The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 1808 A Rare True Friend
Finally, in his most familiar field of design, Eddie found his rhythm. "So, you're asking me to design a one-of-a-kind white shirt."

Anson snapped his fingers. "Correct."

"The sunflower shirt is a limited edition, with perhaps only a thousand pieces made worldwide, or maybe a thousand one hundred and eleven. Dior will be launching a series of shirts, perhaps one design, or perhaps ten designs, all with the same style in terms of cut and cut, but with different logos on the left chest."

"Then, this shirt will be available in unlimited quantities and will be sold to the general public."

"With the sunflower shirt, we lost the first-mover advantage because the counterfeiters had already taken the lead, so we went for a limited edition. But now the counterfeiters have absolutely no idea that there will be a series of shirts later on. Nobody knows that you are preparing to design one, and even you yourself have only just found out about it."

"Therefore, creativity is the key to success here."

"Once the series of shirts is launched, the value of those counterfeit sunflower shirts will also drop, and they may even accumulate inventory. They will need to be more careful when they continue to copy them next time."

Eddie felt as if he had opened the door to a whole new world, and forgot to even marvel at it, quietly watching Anson.

Anson raised his hands in surrender. "It's just a suggestion, nothing more. I believe that running a brand and launching a marketing campaign is far more complex than that. You should discuss it internally."

Eddie pursed his lips slightly. "Suddenly becoming humble?"

Anson: "It's never too late to be humble."

A smile flickered in Eddie's eyes. "That's fine. But we need you to wear this shirt."

Anson looked at Eddie but did not respond, instead patiently waiting for what would happen next.

Eddie let out a soft sigh. "Anson, I need you to attend Paris Fashion Week. If you're busy, at least come to the front row to watch the shows; an afternoon will suffice. If you have time, I hope you can walk the runway."

After speaking calmly, Eddie pondered for a moment.

"Wow, it's crazy enough to imagine it in my mind, but I didn't expect it to be even crazier to say it out loud."

That self-talk made Anson burst into uncontrollable laughter. "Haha. Why?"

Eddie, "Because you are Anson Wood, a figure who can shake the entire fashion world with a single move, not just in fashion, but also in film and music."

Anson took a deep breath. "Even though I'm Anson Wood, I'm still your friend, aren't I?"

Eddie was taken aback.

Anson, "Or am I the only one who thinks this way?"

Eddie laughed. "No, we're friends, so that's why we're sitting here chatting right now, right?"

Anson shrugged slightly. "Okay."

Eddie, “...What?”

Anson: "Fashion Week, no problem, I'll be there. But whether I'll be an audience member or a model, you'll need to discuss the schedule with the captain. I know nothing about the arrangements."

Eddie knew that Paris Fashion Week was in February, which was the busiest and most stressful time for academic public relations during awards season, and Anson should have a full schedule, but Anson still nodded and agreed so easily.

While it's true that business is business, it would be a lie to say I wasn't moved.

Eddie, "Anson, are you sure?"

Anson: "We're friends, right?"

Eddie looked at Anson.

Anson: "Do you know how many friendships in the world of fame and fortune can truly be called friendships? So we should all cherish this friendship before we turn against each other."

The atmosphere, initially slightly serious, was thick with emotion, and the last sentence instantly turned the tide, even bringing a rare smile to Eddie's face. "Aren't you going to ask me why?"

Anson: "Do I need to know the reason?"

Generous and upright.

As expected, Anson is still Anson. Even after climbing to the top of the pyramid in the world of fame and fortune, he has not changed. This made Eddie's tense nerves relax a little.

Eddie, who is usually shy, reserved, and proud, always seems to relax and show his vulnerable side when he stands in front of Anson.

Eddie, "If I were to say, do you have time to listen?"

Eddie thought he would hesitate, but without the slightest hesitation or even a thought, the words came out naturally.

Eddie was a little uneasy. He had kept these pressures and worries hidden in his heart for almost a year and had never confided in anyone. He himself did not expect that he would reveal his weakness today. He just came to London... wait, why did he come to London specifically?

Without a second's hesitation, Anson asked, "Would you like a drink? You can choose freely: tea, milk, orange juice? Or beer, wine, whiskey?"

Light yet sincere, humorous yet polite.

Eddie relaxed. "Whiskey."

Anson gently raised his chin, a knowing look on his face. "So heavy? Okay, I'm mentally prepared."

With just a few words, Eddie not only felt no tension or pressure, but also relaxed, "Double whiskey, no ice, please."

Anson let out a soft sigh. "Oh, looks like someone's really tense."

Eddie's lips curled into a wide smile.

In fact, Eddie Slimane is facing serious challenges in his career.

On the one hand, there is the aesthetic skepticism from the general public.

Despite the craze that Dior menswear has created in the fashion world, most ordinary people can never afford to wear Dior in their lifetime. Putting aside the price, the slim and slender design of Dior is something that more than 70% of ordinary people cannot wear, not to mention the conservative and obesity-prone North American region.

Naturally, some conservatives protested, arguing that Dior menswear's promotion of extreme thinness was a morbid aesthetic.

If they can't wear it, then destroy this pop culture, "reject body shame."

On the other hand, there are challenges from within the fashion industry itself.

Magazines, led by "Vogue," continue to acknowledge Eddie's designs and pioneering spirit, but at the same time, they are beginning to worry whether everyone should be like Eddie Slimane.

During this period, practical menswear for British and American white-collar workers quietly emerged, becoming more suitable for the general public and everyday wear. The fashion industry was also quietly changing its direction, while Eddie, who continued to go his own way, faced severe challenges, and his design philosophy began to face criticism.

After Dior spearheaded the rise of menswear fashion, editors, designers, and fashionistas began to calm down and start thinking for the first time about how menswear fashion should be defined and where it should go. Obviously, menswear and womenswear are different, but how exactly should they be different?

At the four major fashion weeks that just ended in October, this was undoubtedly a hot topic, and Eddie Slimane and his Dior became the absolute focus as pioneers. Whether you like it or hate it, whether you support it or oppose it, everything revolves around Dior, which puts Eddie in the midst of a barrage of criticism.

Of course, if that's all there is to it, then there's no need to worry, because that's fashion, that's trend—

Everything is changing, everything is moving forward, and at some point it starts to go back to the old ways, in a never-ending cycle.

Conflicts surrounding design and concepts are always part of artistic creation and fashion design; the pressure is there, and everyone needs to face it.

The real problem comes from the pressure from the large corporation and the parent company.

(End of this chapter)