Western Style, Part 2
Seung-hyun thought his eyes were deceiving him.
Earlier, Dual-Tex had only managed a marketability score in the low 80s.
He had taken that to mean it would be hard to sell at full value.
But now that he was checking the finished product, its product value was over 91 percent.
At this point, it was practically on par with Art Fabric. Was that really right?
He had assumed that unless it was a high-function textile, the product-value index would hover somewhere in the 70 to 80 percent range. Yet this hoodie was showing a level of finish and marketability that put it on the level of a decent semi-luxury item.
No, this is... how is it scoring this high?
Seung-hyun tried to stay calm, but his heart was pounding.
Usually, work clothes that company staff made and wore themselves reflected a practical mindset: as long as the fabric was sturdy and could stand up to washing, that was enough.
But this hoodie had more than simple utility. The logo embroidered across the chest, the overall silhouette, and the precise stitching all came together to create something genuinely stylish.
He stared at the hoodie in stunned silence for a long moment, and Lee-san beside him tilted his head, looking puzzled.
"Sir, is there a problem?"
"...No, it's fine. I was just surprised because the quality is so good."
Now deep in thought, Seung-hyun noticed Lee-san standing there awkwardly, waiting to see if there was anything else he might say, and spoke up.
"Is it comfortable?"
"Yes, very. It's warm, and..."
"Good. Then keep at it."
"Thank you."
Lee-san bowed and hurried off as if afraid Seung-hyun might try to keep him talking.
Seung-hyun watched his retreating back, the hood pulled low over his head, and made an odd expression.
Now he understood. There was Yoon Jung-mi, whose sewing skills were exceptional. And her daughter, Lee A-young, was not suited to office work at all, but had real talent for design.
On top of that, the distinctive Lesser Factory logo that had suddenly appeared gave the neat fit an extra edge.
If the hoodie produced from that combination could achieve this level of product value, then what might happen if he pushed it further?
Design suitability over 90 percent... this isn't just at subcontractor level. It could be branded outright.
As he slowly walked out of the factory, he sorted through his thoughts.
Today’s hoodie had confirmed it beyond doubt: if he added design to technology-driven fabrics like Dual-Tex or Aero Coolbreeze, the result could be worth a tremendous amount.
Standing alone in the open space in front of the factory, which was as wide as a schoolyard, Seung-hyun looked up at the night sky.
Not long ago, he had doubted whether the company could even keep running, let alone turn a profit.
And now, right after visiting Maison & Objet in Paris, he was drawing interest from overseas buyers while also pushing forward a European-style art-fabric project.
On top of that, the clothes his employees had made were showing an unexpectedly high level of completion, and the possibility of creating a new lineup, maybe even an entirely new brand, had begun to take shape.
"GyeolBit bedding is important, but maybe we should try making lifestyle wear with a younger sensibility like this..."
That thought came to him all at once.
If the design and sewing were this good, too good to be left as ordinary workwear, then perhaps they could try something new using only the factory's own resources.
And the European-style art fabric Yu Se-rin was hoping for was no different.
If he used a Gobelins tapestry concept to release furniture covers, cushions, blankets, and the like, it might make waves in both the domestic and overseas interior-design markets.
Firms like Roche Bobois, of course, but collaborations with other high-end brands were also well within reach.
Back in his office, Seung-hyun sat down and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
His chest was still thudding for no good reason, so he checked the art-fabric pattern he had been working on earlier.
The pattern on the screen, with its antique motifs, faded colors, and delicate details in perfect balance, carried a mood that was unmistakably different from what people usually called an "Eastern sensibility."
And yet it still held the memories of his own trip to Paris, along with his affection for textiles.
"Still, the art fabric comes first."
Seung-hyun set the order in his mind.
Lee A-young's design was clearly impressive, but if he wanted to step out as a true brand, a hoodie alone wouldn't be enough.
A cheap, good fabric paired with a design everyone would like.
To get there, Dual-Tex had to be finished.
Only then could he beat other brands.
Before that, Haesol Textile needed to grow larger, and the most suitable project for that was the collaboration with Yu Se-rin.
Seung-hyun stared at the monitor again and began shaping a new pattern.
*
The next day, at the Roche Bobois building in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam, Seoul.
Through the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, the city view spread out before the eye, and Yu Se-rin wore a troubled expression.
Two people from the French headquarters were circling her as though they were keeping watch.
"At this level of sales in Korea, you're 30 percent short of the target set by headquarters."
"Yes, I understand. But the domestic market has recently..."
"Don't let it sound like an excuse. Don't forget how much budget headquarters poured into this project."
Olivier Delacroix, sent from headquarters, continued his criticism in a voice sharp as a razor.
On the marble table lay a graph showing sales performance over the past few months, and it was obvious the slope had not risen as expected.
"The decision to replace the Korean market MD is already firm. In fact, you could say it's being formalized right here and now."
"Replacement..."
Yu Se-rin felt her insides tighten at the words.
She had heard rumors that Roche Bobois headquarters was preparing to send a replacement MD, but she had not expected it to move this quickly.
"Roche Bobois has also sent a new MD who will serve as creative director. Say hello."
Only then did Yu Se-rin recognize the identity of the Korean man standing beside Olivier.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Kang Mo-hyun. From now on, I'll be serving as both MD and creative director for Roche Bobois Korea."
"I'm Yu Se-rin. I've been handling the Korean branch's MD duties. Good to meet you."
"Good to meet me? We're still competitors, after all."
The Korean man, who looked to be in his late thirties, had neatly combed dark brown hair, a polished suit, and a strong cologne that left an impression.
On top of that, there was the way he looked at her with a vaguely dismissive air, and his obnoxious tone the very first time they met...
Yu Se-rin was deeply annoyed, though she tried not to show it.
But Olivier paid no attention to her feelings at all.
"You and the new MD will each lead separate lineups from now on. Over the next two quarters, the one who posts the higher sales will stay, and the other will have to leave the company."
Yu Se-rin felt as if her chest had been stuffed tight with cotton.
During the years she had worked for a luxury furniture brand like Roche Bobois, she had faced plenty of small and large difficulties, but this was the first time she had been told so directly that she might be pushed out.
Still, she did her best not to waver.
"Understood. If that's headquarters' decision, then there's nothing I can do."
Olivier nodded with a meaningful smile.
Then he tapped the table twice.
"Of course, you may yet show a splendid counterattack here. But... well, with sales trending the way they are now, I doubt it will be easy."
He left without so much as a farewell.
Once Olivier was gone, the two of them were left alone.
Looking more at ease now, Kang Mo-hyun pulled out a chair, sat down, and began looking through the documents without ceremony.
Compared to the French executives, who usually carried themselves with a careless, unfazed arrogance, this Korean man felt far more razor-edged.
"Because of headquarters' orders, one of us may have to leave. It's not my decision, so I hope you won't hate me too much for it."
"You don't need to say that. I wasn't planning to."
"Hah... I'm Korean too, but Korean people have a tendency not to say what's really on their minds. Sometimes they avoid competition altogether. That's not my style. I say what I want to say, so I think it'd be easier if you did the same, Ms. Yu Se-rin."
"So... you're saying I'm bothering you a lot, even though I'm pretending not to? Is that what you mean?"
Kang Mo-hyun smiled faintly.
"I'll keep it simple. I've already built a reputation as someone who gets things done in several Korean luxury-interior circles. I'm confident I can boost sales at this store very easily, too. So you'd better stay sharp."
"Is that how you usually announce a working relationship? Like a declaration of war?"
"If I don't do it that way, people start saying strange things later. They put on these faces like they've been betrayed. As if we had promised to help each other or something... So I just say it plainly. Then they can't twist it afterward."
"Fine. If you have the ability, I suppose you should."
"Haha, good. I'll be officially starting soon, so I'll see you then. Oh, and you're beautiful. If I'd seen you outside, I might have fallen for you."
"...Pardon?"
"Hahaha. Well then..."
The man left the office with that same composed, superior air.
Yu Se-rin bit down hard on her lip and set the documents aside.
It was already obvious that both the executive sent from headquarters and this new MD, Kang Mo-hyun, would work against her interests.
But she had a trump card of her own.
The Western-style project with Jung Seung-hyun of Haesol Textile.
"No, but when is he bringing it?"
It felt like ages since she had given him the design, and then he said he was going to France, but there had still been no word.
"He should hurry up and bring it."
She looked anxiously out the window.
Even if she liked the fabric, once she considered the time it would take to attach it to the sofa and place it in the showroom, she did not have much time left.
*
A few days later, at Haesol Textile.
"Are you actually going home at all?"
When Park Han-soo, the factory manager, came in that morning and saw Seung-hyun crouched in front of a machine, studying something, he asked the question.
The young president usually stayed at the factory until late at night, but these days he had hardly been going home at all, so it was impossible not to worry.
"Ah, yes. I was just checking the pattern. I entered this one myself, so could you print it for me? It'll come out to a total of 30 yards, and every yard will have a different pattern. Please make sure they don't overlap."
"Understood."
He looked a bit worn down and sleep-deprived from pulling an all-nighter, but his eyes were still bright.
Even the manager now felt somewhat relieved.
After his trip to France, Seung-hyun had been wrestling with the monitor nonstop, and seeing him finally pulling the pattern out of the machine let the manager know the work was nearly finished.
"Take a look. The finish is something else... If anyone said this had come out of Korea, nobody would believe it."
After checking the fabric the manager had printed, Seung-hyun let out a grin and forgot his fatigue.
The European-style art-fabric pattern he had finished after days of hard work was clearly different from the designs that had previously centered on Eastern aesthetics.
【Durability = 90.3%】
【Weaving Precision = 90.1%】
【Pattern Completion = 94.7%】
【Product Value = 92.8%】
At this level, the fabric itself was almost perfect.
"92.8 percent... so the sleepless nights were worth it after all."
Seung-hyun smiled with satisfaction.
The fabric had a soft, antique texture, with faded colors inspired by old tapestries woven together in exquisite balance.
What's more, the texture created through a mix of digital printing and hand embroidery subtly changed in light and shade depending on the viewing angle.
Thinking about showing this work, where Haesol Textile's expertise had been so carefully woven in, to Yu Se-rin at Roche Bobois soon made energy surge through his whole body.
"Could you cut a sample from this?"
He couldn't just leave this sample sitting here.
He needed to wash up quickly and head straight to Roche Bobois to see the reaction, or he would never be able to sleep.
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