Chapter 188: Antoine: Advantage is Mine

[Chapter 188: Antoine: Advantage is Mine]

"Karlie, do you have any free time this week..." Ryan pulled back the curtain.

In the back room, there were makeshift dressing areas where models changed outfits. Just as Ryan was getting to the point, he saw... it was similar to Taylor, though saying he couldn't tell front from back was a stretch. But don't expect them to be particularly handy.

From the side, the figure was acceptable. A light amber hue, small circles -- nothing too pronounced. Some quick thoughts popped into his head. "Barely passable," Ryan concluded.

He swiftly pulled the curtain back in place, casually walking over to the next area. It was only at that moment that screams from inside echoed out.

...

Anne in the next booth wasn't putting on any airs at all; she showed the peanuts to Ryan openly. "Can you help me take a few photos this week?"

"You need to take some real action then, baby," Anne said as she draped her arms around Ryan's neck.

"I'm pretty tired," Ryan shook his head, feeling like he and Anne had been interacting a bit too often.

"I can manage it myself," she twirled her waist like a snake.

The reason she was putting in such effort to please Ryan was because she saw the benefits in him. To her, Ryan undoubtedly had a high return on investment.

"I'll get in touch later," Ryan gently lifted her chin.

...

Then he moved to Anne's neighbor, where Rosie had changed into her casual clothes.

"I'm afraid I don't have time, Ryan," Rosie said with a smile, which ultimately meant she didn't want to be taken advantage of.

"Forget it then," Ryan shook his head and turned to leave.

"Wait, I can cancel those jobs," Rosie suddenly backtracked, not wanting to upset Ryan.

"It's alright, I never force anyone."

"I volunteered!" Rosie quickly added.

"Well then," Ryan looked her up and down.

Rosie tried her best to keep smiling, gazing at Ryan's handsome face, her heart racing. If only he didn't have a girlfriend, Rosie sighed in her mind.

...

After Ryan left Rosie's booth, he saw Karlie standing at the door, looking like she was about to complain.

"You caught me."

"Sorry," Ryan said, his expression apologetic as he smiled, patiently explaining his reasons while expressing hope that Karlie could volunteer to model for him.

"Wait, what?" Karlie hadn't expected Ryan to be so soft this time.

Ryan's words hit her like a punch to soft cotton.

"Fine," she nodded.

She essentially ignored the fact that he had been openly checking her out at the shows -- not sneaking, just openly watching.

Soon, Anne walked out of her booth, smiling as she waved goodbye to Ryan. "Don't forget to call me," she said as she straightened Ryan's collar, showing no sense of distance.

Then she left with a cheerful smile.

"You didn't see anything," Ryan immediately told Karlie.

Karlie nodded, "Mhm."

...

Returning to the show floor, Ryan saw a few others giving interviews. "As far as I know, the LV men's collection will still adhere to its original design elements. The street style doesn't align with LV's positioning; remember, we position our menswear as luxurious, high-end, and modern. The signature patterns and checkerboard designs will continue to be the main theme of men's wear," Antoine Arnault was explaining to some fashion media.

What he meant was that street fashion was too cheap; LV wouldn't touch it. Little did he know, a few years later, LV would be one shouting "it's great."

...

Lydia was nearby, also giving an interview. "Ryan's designs have shocked me once again; I feel he's not just an outstanding singer, but also a brilliant designer," Lydia Hearst praised Ryan highly.

Ryan patiently stood by her side, waiting for her interview to finish.

...

"Don't forget me for the next press conference," Lydia smiled at Ryan.

"Whether there will be a next one is still uncertain," Ryan feigned a sigh.

"Why? I thought sTray's menswear was selling quite well?" Lydia looked puzzled.

Ryan cited issues with his funding. He had too many places needing funds, and clothing was a capital-intensive business.

The core phrase: "crying poor."

"Fine, I'll model for you for free, as a return for letting me cameo," Lydia smiled.

Ryan was taken aback, finally seeing the Olsen sisters not too far away, guessing they had probably told Lydia about being forced to model.

Before he could respond, Antoine Arnault, who had been speaking next to them, suddenly turned his head, questioning his own ears.

"Free? That's not what we agreed on!"

...

Previously, Antoine had approached Lydia on behalf of LV three times, all of which she had turned down. Antoine had ulterior motives; the fashion media and brands were inherently intertwined. Without brands, where would fashion media earn? Without media, how would brands promote?

He was responsible for brand communication, and a union with the Hearst family in media would mean great benefits for LVMH.

Logically, his father would hand the reins of LV to Antoine and not to his older sister Delphine, who was two years his senior. Remember, the most crucial asset within LVMH was LV, the financial cornerstone of the group. Whoever could secure the top position at LV was deemed the chosen heir.

Currently, both Delphine and Antoine were members of LVMH's board, with one as the head of communications at LV and the other as the deputy director at Dior.

Antoine had initially hoped to carve out a breakthrough from the Hearst family. Little did he know, out of nowhere, a musician with a fiancee had appeared!

Did Lydia like blondes?

Antoine took a deep breath, calming himself.

After all, he still had a fiancee. If they were to get too close, it would only take a gentle breeze for public opinion to overwhelm him.

Besides, he was just a musician. What could he do other than look good? He and Lydia were never in the same league.

Advantage is mine.

For a moment, Antoine felt much calmer. He no longer accepted interviews but directly approached the conversation between Ryan and Lydia.

...

"By the way, the 2008 LVMH's financial report has been released, with total revenues of 17.8 billion euros and operating profits of 3.57 billion euros. Despite the impact of the financial crisis, LV performed strongly in emerging markets like Asia," Antoine mentioned LVMH's massive revenues and profits.

As a luxury industry titan, LVMH had once propelled Bernard Arnault to the throne of the world's richest, and he himself had stayed in the top three of the billionaire rankings for a long time.

"Ryan, how much do you think you earn in a year?" Antoine smiled as he looked at Ryan.

That was the reality. Ryan's little antics couldn't compare to LVMH, let alone any average listed company; he would only sit at the kids' table.

This was the difference between an elephant and a tadpole.

"By the way, if I'm not mistaken, you have four siblings, right?" Ryan responded with a smile.

Antoine's expression wavered for just a moment before quickly returning to normal, maintaining his composure: "Even if divided equally, I'm someone you'll never match up to."

"Hey, Antoine, you're already 31; what were you doing when you were Ryan's age? Plus, Ryan just came from an ordinary family. Isn't that more interesting?" Lydia defended Ryan, somewhat protectively. "Tell me, if you swapped places with Ryan, could you achieve what he has?"

Her statement caught Antoine off guard, and he chuckled awkwardly: "I was just trying to remind him not to get too carried away."

*****

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