novelraw Chapter 417 The Aesthetics and Pain Points of Fashion Shows
Chapter 417 The Aesthetics and Pain Points of Fashion Shows
The only sound in the meeting room was the rustling of papers turning.
Immediately, low gasps of amazement rose from all directions, gradually coalescing into an uncontrollable wave of discussion.
Jean-Pierre, the set designer from Paris, was the first to put down the renderings he was holding.
He took off his glasses, rubbed his temples as if needing to alleviate the shock to his vision and mind, before exclaiming in a mix of French and English:
"Incroyable… The concepts of 'mirror water features' and 'floating light staircases'…they don't try to conquer the palace, but rather invite it into the picture. Using reflections to extend time and space—the idea is both humble and incredibly bold!"
His praise resonated widely.
Several senior designers from the Oriental series nodded repeatedly, pointing to the gentle "S" curve of the runway on the drawing:
"This completely breaks away from the straightforward thinking of the West. 'Flowing energy,' yes, that's the feeling! The very trajectory of the model's walk becomes a stroke of calligraphy."
"It's not just about the visual aspect."
A Chinese colleague in charge of atmosphere planning added, pointing to the sections on "olfactory creation" and "soundscape system".
"From the subtle fragrance of plum blossoms as you step into the passageway, to the faint sounds of chime bells and guqin in the wind... this is about engaging all your senses and guiding your emotions into immersion. What we are showcasing is not isolated clothing, but a complete, Eastern 'aura'."
Once the initial shock subsided, those practitioners who had spent their lives dealing with cement, steel, and electrical wires began to furrow their brows.
Old Zhou, the factory foreman in charge of the stage structure, tapped heavily on the cross-sectional diagram of the "Suspended Jade Steps T-Stage" with his calloused fingers, his voice booming with a hint of anxiety:
"President Lin, President Tang, this idea is truly brilliant! But this 80-meter-long, 6-meter-wide semi-transparent platform, illuminated only by wall washer lights, and with over a hundred people walking on it, load-bearing capacity and stability are paramount! Beijing is windy in autumn, and on such a large flat surface in a square, the wind resistance coefficient must be recalculated, and the counterweight must be increased! At least 30%! Also, the anti-slip treatment on the glass surface must undergo extreme testing; the mannequins' heels are incredibly varied, and we can't afford any mishaps!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Old Wu, the engineer in charge of electricity, immediately chimed in, pointing to the complex lighting wiring diagram:
"Old Zhou is right! This plan is beautiful, but it's a veritable 'electricity guzzler'! Look at these lighting positions—architectural lighting, runway base lighting, underwater lights, follow spots, and backup emergency lights… Running at full capacity, it's questionable whether our generator truck will be enough, and laying these cables is a huge undertaking! The Forbidden City grounds can't be excavated, so all the cables have to be overhead or covered with protective panels. The workload, the pressure of safety inspections… and…"
He looked at Jean-Pierre and the lighting designer.
"Your requirements for lighting changes are so precise that with our old-fashioned dimming consoles and manual color-changing sheets, we would probably need to rehearse twice as many times. Every lighting technician must have the music and the model's steps memorized perfectly; if one step goes wrong, the whole rhythm will be disrupted."
Logistics manager Sister Zhang's focus was on people; she was deeply worried:
"November 7th, the Beginning of Winter! The temperature in the square at night can drop below zero! Models wearing summer and autumn clothes, coming out of the warm backstage, would be frozen solid walking down that dozens of meters of runway! Backstage heating must be guaranteed; ginger soup, thick cloaks, nothing can be missing. And this pool too,"
She pointed to the mirror-like water feature.
"Even if you only walk a few steps, in this freezing weather, if your feet get wet with icy water, even the most skilled person will start to tremble. Anti-slip and anti-freezing measures must be in place, otherwise, let alone walking, it will be a problem."
The most heated discussion centered on the grand finale, the "golden fireworks." Jason, the special effects consultant from New York, had his eyes light up:
"The imagery of 'falling gold dust' is fantastic; it's definitely a global headline moment! But...!"
He changed the subject, his expression turning serious.
"In the Forbidden City, any effect involving open flames, explosions, or even large amounts of debris would face an approval process that is stricter than you can imagine. Do we have a sufficient contingency plan B? For example, using specially treated, absolutely fireproof, and easily biodegradable gold sequins? Or, abandoning physical effects and instead using several high-powered lasers to weave a golden net of light in the night sky? Of course, lasers are also expensive and difficult-to-control behemoths..."
As Li Wenbin listened to these specific and thorny issues, his excitement subsided slightly, but his eyes remained burning:
"The more problems we have, the more serious we are! Lao Zhou, you're in full charge of structural safety. What materials we need, how much counterweight we need—it's all up to you! Engineer Wu, you take the lead on the electricity issues. If we need more generators or thicker cables, coordinate that immediately! Sister Zhang, keeping the models warm is your top priority. Don't worry about spending money! As for the fireworks…"
He looked at Lin Yan and Tang Liuqian.
"Shouldn't we quickly hold a joint meeting with the expert team from the Palace Museum? To sound them out and also to demonstrate our comprehensive prevention and control plan?"
Zheng Jiaming quickly jotted down all the key points, then looked up to summarize:
"Everyone has raised crucial practical issues. This shows that our plan has moved from paper to reality and has reached the most critical stage of tackling key challenges. I suggest that we immediately establish special task forces: a structural safety group, a power supply group, a model logistics and medical group, and a special effects and approval group. Each group should, based on the overall plan, produce an execution sub-plan with a detailed budget, timeline, and contingency plans within 48 hours. In particular, the joint simulation with the Palace Museum must be carried out as soon as possible."
Tang Liuqian listened attentively the whole time, and now looked at Lin Yan.
Lin Yan remained silent, quietly absorbing everyone's opinions. His calm demeanor gradually quieted the conference room down.
He slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over each face—whether excited, solemn, or full of a challenging desire.
"very good."
"That's exactly what I want. The most beautiful ideas must be tempered by the harshest realities to become legends. All the questions raised earlier are not meant to negate the plan, but rather to find a way to truly put it into root in this land that has stood for six hundred years."
He paused:
"The safety of cultural relics and the safety of personnel are two inviolable bottom lines. All designs must give way to them. Lao Zhou, you're in charge of the structural calculations; you can hire the best architectural design institute in Beijing for third-party review. Engineer Wu, prepare the power supply plan to the highest redundancy standard; money is not an issue. Sister Zhang, I'll handle the extreme weather problem!"
"As for the presentation of the most core artistic conception..."
Lin Yan looked at the stage design director and the lighting technician.
"We may not have the most cutting-edge computer programs, but we have the best craftsmanship, eyes, and the tacit understanding built up through countless rehearsals. The 'flowing energy' I want is not only in the curves of the runway, but also in the manual gradual changes of lighting in sync with the music, and in the precise control of the spotlight operator as they follow the models. That 'breathing' feeling, imbued with 'humanity,' is something that no machine program can replace."
Finally, he looked at the special effects consultant and Tang Liuqian:
"A grand finale is a must. Immediately prepare at least two detailed plans: one pursuing the ultimate visual effect, including a modified version of the gold scattering scheme, and another relying entirely on lighting and music to create a sense of sacredness. With these plans and our absolute commitment to the preservation of cultural relics, we will communicate with the experts at the Palace Museum. Our attitude is: respect, cooperation, and absolute certainty."
Lin Yan gently closed the schematic diagram in his hand, as if to set the tone for the discussion: "Now, the direction is clear, and the difficulties have been resolved. The next two weeks will be a testament to everyone's professionalism and perseverance. Meeting adjourned, let's get to work."
The conference room was already ablaze.
Everyone quickly stood up, and discussions in English, French, and Chinese instantly filled every corner. A battle against time, technology, and harsh conditions had officially begun.