Rebirth of the Fashion King

"I understand what you mean," the old man said with a smile. He sat back in his chair and put his sunglasses back on.

"But what you want to change is not just a problem for Chanel, but the inertia of the entire fashion industry over the past few decades."

"Then we can modify it at Chanel first," Li Xun said firmly.

"You are Karl Lagerfeld; if you change, Paris will change."

You overestimate me.

"You're underestimating yourself. Every decision you make will be magnified ten thousand times. The weight standard you choose for your models will be regarded as the golden rule by many models. If you use a model of normal weight, even just one, the media will write that Karl Lagerfeld is redefining the body standard for haute couture. You don't have to say anything, you just have to do it."

Viard finally spoke.

"It's not as simple as you think." Her voice was softer than she had expected.

"The supply chain, visual system, buyer expectations, and media narrative are all built on existing physical standards."

If we suddenly switch to a model with a larger bust size, the entire visual system's pattern-making dimensions need to be adjusted, the size ratios of the ready-to-wear collection need to be recalculated, and the sample sizes in the store need to be changed from size 34 to size 36...

"It can be changed."

"What?"

"The pattern size can be changed, the size ratio can be recalculated, and the store sample can be changed to size 36." Li Xun turned to look at her.

"It's not a question of whether or not we can, it's a question of whether or not we want to."

Virginie Viard opened her mouth.

"Do you know how long it takes to change a brand's entire sizing system?" she asked.

"About eighteen months," Li Xun said confidently.

"Starting with next year's ready-to-wear collection, and then moving on to the bulk delivery of the following season."

"Have you calculated it?"

"I spent some time doing a calculation." Li Xun pulled a document from a folder on the sofa and placed it on the table.

"Fabric utilization, pattern adjustment, production costs, and store return cycle are all included."

Virginia picked up the document and flipped through two pages.

The Empress Dowager didn't look at the document; she was still looking at Li Xun.

"You had this prepared long ago," the old lady said.

"Yes."

"But you only brought it out today."

  

"Because I need you to finalize the list of models first. After you've made all those decisions, I'll then let you face the fact that the logic behind some of your decisions isn't entirely correct."

The Empress Dowager remained silent for a long time.

The only sound in the office was the rustling of Vijay turning through documents.

"Do you know what I dislike most about you?" the old lady said.

Li Xun shrugged.

"You're right, and you always put the right thing in front of me at the right time, in the right way, which makes an old man very uncomfortable."

"It's good to feel uncomfortable. It means that your aesthetic system has been challenged. If the aesthetic system of a person in their seventies has not been challenged for decades, then it is not aesthetics, but inertia."

The Empress Dowager smiled very happily.

"Little Rhine, it's a good thing that you want to be a hero."

His expression turned serious.

"You joined Chanel at nineteen, and shortly after graduating, you designed a collection that drove Chanel's leather goods department crazy. But after four years in the industry, you haven't put on a single big show, and now you're sitting in my office telling me that my aesthetic sense is just inertia."

Do you know what I'm thinking right now?

Li Xun did not respond.

"I'm thinking about a cat." Karl Lagerfeld's sharp tongue began its attack.

"A Siamese cat, very beautiful, with a perfect coat color, sits on the windowsill every day watching the birds outside."

It felt confident it could catch the birds because it could see them very clearly—their flight paths, their speed, their weaknesses.

But it never went outside. ^_^ It was never exposed to the wind, never rained on, never pecked on the head by a magpie, so it didn't know it wasn't a hunter; it was just a cat.

"You're just like that cat now, little Rhine."

Virginie Viard pursed her lips slightly. Today, someone is going to suffer.

"For four years, you've been a perfect student to me and Virginia. You've done your work beautifully, you rarely make mistakes, you've never given me a chance to teach you anything, you're smart, you've always been smart."

Karl Lagerfeld's voice suddenly lowered.

"Do you know how long an old man like me has waited for an opportunity like this?"

Virginia tapped her fingers lightly on the folder, as if she wanted to say something, but Karl Lagerfeld showed no sign of stopping.

"Who do you think you are?" he suddenly said.

The tone changed, and not just changed, but the atmosphere in the entire room collapsed in an instant.

"You think you can come to my office and teach me how to behave just because you designed a handbag? You think you can criticize my aesthetic sense regarding models just because you took a bite out of Hermès' territory?"

He spoke slowly, but every word was forceful.

"You've never done a real big show; your entire career achievement is a handbag."

He paused, letting the words linger in the air.

"A handbag, Rhine."

"That's not a handbag," Li Xun replied.

"Yes, that's not a handbag," Karl Lagerfeld nodded.

"That's your pride, all the self-esteem you currently have in the fashion world, all the capital that makes you think you can stand here and challenge me? Then let's talk about your Himalayas."

He opened the drawer, took out a leather notebook, and opened it.

"I know its sales figures."

Li Xun's eye muscles twitched slightly.

"The Himalayan Nile crocodile Rh bag was launched in 2006, and as of May 2009, its global shipments..."

"You should know I don't need you to tell me these things," Li Xun said with a smile.

"The entire series' global shipments are strictly controlled to no more than thirteen pieces per year." Karl Lagerfeld ignored him.

"I know exactly who owns each one, why they bought it, and how they use it. Do you know what customers said when your bag first came out?"

Virginia spoke up: "Karl."

"Let him listen," Karl Lagerfeld said. "He needs to listen."

He turned a page in his notebook.

"In Chanel's distribution system, customers need to purchase a certain amount of ready-to-wear clothing and accessories before they can qualify to buy more. So they bought clothes, scarves, perfumes, etc. that they didn't need..."

"So tell me first, what has your design for the Himalayas brought to the brand?"

"Profit and scarcity."

"Profit and scarcity," the old lady repeated. "And what else?"

"The enhancement of brand premium."

"Anything else?"

Li Xun remained silent for a moment.

"It gave Chanel a passport in the leather goods industry."

"What pass?"

"A pass to the high-end gaming tables."

"Okay, now tell me, who gave you this pass?"

"Myself."

"You yourself."

"It's my design."

"Your design." Karl Lagerfeld's fingers were crossed.

"Your design is outstanding, I have never denied it from day one. You are one of the most talented designers I have ever met, but do you think your design can get into those buyers' order fairs on your own?"

"Of course not."

"Of course not, then what is it based on?"

Li Xun did not answer; of course he knew the answer.

"If you don't say it, I'll say it for you. It's thanks to Coco Chanel, the value system that Virginie and I have built for this brand over the years, and Chanel's store locations, lighting design, sales pitches, customer service, and brand story—all of these were created by Chanel."

"Your Himalayas is like an eagle, a Rhine. It flies very high, but its nest was built by someone else. It can also fly very high in Louis Vuitton, Dior, YSL, Hermès... Do you agree?"

"Of course, Chanel gave me this platform, that's undeniable."