Black Label [EN]: Chapter 92

Black Label 91

92. The Dignity of a Dongdaemun Meister

Michelle sighed.

From the few words exchanged, she realized that the situation would not be easily resolved.

“Lee, what we need now is communication, not stubbornness.”

“This is just my way of communicating.”

“This isn’t a blueprint that can be finished in a day.”

“It seems possible enough, so I brought it up.”

No sooner had Jaeseung finished speaking than Michelle covered her face with both hands and groaned, “Oh my god….”

She was convinced that ‘Lee’ would be recorded as the most stubborn creative director Alexander King had ever had.

As the atmosphere in the atelier became increasingly gloomy, Jaeseung looked around at all the tailors and began to speak in a low voice.

“I think I know what you’re worried about. You probably think it’s impossible to produce all the products for this season with this level of quality.”

The tailors nodded with serious expressions, each offering their opinions. “Yes, that’s right.”, “Absolutely impossible.”, “With that method, we won’t even be able to meet half of the target quantity,” etc….

Then.

Jaeseung shook his head and spoke again in a firm tone.

“Unfortunately, for this season’s preparation, you will never see a blueprint easier or simpler than the one you received today.”

After finishing speaking, Jaeseung added, “You’ll likely see more difficult and complex blueprints, though.”

Immediately, several tailors groaned simultaneously, as if on cue.

Even the tailor ‘Phillip’ openly expressed his dissatisfaction.

“Lee, right now you just seem like an incompetent superior who has no knowledge of practical matters and only has strange stubbornness! Anyone can see that this situation needs to be adjusted!”

Jaeseung took a few steps towards Phillip and continued in an icy tone.

“Phillip, I hope you won’t raise your voice to me again. I am the ‘Maestro’ who will be directing the atelier this season, and you are a member who must follow my direction. Even beyond that, I am showing you the respect a tailor deserves, so you also need to show the director the respect that is due.”

It was a demonstration to avoid being looked down upon by the tailors due to his age, experience, and other factors.

He decided that, above all else, his ‘right to command’ should never be shaken.

Phillip, who had been silent for a moment, bowed his head slightly and answered carefully.

“…I’m sorry, I think I was too excited.”

Jaeseung replied, “It’s okay,” and continued in a gentler tone.

“First, we need to understand each other’s positions.”

Michelle raised her hand slightly and said.

“Lee, if there were only a few blueprints of this difficulty, I would welcome it. Work that requires quality also gives a great sense of accomplishment when it’s finished… and most of the products that receive rave reviews from critics, columnists, and editors are like that.”

Michelle was about to continue, “But…,” when Jaeseung snapped his fingers and replied.

“That’s exactly it. I’m trying to fill this season with such great products.”

“The atelier’s request is simple: to find a compromise that exists on the border between reality and ideals.”

Michelle continued fluently.

“Lee’s opinion is also valid. If a musician releases an album filled with only masterpieces from beginning to end, that album will definitely be praised as a masterpiece. But what’s the point if they can’t release the album because of that excessive obsession? Furthermore, there is no deadline for a musician to release an album, but a brand’s season has a deadline to keep, right?”

“Yes. That’s right. And the time we have is slowly dwindling.”

Jaeseung said in a low voice, “Tick-tock, tick-tock,” and then continued.

“First of all, to be honest, I’m quite disappointed. If you had at least tried to tackle it first and then raised this issue, I wouldn’t have been so disappointed.”

Michelle frowned and replied.

“Because it’s absolutely impossible and inefficient.”

“…Inefficient?”

When Jaeseung asked back in a somewhat prickly tone, Michelle nodded her head greatly and replied.

“Yes, Lee’s blueprint is inefficient. To put it nicely, you could call it ‘perfectionism,’ but to put it bluntly, the expression ‘design pervert’ is more appropriate. You’re focusing all your attention on details that consumers won’t even notice, other than the external beauty or practicality of the product.”

“So that’s why it’s inefficient?”

“How many consumers really care about the internal layout and structure of the product, including the quality of the ‘materials’ themselves, including fabrics and subsidiary materials, the design of the product, and the practicality?”

No sooner had Michelle asked back than Jaeseung shook his head and replied.

“Alexander King isn’t a ‘*Fast Fashion*’ brand. It’s a place where we have to release products… no, ‘works’ that are accompanied by the designer’s philosophy, values, and thoughts. It’s a premium brand that sells clothes for tens or hundreds of millions of won [Korean currency], right?”

“But other brands don’t go this far….”

“Other brands don’t go this far? Michelle, I don’t know what you were going to say after that, but it probably wouldn’t even be a valid excuse.”

Michelle sighed again.

She suddenly thought that they were just repeating arguments and there was no real progress.

Jaeseung continued again.

“Michelle, in the first place, the word ‘inefficiency’ cannot be applied when it comes to an artist pursuing artistry. If you can put out a satisfactory work even after going through a process that is only inefficient, that’s the right thing to do.”

“…….”

“This time, let’s ask everyone. Do you think there’s a reason why people like people?”

Was it thanks to the sudden, irrelevant question from the problematic creative director?

Silence fell again inside the atelier.

Jaeseung began to answer his own question and continued fluently.

“I don’t think so. Well, of course, if you try to analyze it, you can find some advantages of the person you like. But that’s it. Most of those who receive this question will probably answer that they just like it because they like it, right?”

“Lee, I think you’re getting off topic.”

“No, it’s a story at the center of the point. That’s why I’m trying to pay attention to the invisible parts. When I ask a customer who bought a product why they like the product, I want to get the answer, ‘I just like it.'”

Jaeseung walked to the whiteboard on the wall of the atelier and wrote a word on it.

Swish- Swish-.

– Sensibility.

That is, emotion.

As the tailors of the atelier began to look at Jaeseung with curious eyes, Jaeseung continued to speak in a soft voice.

“Michelle is right. Ordinary consumers don’t do meticulous analysis, so paying excessive attention to invisible details may be an inefficient act. But there’s no better way to create a brand’s own ‘sensibility.'”

“A brand’s own sensibility?”

“Yes. ‘Lack of sensibility’ is the only weakness of the premium brand Alexander King. If we release the best product with sensibility, people will buy our products as if they were possessed by something.”

Was it because the brand simultaneously targeted the freedom and luxury of New York Street?

The position of the brand ‘Alexander King’ was in a rather ambiguous category.

Jaeseung wanted to establish Alexander King’s unique sensibility, which had been lacking, through this season in which he joined.

“Everyone knows the car brand ‘Maserati.’ It’s one of the brands that is benefiting from sensibility.”

“So?”

“Some enthusiasts who are deeply in love with Maserati even say that the unique flaws of the vehicle are ‘sensibility.'”

Maserati’s production process is carried out by skilled technicians using the ‘*Carrozzeria Coach Builder*’ method, which was used to make carriages for aristocrats [a traditional Italian custom bodywork].

The interior seats are made using the finest leather from Poltrona Frau based on craftsmanship, and this is also handcrafted by artisans.

In addition, they have an ‘engine sound design engineer’ to create a good-sounding engine sound.

Tuning experts, pianists, and composers are invited to compose the sound of the engine by drawing sheet music.

These efforts have created the unique sensibility that the Maserati brand currently has.

A ‘Name Value’ has been formed where even flaws are forgiven under the name of sensibility.

“As you all know, the sales of the Alexander King brand have been frozen for several years. It’s on the verge of being branded as a brand whose growth has stopped. At such a time, should I simply release high-difficulty designs for my own satisfaction? No way, absolutely not. Forming a unique ‘premium sensibility’ was the only answer I found. To secure loyal customers, we must also be loyal to them.”

There was a stir.

It was because some tailors agreed with Jaeseung’s words and began to exchange various opinions.

Jaeseung looked around at the tailors one by one again and began to speak in a clear tone.

“I will get everything I am aiming for this season. We will present products that harmoniously blend the freedom and luxury of New York Street, and we will receive rave reviews from critics and enthusiastic responses from the public. We will be recognized for our artistry and increase sales. At the same time, we will increase the brand value of Alexander King, and the value of the creative director ‘Lee,’ who took command… that is, me.”

After finishing speaking, Jaeseung looked at Kyle and asked in a low voice.

“Kyle, which of the two blueprints I sent you seems more difficult?”

“Um, I think the tote bag might be a little more difficult….”

“After this discussion, would you bring the fabric and subsidiary materials needed to make my tote bag from the warehouse?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Jaeseung nodded a few times, looked around the atelier, and said.

“First of all, as I said before, if you give me 24 hours, I will finish sewing a sample within that time as promised. If I can’t finish sewing within that time, I will immediately accept your opinions. But if I finish sewing perfectly within my time….”

Jaeseung, who had hesitated for a moment, said with eyes full of interest.

“I hope you will proceed with the season preparation according to my wishes.”

Michelle waved her hand and answered incoherently.

“Lee, you don’t have to go that far… I mean, we just didn’t know there was such an intention hidden. I thought Lee was trying to release high-difficulty designs for his own satisfaction. Now that all the tailors in the atelier know the intention hidden in Lee’s design… everyone will only worry about how to meet the deadline and try their best.”

After finishing speaking, she looked around at the tailors and asked, “Right?” and everyone began to nod in agreement.

Then.

“No.”

Jaeseung, who answered briefly, continued in a serious tone.

“It’s a necessary process. I think I need to prove to you that I am a conductor who is not lacking in any way to lead talented tailors like you.”

As usual, there is no such thing as free loyalty. Isn’t there a saying that one person with faith is better than 99 people with interest?

He judged that it was necessary to instill faith in them, just as he had done with the employees of Wall Flower.

Seeing is believing.

Through this work, he intended to make them realize that the plans he had spoken of were not unreasonable at all, and to instill confidence in the success or failure of this season.

Jaeseung stretched once and spoke softly to Kyle.

“Kyle, can you prepare it right now?”

It seemed that the time had come to show the dignity of a ‘Dongdaemun Meister’ [a master craftsman from the Dongdaemun district of Seoul, known for its fashion industry] overseas once again.