Rapid Growth, Part 3
“What? Tomorrow?”
Seung-hyun looked genuinely thrown off by the phone call that came in before he left work.
Cha Hee-ju’s hurried voice came through the receiver.
Yes, and I’m terribly sorry. I know this is sudden, but Chairman Davide Sochi wants to speak with you personally about GyeolBit bedding. Tomorrow morning is the only time he has.
Seung-hyun checked the schedule on his desk.
He already had an important meeting with Jeong Man-sik, president of Hanil Global, set for the afternoon.
“Morning, then... what time are you thinking?”
Would around 11 work? We’ll come pick you up.
He thought about it for a moment.
Honestly, this wasn’t about worrying over Mirae Department Store at all.
It wasn’t as if he had a brand that absolutely had to go into the department store right this second.
What interested him more was the meeting itself with Davide Sochi, the CEO of Promemoria.
“All right. I’ll be expecting you at 11.”
Thank you so much. This really helps us.
After ending the call, Seung-hyun let out a deep breath.
Then Hwang Seok-jae knocked and came in.
“President, the materials for the Hanil Global meeting are ready.”
“Thank you. But one more appointment has come up. I’ll need to be out tomorrow at 11 a.m. for a meeting with someone named Davide Sochi. He’s the CEO of Promemoria.”
Hwang’s eyes widened.
“Promemoria? You mean that world-famous luxury furniture brand?”
“Yes. Cha Hee-ju called me in a hurry and asked me to meet him. Apparently, he’s very interested in GyeolBit bedding.”
“Wow. That’s impressive. A CEO like that probably doesn’t get impressed by just any luxury product, so our bedding must have really caught his eye.”
“We’ll have a lot to prepare. Please get the GyeolBit bedding samples and all the related materials ready, too.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll prepare everything right away.”
After Hwang left, Seung-hyun looked down at the clothes Lee A-young had newly designed.
The latest design was a new casual clothing line called the Comfort Line.
It was a unisex set of an oversized shirt and wide-leg pants, built around a distinctive pattern that let the shoulder line fall naturally while still keeping the silhouette neat.
With five colors in the lineup, this new series clearly played to Lesser Factory’s strengths while also showing a more distinctive sensibility.
When Seung-hyun touched the sample, a status window appeared.
【Weaving Condition = 92.5%】
【Uniformity = 94.1%】
【Durability = 91.3%】
【Product Value = 92.7%】
This is really good.
The new line hit him with real force.
At this point, it was clear that A-young had grown into a genuine designer who considered not just beauty, but the comfort and confidence of the person wearing the clothes.
Talent he had never expected to find.
That was what Lee A-young had possessed all along.
He immediately took out his phone and sent her a message.
A few minutes later, A-young replied.
Seung-hyun smiled and looked over the sample once more.
This new line was certain to become an important turning point that showed the next stage of Lesser Factory.
*
The next day at 11 a.m.
After Hee-ju picked him up in front of the company, she smiled brightly from the car on the way to Gwanghwamun.
“Thank you so much. Chairman Davide Sochi suddenly started looking for President Jung, so we ended up having to rush this meeting.”
“It happens. It’s not your fault, Hee-ju. And I’m curious why Davide Sochi wanted to see me in the first place.”
“Wasn’t it because he was curious about that limited-edition comforter you gave him as a gift?”
“...That’s probably it.”
“More importantly, how are Lesser Factory’s sales? Han Saet-byeol’s effect is definitely real, isn’t it?”
Seung-hyun had come to understand firsthand that companies did not use star marketing for no reason.
“Yes. It’s helped us a great deal.”
“See? This is how people help each other. That’s real win-win, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
She had secured a solid foundation within both her company and her family, while Haesol Textile was growing at a remarkable pace, so her words were not wrong at all.
After about thirty minutes on the road, the two arrived at a hotel in Gwanghwamun.
It happened to be just lunchtime, so when they entered the hotel Chinese restaurant, they found an older white man and a middle-aged woman already waiting.
He already knew from Hee-ju that the elderly white man was Davide Sochi and the middle-aged woman was Lee Seo-yeon, head of Mirae Department Store’s merchandise division.
It was Seo-yeon’s first time meeting President Jung Seung-hyun, and she seemed quite surprised that he was younger than she had expected.
“Hello, Chairman Sochi. I’m Jung Seung-hyun, president of Haesol Textile.”
Davide Sochi took Seung-hyun’s hand warmly and shook it with a friendly smile.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, President Jung. Thanks to your bedding, I slept comfortably for the first time in a long while.”
To Seung-hyun’s surprise, Cha Hee-ju translated the Italian into Korean for him.
Seeing the warmth in Sochi’s eyes, he could feel the sincerity behind the words.
“You’re too kind. I’m truly glad you liked it.”
Once everyone had taken their seats, Sochi got straight to the point.
“The reason I wanted to meet you is that I was deeply impressed by the bedding. I’ve actually been suffering terribly from insomnia. Of course, the bedding didn’t make it disappear completely. But how should I put it... the comfort I felt just before falling asleep was indescribable.”
“I’m honored to hear that. As the person who made it, it means a great deal to me.”
“As it should. And that brings me to a few questions. The fabric had a feel I’ve never experienced before. Could it be...?”
He looked at him with open curiosity, as though he had many questions he wanted answered.
That sort of curiosity was probably what had lifted the furniture he ran into a world-famous luxury brand.
“The bedding fabric is a special blended material we developed ourselves. French linen, modal, and cotton are mixed in a specific ratio, and a specialized weaving method is applied. We’ve patented the composition ratios for the fabric as well.”
“I see. It was incredibly surprising. The softness you feel from the bedding, combined with that natural texture... it reminded me of the feeling I used to have at my family’s house in the countryside of northern Italy when I was a child.”
Seung-hyun bowed his head modestly.
“We wanted the fabric to do more than simply serve a functional role. We wanted it to give the user psychological comfort and a sense of ease.”
“The design was very special as well. It’s not the kind of bedding you usually see... I’d almost say the bedding looked like a painting.”
“Yes. It was inspired by nature. In particular, the design for Chairman Sochi was modeled after the lakes and meadows of northern Italy.”
Sochi’s eyes sparkled.
“Oh, so that’s why it felt so familiar. Amazing.”
At that point, Cha Hee-ju joined the conversation.
“Chairman Sochi said he had a special proposal.”
At her words, Sochi nodded and looked at Seung-hyun.
“That’s right. When Promemoria enters Korea, I’d like to collaborate with Haesol Textile’s GyeolBit bedding to create a special-edition furniture line. I think your fabric and our furniture could create something truly exceptional together.”
“...!!”
Seung-hyun was momentarily speechless at the unexpected proposal.
“I know this is sudden. Please feel free to take your time.”
“Personally, this is an incredibly honorable proposal. What kind of collaboration are you envisioning?”
“We’re thinking of using your fabric on beds and sofas, and offering matching bedding sets alongside them. You could think of it as a Promemoria × GyeolBit collection.”
Seung-hyun looked genuinely moved.
“That’s a wonderful idea. We’ll definitely review it seriously.”
Sochi smiled in satisfaction.
“Good. We can discuss the details later. Today’s meeting has been truly moving.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Ah, we’ve talked so much we nearly forgot the food. Let’s eat.”
Lee Seo-yeon, who had quietly watched the two of them talk, finally cut in.
“Exactly. I reserved this place after hearing that Chairman Davide Sochi enjoys Chinese food. How is it?”
“It’s excellent. Very different from the Chinese food I’ve had in Italy and France.”
Seung-hyun’s eyes widened as well, since it was the first time he had ever heard of an Italian enjoying Chinese food.
Noticing his confusion, Davide Sochi gave a kindly laugh and said, “A friend of mine is Chinese. And he’s a very good cook, too.”
“Ah...”
As they ate, the conversation continued, and Sochi remained deeply interested in the fabric and design of the GyeolBit bedding.
When the meal ended, Seung-hyun looked around the table and said, “I’m sorry, but I already have an important meeting this afternoon. I should get going.”
“Ah, of course. I understand.”
Before leaving, Sochi took his hand once more.
“It was truly a wonderful time, President Jung. I look forward to our future collaboration.”
“As do I, Chairman Sochi. Thank you for coming.”
Leaving Davide Sochi behind with that warm, gentle look in his eyes, Seung-hyun stepped out of the hotel.
*
At the same time, in a conference room at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
Lieutenant Colonel Mok Jae-gyun sat stiffly in his chair, his expression tense.
Today was the day the research division would present its findings on whether Dual-Tex fabric could be used in military uniforms.
Dr. Kim Tae-hoon from the research division began his presentation.
“I’ll present the comprehensive analysis of Dual-Tex fabric. First, the weight reduction effect was better than expected. Compared with existing military uniforms, it is 32% lighter, which can greatly reduce soldier fatigue during long operations.”
Various graphs and figures appeared on the screen.
“Its breathability and moisture absorption were also excellent. In particular, performance tests in hot and humid environments showed results 145% better than those of the existing uniform.”
A small stir ran through the people in the room.
“The durability tests also produced satisfying results. Even after repeated friction and washing, the fabric’s strength held up well.”
However, Dr. Kim’s expression tightened slightly.
“That said, the flame-retardant test produced somewhat weaker results than the current uniform. We can’t say safety in a fire situation is guaranteed.”
Lieutenant Colonel Mok frowned.
That had been his biggest concern.
“Then is there room for improvement?”
“Yes. If flame-retardant treatment is added during manufacturing, the results can improve. Although in that case the fabric’s texture and breathability may be somewhat compromised. Still, if Haesol Textile, the company that developed the fabric, is willing to improve the flame resistance, I don’t think it would be a major issue.”
Different opinions rose and fell around the room.
“What if we limit it to internal combat uniforms?”
“Or develop it for specialized environments.”
“We’ll need to analyze the cost-effectiveness further.”
Bringing the many opinions together, General Won Cheon-gyu, who was presiding over the meeting, summarized them.
“All right, I see. But what you’re really saying is that you want the fabric, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then we have to ask. It’s no use the two of us talking ourselves hoarse if the price doesn’t work for them.”
“Given the retail price of Lesser Factory products currently on the market, I don’t think they’ll be unable to meet the price the military requires. There isn’t actually that much of a gap.”
“Then I suppose... who brought this in?”
Lieutenant Colonel Mok raised his hand.
“I did.”
“Go ask Haesol Textile whether they’re interested. And if they say no, see whether at least the fabric technology can be transferred.”
“Understood.”
Assigned a task that would not be easy, Lieutenant Colonel Mok left the conference room with a stiff face.
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