at least 10 years. That’s a kind of sense, and it takes at least that long to create a sense through learning.”

That was why Geraldine and Mélanie were guessing that Jae-seung was either a young, genius designer or an experienced designer in his thirties or older.

It’s a sense that you have to be born with.

If you weren’t born that way, it’s a sense that you can only create after preparing for a leap while crouching for at least ten years.

Geraldine, her eyes full of excitement, added in an excited tone.

“I want to see the model walking soon. No, I’d rather the show ended soon.”

“Yes? Why?”

“Because only when the show ends can I meet Wallflower’s owner-designer, ‘Lee.’”

She was curious.

He was the first Asian designer she had become interested in since she became an editor at Paris Vogue.

No.

He was the first designer among Asian designers to be the protagonist of the column she wrote.

‘Lee.’

What kind of man is he? Is he a mediocre person who has spent a long time underground? Or is he a genius born with the unique sense that famous designers have?

What is the nature of the ‘minimalist look’ displayed on the mannequins beyond that glass window?

Is it effort? Or is it genius?

“Anyway, let’s look around more. There’s still a long time until the show.”

“Okay.”

Although there were still two hours left until the model walking, there were plenty of things to see.

The entire 3rd and 4th floors of this Power Center were exhibition spaces.

The two of them began to walk again to look at other showrooms.

Unaware that the attention of those around them was focused on them.

“But I can’t see the runway stage?”

“Wouldn’t they have set it up on the 4th floor?”

“Probably?”

* * *

Inside the Power Center building, where Wallflower’s 2011 F/W [Fall/Winter] season show was in full swing.

Jae-seung’s family was also busy looking around the exhibition space.

“Wow, Mom. Awesome, awesome.”

“Why?”

“That person over there is a really famous celebrity-!”

Jae-seung’s younger sister, Seung-hee, pointed to a young man standing in the distance.

Ryu Seung-ho.

He, dressed in a neat suit, was staring endlessly at the clothes displayed beyond the showroom window.

Then, his mother, Kim Eun-hyung, looked around with a somewhat moved expression.

She could hardly believe that so many people had come to see the clothes her son had made.

She never expected that reporters and even celebrities would come.

“Dad, it looks like Oppa [older brother] has succeeded!”

When Lee Seung-hee joked, her father, Lee Kang-soo, narrowed his brow and replied in a rather firm tone.

“Success with just this? What are you talking about.”

“Anyway, Dad….”

“By the way, when is this going to end? I’m starving.”

Lee Kang-soo, speaking in a somewhat sarcastic tone, put his hands behind his back and started walking a few steps ahead.

Then, Lee Seung-hee and her mother, Kim Eun-hyung, exchanged glances as if they had made a promise and smiled faintly at the same time.

It was because they knew that his inner thoughts were not what he said in such a stiff tone.

Just as the three of them were looking around various parts of the exhibition space.

An announcement began to play from the speakers installed inside the shopping mall.

– The model walking for the 2011 Wallflower F/W show will begin soon. We would like to ask the honored guests who have visited to take a seat in the seats prepared around the escalator. I will repeat the announcement. Soon….

* * *

The rooftop floor of the Power Center, which was currently restricted to outsiders, was practically being used as a ‘backstage.’

All preparations, such as the models’ makeup, waiting, and changing, were being done here.

In front of the long row of hangers, female models who had finished their light shading makeup were standing in a row, wearing only underwear and a blanket.

Lee Kang-joon didn’t know where to put his eyes, and he was constantly fidgeting.

At that time.

Jae-seung gently patted Lee Kang-joon’s shoulder and continued to speak in a very gentle tone.

“Kang-joon, being embarrassed might be rude to them. This is their job.”

“Yes. I will be careful.”

“Well, you don’t have to be that careful….”

He seemed very nervous. Jae-seung tried not to show his nervousness in front of the employees as much as possible. It was because he thought that he alone had to show a solid appearance.

Soon, the models finished changing into their designated outfits.

After completing a simple review, Jae-seung had to wait endlessly for the time when the model walking would begin.

Because he couldn’t do anything but sit still and stare at the clock.

He had felt it several times before, but time is really relative.

Has there ever been a time when 1 second felt this long?

Just as Jae-seung was lost in such thoughts and pacing back and forth near the doorway.

The staff member standing in front of the rooftop entrance said quietly in a tone without even an inch of inflection.

“There is now 1 minute left. The entire exhibition space will be darkened.”

“Yes.”

* * *

In an instant, all the lights in the exhibition space went out. It was as if darkness had suddenly descended on the entire 3rd and 4th floors of the building, but it wasn’t that dark.

Clack-!

No sooner had the fluorescent lights gone out than the LED lamps installed in various places turned on.

LED lamps wired between the blossoms that covered the entire interior wall of the building.

And the incandescent bulbs installed along the escalators connecting the floors.

The moment the switch was turned on and all the installed bulbs began to emit light.

The honored guests who were sitting around let out low exclamations.

“Oh….”

Everyone was roughly guessing that they would use the ‘escalator’ instead of the ‘runway.’

The runway stage was nowhere to be seen, and the seats were arranged based on the escalator.

Although they were guessing, they couldn’t help but admire it.

They were overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

The colorful, iridescent lights seeping through the thin petals.

And the light from the incandescent bulbs that only illuminated the escalator that would serve as the runway stage.

The sound of murmuring could be heard from various parts of the audience for a while.

Soon.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

From the high-end speakers of ‘Yamaha’ that were specially rented for today’s show, the electronic music that Jae-seung had carefully selected began to play.

Just as everyone gathered in the hall was looking at the end of the escalator with eyes full of anticipation.

Swoosh-.

At the end of the escalator, the first model to decorate the highlight of the model walking appeared.

* * *

Now that the model walking has begun, the backstage is still very busy.

Models standing in a row waiting for their walking order, and staff constantly exchanging wireless messages.

Other employees had already moved to the 3rd floor to watch the show, and only Jae-seung was left on the rooftop, grooming his clothes.

“Hoo….”

The total number of models standing on the runway today is thirty-two. When all of their walking is over, it’s his turn.

Now.

The moment when he, as a designer, goes up on the runway and greets the honored guests who came to his show.

He is about to face that moment that he has consistently dreamed of since his previous life.

An emotion that cannot be expressed in words is bubbling up inside his chest.

His feet are clearly stuck to the ground, but he felt like his mind was ‘floating’ up into the sky.

1 second, 1 second, 1 second….

The more time passes, the more tension rises.

Just as Jae-seung was fidgeting by shaking one leg for no reason.

“Designer!”

At the words shouted by a staff member, Jae-seung stood up from his seat and said in a calm voice.

What should I say? It’s like the feeling of becoming calmer when the tension exceeds the limit?

“Yes.”

“I think you can wait now.”

Then, Jae-seung looked at the mirror one last time.

The neatly combed hair, the dress shirt that is the main product of this F/W season, and the black slacks.

First of all, the outfit is perfect.

After completing the final check, Jae-seung was standing in front of the rooftop exit when the last model opened the rooftop exit and stepped out.

Now it’s his turn. His chest is tightening.

Has it been less than 30 seconds since then?

The staff member opened the door himself and said in a nonchalant tone.

“I think you can leave now.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Then, Jae-seung began to move his steps ‘thump, thump’ along the rooftop stairs.

After going down the stairs where darkness had fallen for a while.

From the half-open door at the end of the floor, bright light began to seep in.

“Hoo….”

He exhaled as if scraping out the breath remaining in his lungs. The sound of sighing echoed emptily for a while.

He struggled to calm his overwhelming chest and gripped the doorknob of the floor tightly in his hand.

This is a challenge.

And it was half successful.

He doesn’t know what the result will be, but at least he succeeded in putting it into practice, so it was half successful.

And then.

As Jae-seung began to open the half-open door, the stiff door made a bizarre metallic sound.

Squeak-!

Everything is waiting for him beyond that door.

The result of this challenge.

The moment he had imagined repeatedly to the point of disgust.

The sight he had wanted to see so much.

All the long-held dreams that had only been kept.

On a day much younger than now, all the things like homework that he had pretended not to know, hoping that they would be postponed.

He ran away, avoided it, and eventually gave up.

All the things he had wanted more desperately than anyone else.