National Tide 1980.

The multi-functional hall in Block A of the Maxim Building on the night of the final was arguably the most dazzling fashion landmark in Beijing in 1991.

The venue was packed and filled with stars, with the 42 finalists looking their best and ready to go.

The judging panel, consisting of three Chinese judges and four foreign judges, sat in the front row. Behind them were representatives from major domestic fashion magazines and clothing brands, well-known film and television directors, business elites, and even several staff members from the French and American embassies.
The national television station set up its broadcasting equipment throughout the event, transmitting this grand spectacle to every household via signal.

As the host's clear voice rang out, the competition officially began.

The contestants showcased their casual wear, swimwear, and evening gowns in turn, each segment featuring its own highlights.

Under modern lighting, numerous models strutted gracefully down the runway, showcasing their individual charm and the unique features of their clothing to the fullest, drawing waves of applause from the audience.

It is worth mentioning that this year's swimsuit competition was open to the public for the first time, thanks to official permission.

Although some of these Chinese girls are not yet comfortable showing their bodies in swimsuits.

However, since all the contestants were selected from the best of the best models from all over the country, no one showed any timidity on stage, which effectively concealed their shyness, and everyone appeared poised and confident.

Especially during the evening gown segment, these girls were like a hundred flowers in full bloom.

The flowing skirt exudes both the quality of an international luxury brand and the gentle charm of Eastern aesthetics, prompting even the foreign guests present to nod in approval.

According to the competition rules, the top three winners will be selected in the final round, and the awards will be presented on site.

The champion receives the most generous reward, including a prize of 100,000 RMB, a Pierre Cardin exclusive clothing gift pack, and the qualification to participate in the "World Supermodel Competition" held in the United States the following year.

As each segment of the presentation concluded, the judging panel began scoring behind closed doors.

The atmosphere instantly became tense, with both contestants and audience members eagerly awaiting the final result.

However, an unusual atmosphere gradually began to stir within the judges' panel.

The arrogance and domineering nature of Ellen Ford, a judge from the United States, was on full display throughout the judging process.

She paid little attention to the contestants' interpretation of Eastern rhythmic beauty, ignoring their classical dance-like turns and elegant, poised demeanor in their evening gown walks on the catwalk, and instead frequently interrupted the other judges' speeches.

In particular, when several domestic judges praised Qu Ying's "agile and smooth steps and charming temperament, which injected oriental vitality into sexiness" in her swimsuit presentation, she even laughed out loud and criticized her without any politeness.

“Models are the carriers of clothing, not decorative vases for people to admire. This kind of saccharine temperament has no sense of sophistication.”

When the scoring process truly began, the conflict between Ailian Ford and the other judges, stemming from differing opinions, erupted completely.

It's worth noting that in previous rounds of judging, Qu Ying consistently led the pack with her Eastern beauty that appealed to the general public, her Hong Kong-style charm, and her consistent performance, raising high expectations from both domestic judges and the audience.

Even under the live broadcast today, her performance was outstanding.

In the casual wear segment, she showcased the Pierre Cardin sportswear collection, exuding energy and style.

The swimsuit show is not just about being sexy and hot; Qu Ying has given swimwear another possibility beyond sexiness.

Her slender, shapely legs moved with agility and fluidity, her arms raised and hands turned playfully and energetically, and her full oval face still carried a touch of girlish charm.

During the evening gown segment, she wore a white swallowtail gown, exuding confidence and composure. Even her classical dance-style turn was sharp and unyielding, perfectly embodying the Eastern beauty of "elegance and strength coexisting."

As a result, not only did several domestic judges give it considerable recognition, but the number of viewers making phone calls and sending letters related to the live broadcast was also extremely high.

As a result, the voices from the audience supporting Qu Ying to win the championship became the absolute mainstream.

Almost all Chinese people assumed that she would win the championship in this competition.

But when Ellen Ford's score sheet was handed to the scoring table for final tallying, an eerie silence fell over the room.

She surprisingly gave Chen Juanhong, contestant number 9, a perfect score of 10, the only one in the entire competition, while all other contestants, including Qu Ying, received zero points.

"This is impossible!"

The staff at the scoring table gasped in surprise and instinctively looked toward the judges' table.

Ellen Ford, however, remained unfazed, even displaying a hint of arrogance that suggested she was in complete control, as she explained to the other judges.

"There's nothing surprising about it. My score is just an expression of my personal opinion. Of all the contestants today, I think only number 9 is a true model material. She has the X factor of a model—that unknown, unique inner quality. Moreover, she has a sharp, angular face, a cool and aloof aura, and a dashing catwalk. This is the kind of girl who is qualified to walk the international runway."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the other judges, her tone leaving no room for argument, "As for the others, in my opinion, they all seem like girls participating in a beauty pageant, but they don't meet the standards of high fashion models. So I changed the scores."

This extremely capricious act instantly ignited the judges' anger.

On the judges' panel, French judge Céline Gaspard frowned and was the first to raise an objection.

“Ailian, this is too extreme. Although there are still some flaws in the selection of models in China, the competition scoring needs to be considered comprehensively. The contestants’ performances each have their highlights, and giving them zero points is too unfair to the other girls. Besides, a formal competition does not allow you to change the scores at will. You can’t do this.”

Japanese judge Satoru Nino echoed, "I also feel that although each contestant's performance was different, it was far from reaching the point of zero points. In particular, some contestants' performances were excellent, and they shouldn't be rejected like this. It's too cruel."

Several domestic judges from the Textile Bureau and Pierre Carton were particularly agitated, though they refrained from directly accusing Ellen Ford of disregarding the competition rules and disrespecting Eastern culture out of politeness.

But it's also impossible to understand what she was trying to achieve with this rude behavior that was almost like flipping a table in public.

She was particularly worried that things would get out of control, that she wouldn't be able to explain this to the audience, and that it wouldn't end gracefully. However, the opinions of the other judges never swayed Ellen Ford.

Perhaps she believed that the winner would receive a ticket to the World Model Contest in the United States, and as a local figure in the US and one of the organizers of that World Model Contest, she had unique and privileged decision-making power.

She didn't care about other people's opinions at all, nor did she want to consider the difficulties of the organizers; she only cared about whether her own views could be implemented.

Therefore, she completely placed herself in the position of industry authority and stubbornly continued to slap the organizers in the face.

"What are you all hesitating for? I've discovered such outstanding supermodels for you. I don't understand why you're opposing me? Didn't you organize this competition to select truly qualified international contestants? Didn't you invite me here so I could help you choose truly competent models? I regret coming here. This isn't a model selection; it's a 'beauty pageant'! Look at them! Look closely, a bunch of girls who have absolutely no idea how to present clothing. A disaster! This is an absolute disaster!"

Ellen Ford's voice was full of arrogance.

She pointed at the contestants who were still waiting for their scores without any politeness, doing her best to mock them.

"Take that potential champion contestant you've got your eye on, for example. She's not tall enough, and she's not thin enough either. She's too healthy, too round, and has that silly grin on her face, like a girl next door who hasn't grown up yet. She doesn't have that cool, killer aura you get on the runway at all! And that number 21, the other girl you like, how does she look like a model? She's as flexible as a contortionist circus actress! Of all of them, only number 9, whom I'm eyeing, is the real contender to become a supermodel."

Her words were like a sharp knife, stabbing mercilessly into the hearts of all the judges and staff present.

However, she was completely unaware of this, or rather, she simply didn't care.

She simply indulged in the privilege of being a teacher, endlessly spouting her "Western standards."

"If you still don't understand, let me put it more clearly. On the international runway, we need faces like Christy Turlington or Linda Evangelista. They need to be thin, pale, and have a fragile, preferably melancholic or cold, quality. We need high-fashion models, not these girls in front of you. They're all as sweet as Dorothy from 'The Wizard of Oz,' so happy they seem ready to sing like birds! Let me put it this way: the level of your Chinese models is far from meeting the requirements of international competitions. It's time for you to change. If you really want to select someone qualified through this competition and have her place in an international event held in the United States, then listen to me."

To be fair, Ellen Ford's argument was not entirely without merit.

After all, in the 80s and 90s, the Huaxia Model Competition, which was in its early stages, did not have completely different selection criteria from beauty pageants.

Unlike the model selection process that emphasizes physique over beauty in the public's impression decades later, the contestants in the Splendid Oriental competitions all combined physique, beauty, and temperament, making it more like a beauty pageant.

This was because the entertainment industry in mainland China was in its infancy at that time, and the beauty pageant trend was just emerging and being explored. The public had no concept of the difference between models and beauty pageants.

In addition, influenced by the Miss Hong Kong pageant trend at the time, mainland model competitions reflected the Miss Hong Kong pageant format in many ways.

Taking the competition process as an example, it is divided into multiple stages. The finalists not only have to go through an interview but also a written test. The questions cover a wide range of knowledge, including politics, culture, and science. Appearance and physique are ranked after talent performance and account for less than one-fifth of the test.

The contestants' scores are a comprehensive ranking based on their written test and stage performance, which inevitably appears less professional compared to international model competitions.

This is also one of Zou Guodong's original intentions in inviting international judges this time—to gradually bring the competition format of domestic competitions closer to that of international competitions and gradually highlight their professionalism.

But Eileen Ford's problem lies precisely in the fact that she did not put forward her opinions with a rigorous professional attitude; instead, she regarded herself as a superior expert and used extremely sarcastic language to ridicule.

Whether it's criticizing most of the contestants or nitpicking the opinions of other judges, it's all done with a strong sense of superiority and contempt, attempting to destroy other people's self-esteem and brainwash them through PUA.

That's not all; the most crucial point is that she also violated the judges' scoring rules.

Once she decided on Chen Juanhong, she overturned all the scores she had previously scored, wanting to determine the champion based on her own judgment.

This way of interfering with the outcome of the game is too crude, too blatant, extremely irresponsible, and simply childish.

For Pierre Cardin China, this is undoubtedly a resounding slap in the face.

The judging panel would certainly not announce such a result. If they did, it's easy to imagine that not only would Pierre Cardin's reputation and credibility be ruined, but its brand image, built up over many years, would also collapse.

Those who witnessed today's competition will surely boo loudly, questioning the professionalism of the judging panel and the fairness of the competition.

But if Pierre Carton China doesn't accept Ellen Ford's opinion, things will still not go well.

The other party will definitely use her industry status to spread discontent and pin the blame for unprofessionalism on Pierre Cardin China, making the matter even more unmanageable.

There is even a possibility that they will retaliate against or make things difficult for Chinese models who go to the United States to compete in competitions in the future.

Thus, the final rankings reached a stalemate. The judges argued back and forth, their voices trembling with tension, and they were unable to reach a consensus or announce the results for a long time.

Gradually, not only were the contestants getting impatient, but the media reporters were also confused, and the audience members who remained at the scene were also getting restless. No one knew what was going on, and they began to look in the direction of the judges.

Meanwhile, Zou Guodong, standing backstage, had a face that was already ashen.

He stared intently at the chaotic scene on the monitor screen, his hands clenched into fists until his knuckles turned white.

He had put a lot of effort into preparing this competition, hoping to enhance the brand influence of Pierre Cardin and build a bridge for the domestic modeling industry to go international. However, he never expected that it would be ruined by Ellen Ford's selfish desires.

He never dreamed that this American judge named Ellen Ford would be such a despicable person.

She almost completely rejected the aesthetic standards of Chinese models, and disregarded the rules of the competition and the face of the organizers, wanting to publicly humiliate the organizers and even mock public opinion.

What kind of judges have we invited?

It's like we've brought back a fashion icon.

Zou Guodong's meticulously crafted "Splendid Orient" theme and the lavishly funded event format have now become a laughingstock, trampled upon at will. (End of Chapter)