Chapter 108
The chief designer’s absence had left a glaring hole, and the situation should have been maddening. Yet Seung-hyun remained oddly composed, without a trace of real worry.
Haesol Textile was not the kind of company he believed would collapse just because Lee A-young was gone.
If anything, he was curious to see how the new designer would breathe fresh life into Lesser Factory.
That was why Seung-hyun, wanting to create a good opportunity for A-young, had called without hesitation.
“Antoine? It’s me, Jung Seung-hyun.”
[What is it this time? You need something from me again?]
On second thought, he realized that every time he called Antoine, it had always been to ask for something. He laughed awkwardly.
“Haha, I’ve been terribly shameless. I’ll call next time even if I don’t have any business.”
[Hmm. No, no. Calls with no purpose are tiring for me too. So, what do you want?]
“It’s nothing complicated. One of my employees is resigning and wants to study abroad. Do you know any schools you could recommend?”
Seung-hyun took a breath and explained her talent, the work she had contributed to Lesser Factory, and her dream of formally studying fashion design.
He heard Antoine laugh over the phone.
[Hahaha, pure patronage for talent? You really do have the kind of scale that can take you far. Fine. Send me her portfolio and application. I’ll connect you to École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. It’s one of the best fashion schools in the world, and since I sit on the board, I can recommend her personally. You should be very grateful that we’re investing in this.]
A relieved smile spread across Seung-hyun’s face.
“Thank you. It sounds like this will be a huge help to Lee A-young.”
[If she’s skilled, I’ll even arrange an internship at LVMH while she’s in Paris. It would be an excellent chance to build practical experience. Of course, that only applies if her skills are good enough... which depends on her.]
Seung-hyun could not hide his surprise.
This was far more than he had expected.
To be honest, it was the sort of offer that made even him want to throw everything aside and go study there himself.
He just couldn’t now that he was the company’s head.
“That’s an incredible offer. I’m not sure how I could ever thank you...”
[You don’t need to thank me. We’re partners, aren’t we? And discovering talented designers is part of my work too. Anyway, that’s enough of that. Hurry up and make something new to show me. That’s all I’m waiting for.]
“Understood.”
After ending the call, Seung-hyun contacted Lee A-young at once, and she came running to the office not long after.
“Boss, you called for me?”
Smiling, Seung-hyun told her about his conversation with Antoine.
As he explained the reputation of École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and the chance for an LVMH internship, A-young’s eyes widened little by little.
“Th-that’s really true? I can go to a school like that?”
Watching her struggle to believe it, her voice trembling, Seung-hyun gave her a warm smile.
“Antoine said he’d recommend you personally. There’ll still be admissions review, of course, but with his recommendation, it should help a great deal.”
Tears welled in A-young’s eyes.
She could not find her voice, only nodding.
“This is really... it feels like a dream. I don’t know how to thank you...”
“Believe in your talent, study hard, and come back. That’s enough. When you return to Korea later, just think of our company first.”
A-young could no longer hold back her feelings, and tears spilled down her cheeks.
They were tears of joy, gratitude, and excitement for a new challenge all mixed together.
“Thank you so much, sir. I’ll study as hard as I can and come back. I won’t disappoint you.”
Seung-hyun nodded and gave her shoulder a light pat.
He felt deeply rewarded by the chance to support her as she moved toward her dream.
“Then go on and make a good portfolio and send it in. But you know, right? Don’t make a portfolio that would embarrass either me or Antoine. We can’t be embarrassing each other.”
“Yes! I’ll do my best!”
A-young clenched both fists tightly in front of her.
*
Hanil Global headquarters.
President Jeong Man-sik and the other executives sat around the table.
On the table lay a report titled Lesser Factory Global Expansion Strategy.
“As everyone knows, Haesol Textile is about to land a military contract with France, right?”
Even now, President Jeong Man-sik no longer showed any self-reproach when bringing up Haesol Textile.
And there was good reason for it: sales for WindRover, made with Haesol Textile’s Urbantex fabric, were soaring as if they had grown wings.
For the first time in a long while, their own brand was performing overwhelmingly well against the competition, and even if the fabric had been made by Haesol, it was impossible not to feel pleased.
Besides, he had a history of taking out his frustration on Haesol’s staff to the fullest, so some degree of resignation toward his own research division had to be mixed in as well.
“So Haesol Textile’s military fabric is going to France, and there’s a proposal to push Lesser Factory in alongside it... What do you think, Executive Director Han?”
Han Se-gyeol frowned as he flipped through the report.
He had already had the staff prepare a detailed briefing on the French expansion before the meeting, so he knew the content inside and out.
“I don’t think we’d lose money going in, but whether we can expect a huge hit... that’s another matter.”
“So it’s ambiguous?”
“I’m not certain. Since the military fabric originated from Lesser Factory’s material, there aren’t enough similar cases to estimate how much that reference would actually help sales. It’s very difficult to project revenue.”
“Fair enough.”
Jeong Man-sik nodded and turned to Brand Strategy Executive Director Kang Ho-yoon.
Kang spoke up.
“It’s true that Haesol Textile’s DualTex fabric contracting with the French Ministry of Defense is encouraging. As Executive Director Han said, we can’t be sure how much synergy that will create for Lesser Factory’s entry into France, but personally, I’m looking at it positively.”
“Positively?”
“Yes. Not because there’s some extraordinary reason, but because Lesser Factory itself has a very clear strength: it’s cheap and good quality.”
“Hmm...”
“The economies of France and Europe more broadly aren’t in great shape. Demand for inexpensive, high-quality clothing will only keep growing.”
In short, they were being told it was worth a try. Jeong Man-sik nodded expressionlessly.
At that moment, Executive Director Han Se-gyeol cautiously raised his hand.
“If we’re going abroad, wouldn’t the United States be better?”
“The United States?”
Suddenly bringing up America, Jeong Man-sik lifted his brows.
“Lesser Factory already has a supply contract with the U.S. military using DualTex fabric, which is practically the same as receiving MIL-SPEC certification. For consumers, the marketing angle of ‘everyday wear with military-grade technology’ feels more suited to the U.S. than France. And if you think about the revenue potential, I find the U.S. far more attractive.”
A brief silence settled over the conference room.
Jeong Man-sik’s eyes flashed, and then he showed interest in Han Se-gyeol’s suggestion, asking for a more detailed explanation.
“Go on.”
Han Se-gyeol operated his tablet and brought up several charts on the large screen.
“The U.S. casual apparel market is about seven times the size of France’s. And unlike France, Hanil Global already has a local subsidiary in the U.S., so logistics and distribution networks are in place.”
He paused briefly, then continued.
“Most importantly, Lesser Factory’s main line is made up of designs that don’t rely heavily on niche taste. If Lesser Factory enters the U.S. successfully, annual sales could start at a minimum of fifty million dollars and grow to as much as two hundred million dollars within three years, which is roughly 290 billion won.”
The figure of two hundred million dollars seemed to light a fire in Jeong Man-sik’s expression. At last, he smiled with genuine pleasure.
“That does make sense. In that case, instead of choosing one side first, how about entering both at once?”
Kang Ho-yoon answered immediately into the microphone.
“There’s no reason we couldn’t. Especially since the U.S. is in the middle of a full transition to new military uniforms, I think if we ride that momentum with our marketing, we could see strong sales right from the start.”
Jeong Man-sik thought for a moment and nodded.
“Good idea. Propose a dual-entry plan to Haesol Textile, and let’s put a little more weight on the U.S. side in particular.”
The meeting continued with renewed energy.
The executives began discussing concrete strategies and marketing plans for entering the American market.
*
Haesol Textile’s office in Hapjeong-dong.
Seung-hyun was absorbed in his tablet in his private office.
Spread across his desk were photographs of military uniforms and fashion magazines.
With a pencil in hand, he drew line after line quickly, transferring the designs forming in his mind onto paper.
Seung-hyun had decided to develop the military-inspired designs he had previously pursued only as a hobby into a proper business line.
It was an effort to reinterpret the functionality of DualTex fabric and the practical design elements of military clothing through a modern lens.
His first design was a sketch for a Cargo Tech Jacket.
Combining the silhouette of a traditional field jacket with contemporary techwear elements, it had multiple functional pockets, an adjustable waist strap, and a detachable hood.
The design made full use of DualTex’s water-resistant and windproof qualities, making it practical enough for urban life as well.
The second item was Utility Cargo Pants.
It preserved the practical pocket layout of military combat trousers while reimagining them with a slimmer silhouette.
A special pattern was applied around the knees to improve mobility, and a hidden stretch band was added at the waist for comfort.
Most distinctive of all was the neatly finished hem, which looked a little like jogger pants, yet also felt different, as if it had been inspired by the way soldiers used elastic bindings at the cuffs.
The third item was a Town Field Coat.
Inspired by a military overcoat, it added more refined lines and details while retaining epaulets at the shoulders, a belt at the waist, and straps at the sleeves, bringing a more urban sensibility into the military frame.
Finally, he sketched a Battle Messenger Bag.
Combining the practicality of a military bag with urban sophistication, it featured multiple compartments, water resistance, and sturdy straps.
He had designed the bag using a Cordura-blend outer shell specialized for water resistance rather than DualTex, but once it took shape, he found he liked it quite a bit.
Seung-hyun looked over the completed sketches and smiled in satisfaction.
“What should I call it...?”
Already, the name Combat Urban had come to mind, but it felt too similar to Urbantex, so he crossed it out.
“How should I turn this into something concrete...?”
He muttered to himself, lost in thought.
With A-young planning to go abroad, he felt the need to recruit a new designer or work with an outside design studio.
But more important than that was how finished these designs would feel once they moved beyond rough sketches and became actual products.
If I combine the toughness and practicality of military aesthetics with modern sophistication...
His thoughts returned to the sketchbook again.
He picked up the pencil and began drawing out new ideas.
*
The Royal Suite at the Okura Hotel in Tokyo.
A room so expensive that the nightly rate alone exceeded five million won.
In this room, Chairman Cha Sang-wook of Hanil Group was savoring a glass of whiskey while looking out at Tokyo’s glittering night skyline.
The business trip to Japan had gone more smoothly than expected, and he had decided to spend his final night at the Okura Hotel.
“They’re all the same, aren’t they? What’s supposed to be different?”
Since it had been the room his chief secretary had strongly recommended, he had expected something remarkable, only to be disappointed that it was no different from any other hotel room.
Then, when he checked the bedroom as he was drifting off to sleep, he realized the blanket looked strangely familiar.
“This... isn’t that one?”
He recognized it as the GyeolBit bedding gifted by his granddaughter only after noticing the embroidery at the edge of the blanket. The sight of Korean bedding inside a five-star hotel in the middle of Tokyo gave him a slight shock.
On top of that, the pillow and pre-sleep mist had been set out with a note, a level of service he had never seen in any hotel in Korea, let alone elsewhere.
“I really am getting old... looks like it’s time to die.”
He had managed to get his hands on excellent bedding faster than anyone else, yet had never even thought to make use of it properly. That realization left him feeling that his sense for such things had dulled considerably.
The next morning, after waking, he summoned the president of Hanil International, the hotel chain under Hanil Group.
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