The Youngest Daughter of Shinsegi Group (1)

If you asked who the most famous company in the fashion industry was these days, everyone would answer MFW.

When MFW first said it wanted to become a pioneer of the metaverse fashion industry, many people didn’t understand.

But true to its name—Metaverse Fashion Week—it rolled out outlandish marketing and new products that crossed back and forth between online and offline, and now it had become the most talked-about fashion company in the world.

Thanks to that, its CEO, Min Ah-reum, had also become the focus of both the public and the industry.

She had already been a celebrity with as many followers as an entertainer. But now she was globally famous.

She was so busy she couldn’t even tell how the day had gone by, but Min Ah-reum never let up on managing her image as a celebrity.

Min Ah-reum understood very well what value her appearance held in business.

It was, in itself, an excellent form of publicity.

She was followed everywhere by a personal stylist, a hair designer, and a public relations manager.

Sometimes Min Ah-reum wore expensive luxury brands, and sometimes she wore clothes from brands MFW had invested in.

The person who had achieved success in a similar way was Janey Dalton, the granddaughter of the chairman of Dalton Hotel.

Her image was that of a vain heiress. She made no secret of the fact that cheap clothes gave her an allergic reaction and only ever reached for luxury brands.

After building that unshakable image as a luxury woman, she began casually wearing the jewelry brand she had launched herself.

Then the public naturally came to regard that jewelry brand as a luxury label.

As expected, people took a keen interest in the clothes Min Ah-reum wore and the accessories she put on.

She performed glamour in front of the public and competence in front of her employees, but the moment she got home, she was too exhausted to do anything but collapse and sleep.

I think I finally understand how a swan feels, paddling furiously beneath the surface.

Her body was tired, but Min Ah-reum had never been more satisfied with her situation.

The more she worked, the more motivation surged through her.

Up until then, Min Ah-reum had thought of herself as someone without much ambition.

Maybe if she hadn’t received Han Miru’s investment proposal, she would have gone on living that way for the rest of her life.

But the moment she got that proposal, she realized it.

She wanted to build her own fashion empire.

She had simply never reached for more because, from the beginning, she had believed it was something she could never have.

But now things were different.

Desire kept swelling in her heart without end.

How far could MFW really grow? Maybe it could even surpass LVMH, the so-called luxury empire?

If people heard that, they would all think it was nonsense. Min Ah-reum herself would have thought the same in the past.

But……

Now was a time when the industry itself was changing.

If she seized control of digital fashion, just how much value would that hold?

By now, the Shinsegi Group didn’t even come into view.

Min Ah-reum met with a WST reporter for an interview.

The reporter handed over her business card and said, “Hello, I’m Trish O'Connor from WST.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Min Ah-reum.”

The two of them exchanged cheerful greetings.

The first thing Min Ah-reum noticed about anyone was their fashion.

Trish’s fashion sense, frankly, was hard to call good.

Skinny jeans and a T-shirt. A checked button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, worn-out sneakers, and her hair tied back carelessly with a pair of glasses on her nose.

And yet she still looked good, because her face was simply that striking.

Big eyes with double eyelids, sharp and vivid features, and a body line that looked even better on account of her roughly 170-centimeter height.

She was already this pretty now; if she ever dressed herself properly, she would be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠no less than a top model.

“I’ve wanted to interview you for a long time, so thank you for making the time.”

“I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time too.”

“Me?”

“You’re a famous journalist. I enjoy reading your articles. And congratulations on O'Connor Burger’s launch in Korea.”

“Thank you. I’ll start with the photos first. Just sit naturally.”

Looking through the viewfinder at Min Ah-reum, Trish thought, Wow, she’s gorgeous.

Clean skin, glossy black bobbed hair, eyes that tilted slightly upward at the corners and gave her a sharp look, a straight nose, full lips, and even a little beauty mark beneath her left eye.

She wore black slacks, a silk blouse with a collar, and a jacket over it. Silver necklace and earrings that gave ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her a calm, understated elegance rather than flashy glamour.

On top of that, Min Ah-reum’s own unique aura made her stand out even more.

After taking all the photos, Trish picked up her recorder.

“Is it okay if I record the interview?”

“Of course.”

The real interview began.

The conversation was in English, with Trish asking the questions and Min Ah-reum answering.

“I think fashion is a human instinct. By sharing the same fashion, people can signal that they belong to a certain group, or conversely, express an individuality that sets them apart from others.”

Clothes are a necessity, but fashion is not.

Very few people buy clothes because they have none.

People buy clothes even when they already have them in order to look different from everyone else. But when everyone starts wearing special clothes, those clothes become ordinary, and a new trend appears.

That was why the fashion market kept growing.

“It’s the same in the digital world. That’s why people spend money and time dressing up their avatars.”

“What do you think is MFW’s greatest strength?”

Min Ah-reum answered in a single word.

“Data. In the digital world, you can see who wears what, how often they wear it, and what styles they prefer. MFW can use that to precisely target customers for each brand. That’s a strength no other company can copy. It belongs to MFW alone.”

“If you launch products by accurately identifying ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠public taste, doesn’t that just mean you’re following trends?”

“That’s right. So it’s necessary to clearly distinguish between following trends and leading them. MFW intends to take on a wide range of challenges without fearing failure. Only then can we deliver better products and services to customers.”

Trish kept asking questions.

“MFW was the first to promote brands through games, and recently you’ve been running all kinds of marketing using virtual humans. Is there any other promotional method you’re thinking about?”

“We’re planning a metaverse fashion show using virtual humans and Surreal Screen. You’ll see a fantastical fashion show unlike anything you’ve ever seen—something that moves back and forth between virtual and reality.”

Min Ah-reum also spoke about her plans for the future.

“We’re willing to cooperate with any company ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to expand the world of metaverse fashion, and we’re also planning a wide range of collaborations.”

In fact, countless companies had already put forward proposals.

Last month, a pop-up store held at Ritemall together with Block Valley drew hundreds of thousands of visitors, and every product sold out.

“These days, products designed in France can be manufactured in Vietnam and displayed in a store in the U.S. in less than a week. If it’s the internet, three days is enough.”

As long as a brand could get its name out there, there was nothing stopping it from selling to the entire world in an instant.

QuickShaka and Nidus, which had once been little local brands, had grown into global brands almost overnight thanks to the success of the game.

“You were recently named one of the women that teenage Korean girls most want to emulate, and you also made it onto Forbes’ list of ten notable female CEOs and Vogue’s list of the ten most influential people in fashion, alongside famous designers and models. How does that make you feel?”

“It’s a tremendous honor. It also makes me feel an enormous sense of responsibility.”

The interview lasted two hours.

In most cases, interviews tended to drag on. But this one ended sooner than expected, because Trish only asked the questions she truly needed.

“There’s still some time left. Would you like another cup of tea?”

“Sure.”

Min Ah-reum poured more tea and asked Trish, “May I ask you a question this time?”

“Of course.”

“How did you meet Miru?”

Trish smiled as if remembering it. “We ran into each other by chance while I was writing an article at a café. I was the one who struck up a conversation first, and then... well, I dragged him to my father’s pub and told him I’d introduce him to the best hamburger in New York. So...”

Watching Trish chatter away with an excited expression, Min Ah-reum thought, Hmm. So is she Yun-ah’s rival?

Trish wrote the article based on the interview.

As public interest in both MFW and Min Ah-reum continued to grow, the WST interview piece naturally attracted major attention across the industry.

The public response was scorching hot.

Min Ah-reum checked the article and the reactions after coming into work.

Then, in the middle of it all, she received a phone call from her mother.