Chapter 138: The Fashion Buzz

[Chapter 138: The Fashion Buzz]

"Ryan, Anna Wintour has taken a liking to your design style. Can you share your design philosophy with us?"

"Your personal clothing line has officially launched. Are you planning to participate in the four major fashion weeks?"

"Will your clothing line expand into other categories?"

"Did the Olsen sisters have a hand in your clothing designs?"

After the fashion event concluded, Ryan found himself surrounded by fashion reporters, making his exit nearly impossible. Meanwhile, other attendees, like Halle Berry, Claire Danes, and Naomi Watts, stood off to the side, seemingly forgotten.

"Make way!" Fizz pushed through with some staff from Calvin Klein, clearing a path for Ryan.

As for Karlie, who had arrived with Ryan, she had long been lost in the crowd.

With heavy escort, Ryan finally made it to the car. Fizz waved to Karlie, signaling her over, and as soon as Karlie climbed in, Fizz promptly shut the door.

...

"That was insane!" Karlie said, looking a bit shaken.

"This kind of scene is going to become more common," Fizz said, her excitement bubbling over. She felt a surge of adrenaline, grateful for her decision to help Ryan connect with magazines.

Ryan had never imagined he'd become the center of attention in the fashion world. Just moments before, several starlets had stopped by, flaunting their 'high-street' style designs, claiming to be unique and talented. Did they truly understand design? That was debatable. What mattered was Ryan caught Anna Wintour's eye, and when she endorsed someone, the stars aligned.

As for why Anna was drawn to Ryan, it was clear she had an instinct for fashion trends. The "high-street" vibe Ryan had donned would soon be all the rage. There was a scene in The Devil Wears Prada that stated, "You think these details don't matter? The colors and fabrics you see in magazines today will influence what people wear in a few years."

It could be said that, by sheer coincidence, Ryan had become the "emperor" of fashion -- the clothes might not matter as much as his newfound status.

He was now not just an ICON, but a "weather vane," the one that ICONs chased after!

Karlie, seated opposite Fizz, noticed her giving her pointed glances, urging her to show a bit more enthusiasm for Ryan.

But it was Karlie's first time in a scenario like this. Being young and not very worldly, she didn't know how to strike up a conversation and felt quite lost in the moment.

The car finally reached the hotel where Ryan was staying.

"Driver, drop Karlie off at home," Fizz instructed before exiting the car, casting Karlie a "you're a bit useless" look.

...

Inside the lobby, CK's marketing VP, Rod Manley, was already waiting for Ryan with his team.

"Ryan, I hope you don't mind me coming by so late. If you're tired, I can swing by first thing tomorrow," Rod said eagerly as soon as he spotted Ryan.

"Since you're here..." Ryan shrugged, indicating he was fine with it.

So, Rod and Fizz joined Ryan as they made their way upstairs into his hotel room.

Rod expressed his desire to collaborate further, proposing Ryan become the face of the brand and even take on the role of CK's creative director.

The title of "Creative Director" wasn't the same as "Design Director." It was more of a figurehead position -- essentially to have Ryan as the face of CK.

Ryan didn't agree to either proposal at that moment. After the press conference, his position in fashion had drastically changed, and he was ready to make his next moves.

Rod was about to press further when he noticed Ryan's intent expression. Reluctantly, he sighed and ultimately excused himself at Fizz's request.

"Ryan, you look tired. Should I call a couple of models to give you a massage?" Fizz smiled at him.

Ryan thought for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "How's Irina doing under your guidance?"

"She's great, really. She's well-behaved; beyond simple runway work, she hasn't done much else," Fizz replied. "Moving forward, she'll be a key player for NEXT. As for Karlie Kloss, she really has no idea what she's doing. It'll be tough for her."

Fizz's words hinted at replacing Karlie with Irina, positioning her as NEXT's new standout model -- all in hopes of winning Ryan's favor.

Fizz then took out her phone, dialing Irina directly. "Ryan is... I'm right here with him. He wants you to come over quickly -- half an hour."

"One Irina isn't enough; you should stay too," Ryan said, looking at Fizz.

"I..." Fizz's smile stiffened.

After several seconds of hesitation, her face brightened again. "If you recognize my worth, it's my luck." With that, she called her teenage daughter, telling her to get some rest since she wouldn't be coming home that night.

"You have a daughter?" Ryan squinted.

"Uh..." Fizz stammered.

"Why don't you bring her along tonight?" Ryan grinned.

"Ryan, this..." Fizz's expression soured a bit. "Okay, okay, just kidding." Ryan waved his hand, merely testing the waters.

He hadn't even asked Fizz to introduce him to some models; he wasn't leaning toward her that way.

"Ryan, from now on, whatever I can offer, consider it done. But my daughter..." Fizz looked flustered.

These days, it was common for someone to have such desires, and as human nature craved novelty, after some time, one might seek new thrills.

"I haven't even seen your daughter, so how would I be interested?" Ryan shook his head, then shifted the topic to something more productive, "What's the best route to maximize profits right now?"

He had deliberately set up that test to lead to this discussion.

"Endorsements are the easiest, but they come with non-compete clauses and income caps. If you want to maximize profit, I suggest starting your own brand and expanding categories; you shouldn't give up on women's wear," Fizz suggested, her mind still a bit uneasy.

That aligned perfectly with Ryan's thoughts.

"But starting a clothing brand from the ground up can be cumbersome, and with your other ventures, I suggest you try collaborating with someone. Let me think..." Fizz began rifling through her mind.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Go answer it; the collaborators have arrived," Ryan said.

'Collaborators? What did that mean?' Fizz frowned slightly as she opened the door, revealing the Olsen sisters standing outside.

Seeing them, Fizz immediately recognized the situation, smiling as she ushered them in.

"Sorry if we're interrupting," Ashley said apologetically as the sisters entered.

"What brings you here so late?" Ryan gestured for them to take a seat.

Fizz promptly poured coffee for the sisters.

"Actually, not much -- just wanted to discuss the next steps for collaboration," Mary-Kate said.

The sisters naturally did not want Ryan to partner with other brands.

"In that case, I'll get straight to the point -- sTray is set to expand into all categories, including women's wear."

"Sounds good," Ashley nodded immediately.

"However, we'd need to renegotiate the profit sharing," Ryan added.

"That's no issue; as a talented designer, what you deserve is what you get," Mary-Kate echoed Ashley's agreement.

"I think you both might have misunderstood. You're still responsible for production and sales, but sTray will no longer be just a standalone line; it will become a new brand. It's not me working for you; it's you working for my brand," Ryan stated his condition -- the stakes had undeniably changed.

"That might be..." Ashley chuckled lightly.

"I'm only giving you ten minutes to think it over. Many brands are currently reaching out to me," Ryan shook his head, feeling justified in his stance.

"Just a moment ago, Rod Manley walked out of Ryan's room," Fizz jumped in to add pressure on the sisters.

Though they didn't entirely believe Fizz, they understood that declining Ryan's terms would jeopardize any future collaborations.

The sisters exchanged glances and quietly whispered back and forth.

...

About ten minutes later, another knock sounded at the door.

"We can agree to your terms!" Ashley blurted out, fearing it might be representatives from another brand waiting outside, subconsciously conceding under the unexpected pressure.

"Wonderful!" Ryan nodded.

Fizz opened the door, and the sisters then noticed standing there a young model.

Irina stood at the entrance, surprised to see four familiar faces, including Ryan.

"Uh... Are we playing five-way Texas Hold'em tonight? Who's showering first?" Irina chuckled, completely unaware of the fashion event discussions and inadvertently misinterpreting the situation.

*****

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