LVMH Prize (1)
In a small boutique hotel in central Paris, at the very end of the sixth floor.
The room was a little worn around the edges, but it was warm and inviting, with antique furnishings and a cozy, old-world charm.
Seated there alone, Kim In-hyuk kept only the desk lamp on late into the night, focusing intently as he alternated between his laptop and the sample materials spread before him.
"Airline voucher, ready... subway station route is fine... lookbook printouts..."
With a red pen, he checked each item off his list one by one.
While everyone else slept, he was still making the final touches on the clothes he would show at the semifinal interview in a few days, even jotting down the key points for the three-minute presentation he had to deliver before the judges.
Tiny English notes were crammed densely across the pages, everywhere he looked.
The clock was already racing toward two in the morning.
Fatigue was setting in, but he couldn't afford to sleep when he had a meeting with the showroom manager tomorrow and a mountain of paperwork still waiting.
He rested his chin on his hand and looked out the window for a moment.
The rooftops of the buildings in the city center seemed to glimmer under the yellow light, then vanished again beneath shadows shaken loose by the wind.
"No matter how you look at it, I made it this far. It's not the same as when nobody even knew my name."
Muttering quietly to himself, he rose from his seat.
When he turned his head, he saw several outfits he had prepared in advance hanging on the bed.
They were samples he had planned to wear for the semifinal interview, fixed looks representing a specific lineup.
A white shirt had a thin embroidery of some unreadable pattern on the back, and over it he had layered a slightly oversized jacket that gave the whole thing a distinctive silhouette.
The lower half was a pair of semi-high-waisted trousers, with a subtle flare that widened toward the hem.
"Is this... really all right?"
At this point, those clothes no longer had any room for choice.
They had already been revised several times in Korea and finalized as the last version, and changing the design details now would be impossible.
The real problem was how to introduce them in the showroom and how to appeal to the judges.
He returned to the table and opened his laptop.
Videos of senior designers who had gone through the LVMH Prize semifinal interview played one after another.
Their efforts to emphasize their own unique concepts were impressive, but at the same time Kim In-hyuk could feel his stomach burning as he watched the flood of questions they had to field.
"What exact process makes your brand's 'eco-friendly' claim real?"
"Why does a detail this complicated need to exist at all? Explain the point that would appeal to customers."
"Your profit structure still looks weak. If the money runs out a year from now, can the brand keep operating?"
Dozens, even hundreds of questions swirled through his head.
Maybe the judges would demand detailed figures too.
If his preparation was lacking, it would only be a matter of time before the goodwill he had gained by passing the document screening was wiped out in an instant.
"The collection video, the lookbook, the brand introduction PDF... I have to organize everything neatly..."
Buzz.
His phone suddenly rang.
It was his mother.
"Yeah. What is it?"
The words came out a little brusque, but through the receiver he could hear his mother's affectionate voice, worried for her son.
[Are you preparing well?]
"Of course. Do you think I'm fooling around? I'm preparing just fine."
[You know Mom worked really hard for this, right?]
"I know, I know."
To get him into this year's LVMH Prize, she and Taesung Apparel had pulled every connection they possessed.
Without that, there was no way someone as unknown as he was, someone who hadn't even graduated from a fashion department in Europe, could have dared to stand on the LVMH Prize stage.
Of course, if he had no talent at all, it would still have been impossible no matter what they did.
Many of the designer ideas his mother had hired had served as reference material along the way, but in the end the result had come out through his own hands, so it was practically his either way.
[Call me if you need anything.]
"I won't. If I need something, I'll call. I'm busy, so hang up."
He ended the call without even waiting for a reply.
"Hoo..."
For a moment he steadied his breathing, then thought back to a scene from Seoul Fashion Week.
The bastard who had stolen the place where I should have been getting attention.
No, for him, who had not once stood on top since meeting that bastard, the desire to win was so fierce he could taste it in his teeth.
He's just a fabric salesman, anyway.
He smiled thinly.
Once the LVMH Prize was over, he intended to make it perfectly clear to that bastard.
Exactly how different their worlds were.
*
In central Paris, the Loro Piana flagship store.
Passing through the stately, elegant exterior and opening the glass doors, one found neatly displayed cashmere coats and knitwear resting under soft light.
The space had the quiet dignity characteristic of Europe, in harmony with faint music drifting through the air.
"Welcome, Mr. Jung."
Camille Dubois, who had been waiting, led Seung-hyun deeper into the building.
"I heard the pieces were well received at Maison&Objet. I hope today's meeting brings good results for your company."
"Thank you."
They had already arrived at a firmly closed antique door.
After a light knock, she gave Seung-hyun a small smile and opened it for him.
Inside, he saw Antoine Arnault, with his sharply defined nose and vivid blue eyes.
He gave Seung-hyun a once-over, then reached out lightly for a handshake.
"So you're Chairman Jung. Antoine Arnault."
"Pleasure to meet you. Jung Seung-hyun."
Antoine's English carried a French accent, but his pronunciation was quite smooth.
He gestured to the sofa beside him, inviting Seung-hyun to sit.
Antoine Arnault studied him with those deep eyes for a moment before speaking.
"How does it feel to be in France?"
"It's nice. The city is beautiful, and so are the people who pursue beauty."
"And you?"
Maybe it was the tone, or maybe it was the way he kept staring so directly, but for some reason the question felt aggressive.
That was why Seung-hyun tried to figure out exactly what kind of situation he was in.
"I pursue beauty too."
Antoine tilted his gaze upward as if thinking about something, then spoke.
"To be honest, when the story of a collaboration between Haesol Textile and LVMH first came up, I wasn't convinced."
"That's understandable. You hadn't seen it yourself."
He smiled lightly.
As the eldest son of a family that held the world's luxury goods in one hand, he carried an odd sort of presence even when he said almost nothing.
Seung-hyun thought it was probably the kind of aura that came from years of experience, judgment, and the eyes of a man who was used to commanding others.
"When a report strongly recommending investment in Haesol Textile came up inside our group, what I saw was only a new textile brand combining Eastern artistic sensibility. It was certainly attractive, but I couldn't be sure whether it was a company we should invest in. This isn't just about whether an invested company can make a profit. It's about whether it fits the image of the LVMH Group."
In other words, he was asking whether they were really at the level expected of a luxury house.
It was also the reality facing the fashion industry.
No matter how unique the new technology or sensibility, the question was whether it could meet the standards luxury brands demanded.
Seung-hyun nodded calmly.
"I believe it can."
He smiled faintly and continued.
"So I didn't approve it. Seven million euros is not a small amount."
One hundred billion won was certainly not a small sum, but it wasn't enough to make the LVMH Group tremble either.
So the truth was simply that he had rejected the investment because he didn't like it...
Then who had approved it...?
"But my father thought differently. He said it was new and fresh."
"Ah..."
"That made me curious. What exactly did he see that I didn't? And then the company that had received the investment flew to France only a few days later. To attend Maison&Objet, no less. I found that fresh, too, honestly."
He stood up, poured wine into two glasses, and handed one to Seung-hyun.
It would have been hard to refuse in this atmosphere, and Seung-hyun didn't particularly want to refuse anyway.
Feeling the sweet scent of the wine in the glass as he took a sip, he tilted his head slightly.
"That confidence, that spirit of challenge, and that passion for beauty... what else is there?"
...
What Camille Dubois had said about there being one more thing required.
Wasn't this exactly the kind of situation she had been anticipating?
"I love people who have discernment. It's a pity there aren't many of them..."
By now, Seung-hyun was starting to feel irritated too.
So he downed the wine as if it were beer and set the glass down with a sharp tap.
Then he met the other man's slightly surprised eyes and stood up.
Several mobile clothing racks had been brought into the room Antoine had prepared, so Seung-hyun began looking over the garments hanging there.
"This year's new Loro Piana collection."
Antoine explained, even though Seung-hyun hadn't asked.
Without replying, Seung-hyun looked over the clothes and found his eyes drawn to a coat in a pale beige tone.
"Do you like the coat?"
Antoine asked again, but Seung-hyun still did not answer. Instead, he carefully traced the coat's delicate texture with his fingertips.
A semi-oversized cut that flowed naturally from the line of the arms, yet the overall impression maintained an elegant edge rather than any heaviness.
It was soft, with just the right amount of thickness, and though the visual sheen was not strong, it had a quiet glow.
Seung-hyun closed his eyes slightly and let out a steady breath.
Then, as if an information window were opening before him, the garment's details spread out in his mind.
【Yarn Quality = 98.9%】
【Sewing Precision = 96.2%】
【Design Intent = Restrained Luxury & Minimalism】
【Fabric = Baby Cashmere】
【Market Value = Top 3%】
Antoine Arnault's expression hardened as the Eastern man kept ignoring his words.
But then...
"This is the best one."
"The best? In what way?"
He asked with a crooked smile, one corner of his mouth rising as if in ridicule.
"Is this made from baby Mongolian goat down? You used an extremely fine cashmere fiber. The micron count looks to be under fifteen."
Antoine's eyes widened at once.
It was not easy for an ordinary person to identify that information accurately just by touching the fabric.
It was even less likely if that person wasn't an in-house designer or materials specialist at Loro Piana.
"That's right... truly astonishing. How did you know?"
"Just intuition. The texture is that distinctive."
Antoine stared at him as if briefly at a loss for words, then asked, "Since you handle fabric, your senses really are sharp. But you say it's the best because of the material? In terms of fabric value, there are others that are..."
"It's a common beige tone, but that subtle shift in color is what gives the silhouette its emphasis on luxury. Looking at the faint grain on the outer layer too, I think you were trying to express something emotionally like 'humble luxury.'"
He ran a hand over his red lips and glared at Seung-hyun.
Though he did not show it openly, he was clearly startled.
It wasn't common to meet someone who spoke while touching on the design concept and even the brand philosophy.
"Humble luxury... that's an interesting phrase."
Seung-hyun carefully traced the coat's delicate texture with his fingertips and followed the seam line.
With a coat like this, the silhouette could easily become heavy, but the sewing from the side line all the way to the cuffs gave it stability without stiffness, and without letting it fall apart.
"To keep the internal structure from becoming too rigid, you minimized the interfacing in the lining. I think it's a very carefully calculated design, reducing weight without ruining the silhouette."
When Seung-hyun finished speaking, Antoine burst into laughter, as if in disbelief.
Then he shook his head and raised his wineglass toward Seung-hyun.
"Gabriel told me Chairman Jung had a natural instinct when it came to textiles, and I thought he was exaggerating. But now I see he wasn't exaggerating at all."
Looking at the man who was laughing, Seung-hyun kept his face unreadable as he said, "Then as thanks for inviting me this far, how about giving me this coat as a gift? I like it."
"Ha..."
Usually, Seung-hyun wasn't the type to ask for free things wherever he went.
But because the man kept needling him and showing off, he was being petty on purpose, thinking that if he was so impressive, he could at least hand over a coat.
He didn't care if this made the man dislike him.
He had invested in the company, that was all; he had no particular desire to win favor with the man himself.
"If it's too precious, then forget it..."
"I'll give it to you, gladly. Anything else...?"
"Nothing else caught my eye."
He knew perfectly well that saying nothing else had caught his eye meant the other clothes weren't very good.
It was meant to irritate him, but strangely enough, there seemed to be a flicker of life in Antoine's gaze.
"I see..."
The curve in his eyes deepened little by little.
"I think I was right to call you here. Today is turning into an unexpectedly interesting experience. Very interesting."
He looked at Seung-hyun with unmistakable fascination, then went on.
"You're leaving tomorrow? For Korea?"
"Yes, that's right."
"If you don't have anything urgent, delay it a few days."
"Pardon?"
"Don't refuse. It will be good for you and your company. And this is also a request from me as an investor."
"I'd like to know the reason, at least."
"You'll know soon enough. Just stand next to me for a few days."
He took a sip of red wine and smiled an unreadable smile.
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