Chapter 347: The Entire Audience Stands

At the Dior fashion week show, the event came to a close, with models forming a long line as they paraded out. The entire venue erupted into thunderous applause, a wave of energy sweeping through the room.

Before the show started, Steven felt it would be an ordeal he might not endure. However, when it ended, Steven hadn't even noticed the passage of time, as if he had just watched a captivating movie—reluctant for it to end even as it did.

This was something Steven had never anticipated, and now he could cross an item off his life list.

Then, the applause grew louder and louder, a powerful surge of energy filling the room.

Anson appeared first. Eddie followed close behind. As the final model, Anson was the last to step onto the runway, joining the other models who had lined up on either side to welcome Eddie's arrival.

The moment Eddie Slimane appeared, the applause reached a new peak.

Many had talked about revolutionizing men's fashion year after year, and many had tried. But while it was easy to talk about, reality often met with obstacles—until now. Quiet and unassuming, Eddie had managed to achieve it.

It's important to note that Eddie wasn't formally trained in fashion, and he hadn't been in the industry for long. Among the myriad of brands, it was Dior that discovered this gem and achieved such a feat, a success that was both unexpected and extraordinary.

Clap. Clap. Clap! Gradually, the entire audience rose to their feet, delivering the most grandiose and enthusiastic applause to Eddie, the sound roaring through the room.

The energy was overwhelming.

"It's over!"

Outside the tent, an exclamation rang out. Those who had been waiting in the chilly October wind in Paris suddenly sprang to their feet, no longer caring about idle chatter. Their intense gazes were all focused on the scene before them.

Paris Fashion Week was held at the famous Louvre, though not inside the museum itself, but in the garden opposite, where there's a small Arc de Triomphe and a rose garden. Various brands had set up tents here, and inside the tents were the fashion shows. As soon as a show ended, the stage would be dismantled to prepare for the next brand. Within a week, hundreds of brands might take the stage.

At this moment, Dior's show was ongoing, and although music was playing in other tents as well, passersby couldn't help but direct their attention toward Dior's tent.

Crowds had gathered around, becoming restless and excited, with some straining their ears to catch any sound from inside, hoping to glean some information.

Finally, the show ended, but before the crowd could start discussing, waves of applause began spilling out from the tent, spreading like ripples and then ascending, reaching new heights.

The fervor was palpable.

Involuntarily, people exchanged glances—

Could it be that they had succeeded?

Inside the tent, no one was paying attention to the outside world. They didn't care about external opinions or the future impact. At this moment, they simply wanted to immerse themselves in the present, letting their souls feel the profound shock.

Steven stood up as well.

This wasn't just polite applause—

Even Steven himself thought it was, a habitual polite response. But when he saw Anson's sixth and final appearance, he couldn't help but be amazed once again, as Anson revealed yet another different facet of himself.

"That's the shirt," Tom explained enthusiastically to Steven.

Steven asked, "What shirt?"

Tom sighed, "The shirt Anson wore that sparked countless discussions recently."

Steven asked, "Why would a shirt cause so much buzz?"

Tom was exasperated, "It's like when people talk about David Beckham changing his hairstyle."

Steven still didn't understand, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that he saw another side of Anson.

The shirt was the one Anson had worn to the premiere of *The Princess Diaries*, which was a rare occurrence.

Typically, fashion week is all about new designs. If a design has already been revealed, even though the brand might still release it, it usually won't appear at fashion week.

However, Dior didn't follow this convention.

Not only did they not follow it, but Eddie made sure this shirt was part of the fashion week show, placing it at the very end. In addition to the white version, there was also a black one, and Anson wore this final piece of Dior's fashion week lineup.

The white shirt featured a firework exploding over the heart, paired with a black suit, black trousers, and black leather shoes. The real difference, however, was in the black tie, a loose, narrow tie that ran through the entire show, embodying the rebellious spirit of rock and roll, breaking the rigid constraints of traditional men's suits.

Ordinarily, people had already seen this design at *The Princess Diaries* premiere, so it should have lacked surprise and impact. Yet, seeing Anson on the runway again, they couldn't help but be amazed.

With just the addition of a suit jacket and tie, the design seamlessly blended a man's rebellious and arrogant spirit with the innocent and pure quality of youth, infusing the suit with a completely different charm. It was only now that they realized the suit was perfectly tailored, its fabric wrapping around the body to accentuate sharp lines with a hint of sensuality.

It was different, undeniably so.

The understated boldness and sharp edges made it entirely suitable for everyday wear, prompting many men in the audience to imagine what it would look like on themselves.

Steven was no exception—

To be precise, he wasn't imagining what he'd look like in the outfit, as he had no genuine interest in fashion. But he did start to envision what it would look like on young Frank Abagnale.

Or, even further, what if this *was* young Frank Abagnale?

Ideas kept sparking in Steven's mind as he began to visualize the camera circling around Anson, picturing the composition, movement, and angles.

The scenes started to come together.

Steven felt a surge of excitement—

It had been so long since he'd felt this way that he had almost forgotten what it was like to build a shot around an actor, to develop a story centered on a character, allowing the narrative to bloom because of that character.

He had attempted this with *Indiana Jones*, but that was the last time. In the twenty years since, he hadn't tried it again. Perhaps now was the opportunity. After all, the magic of a biopic lies in its protagonist, doesn't it?

Sure, Leonardo DiCaprio was great, perfectly fitting all their requirements. But at the same time, casting Leonardo as the lead meant the film's style and tone were predictable, with no surprises or deviations. Steven would be operating entirely within his comfort zone.

When he made *The Color Purple*, all of Hollywood thought Steven had lost his mind—his first attempt at an art film, and he chose a challenging story about African Americans, where even a small misstep could have drowned him in criticism.

But Steven did it anyway.

And he succeeded. *The Color Purple* was met with widespread acclaim and marked the moment when Steven truly shattered the stereotype of being just a commercial director.

So, when did he stop taking risks and challenging himself?

Maybe now was the chance. After all, this was an unconventional story, so why shouldn't he step out of his comfort zone and try something new?