"Was it Frank? What was his last name again?" Hugo was reminded by Joseph's prompt and his memory was stirred. The man before him was none other than Frank Garner, the manager of Armani's Rodeo Drive branch.
Ever since being snubbed at the Armani store earlier this year, Hugo and Joseph had had no further dealings with Armani. On one hand, their schedule was busy and they had no chance to interact; on the other, Hugo quickly put the matter behind him, and naturally, there had been no occasion to meet again. Armani had essentially disappeared from Hugo's sight—yet here they were, meeting again at such an unexpected moment.
Joseph frowned, thought for a while, and finally shook his head, giving up. He also couldn't recall Frank's surname. Joseph tried to remember the clothing sponsorship list Paramount had handed him but couldn't recall if he had ever studied it carefully.
In truth, clothing sponsorships were usually handled by a public relations agent. But since Hugo temporarily had no PR agent, Joseph had to take on these tasks as well. This wasn't Joseph's area of expertise, so naturally, his abilities were somewhat weaker. For example, this time Paramount had taken the initiative to propose sponsorship, found potential sponsors for Hugo, and then handed Joseph a list of brands, leaving Hugo to make the final choice.
Joseph turned his head and said softly to Hugo, "Shall we just tell them to leave?"
Hugo couldn't help but smile lightly. Life was indeed strange—before, they had gone to Armani themselves, hoping to buy a suit, only to be looked down upon. Now, Armani wanted to become Hugo's sponsor, hoping to gain more attention through him. Of course, as a major luxury brand, Armani didn't need to beg Hugo; this was merely an ordinary sponsorship. After all, Hugo had not yet reached top-tier status, not even considered first-line. He was not important enough for Armani to lower itself for. Still, the shift in positions was undeniably amusing, especially in the backdrop of Hollywood's vanity fair, making it even more thought-provoking.
"No need," Hugo shook his head, denying Joseph's suggestion. "They didn't actually do anything to us, did they?" Strictly speaking, Armani's rejection last time was subtle. Hugo had simply been forced to swallow his pride—his popularity and credibility were simply not on par with Richard Gere. Thus, Hugo saw no need to engage in direct confrontation now. "Besides, even if we refuse them directly, they lose nothing. I'm hardly some rare, in-demand actor."
Hugo's self-deprecating remark made Joseph chuckle. His first instinct upon seeing Armani's Frank had been to reclaim the upper hand and make Armani taste rejection. But after Hugo's words, Joseph realized he had been a bit hasty. Still, Armani's fate today was already sealed; the only difference was in how it would play out. "Do you want to refuse, or should I?"
"I told you before, I'll let you have the chance." Hugo said cheerfully. "Just make sure you seize the moment."
While Hugo and Joseph chatted casually, Frank was actually feeling very uneasy.
Normally, for brand sponsorship meetings like this, it wasn't his responsibility to attend personally. As branch manager, his duties mainly lay within the store. But last month, headquarters had expressed an interest in having him take on high-end brand-client services—in simple terms, exclusive services tailored for top Hollywood actors. This business sector was brimming with opportunities. As manager of the Rodeo Drive branch, Frank's network and capabilities had been recognized, making him one of the candidates under evaluation. At present, headquarters was still in the observation phase, allowing each candidate chances to prove themselves.
Today was Frank's first opportunity. But who could have predicted that his very first client would be Hugo Lancaster?
Perhaps Hugo didn't remember clearly, but Frank had no choice but to remember—that was part of his professional skillset. Hugo was a smart man; Frank knew that much. Their last encounter had proven it: though Frank had hidden his disdain under courtesy and rules, Hugo had still perceived it. And that was not a good sign.
So one could imagine, today's meeting was bound to be full of obstacles. Yet Frank had no room to back down—not only because this concerned his promotion, but also because it was a challenge he could never avoid in his career. In Hollywood, situations like Hugo's played out daily.
Perhaps yesterday someone was a nobody, and today they were a star; or conversely, yesterday someone stood high above, and today they had fallen from grace. Clients' fortunes rose and fell unpredictably. Therefore, in high-end brand services, one had to master the art of handling differences in treatment and attitude. If Frank feared rejection or felt embarrassed, he might as well pack up and go home—he wouldn't even keep his Rodeo Drive position for long. So Frank had no choice but to face it head-on.
He took a deep breath, glanced at the other brand representatives in the conference room, and then deliberately walked toward Joseph and Hugo. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. I'm Frank Garner, representing Armani."
Hugo smiled at Frank, a courteous, humble smile. It was so genuine—but in Frank's eyes, it was unbearably piercing. Hugo then glanced at Joseph, who pressed his lips slightly, and said with warmth but undeniable firmness, "Pleasure to meet you, and thank you for coming today. However, the briefing hasn't started yet. There will be time later for you to make your introduction." Joseph gently blocked him, "I think for now we should all just relax a bit."
The same polite courtesy, the same warm firmness—Frank felt as though he had walked into a rubber wall. It didn't hurt, but it was humiliating. This was exactly how he had once treated Hugo, and now he was tasting the sweet reciprocity.
"Of course. I look forward to the formal briefing." Frank replied gracefully, still courteous, then turned away. But inside, he couldn't help cursing. What angered him wasn't Hugo's counterattack, but rather the suffocating nature of it.
Frank had no choice but to adjust his state of mind and prepare for the upcoming presentation. Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of someone approaching Joseph—it was Givenchy's high-end client representative, Cadiz Gloire. Frank watched as Cadiz began conversing with Joseph and Hugo. Hugo still wore that same sincere smile, but this time it was in full bloom, radiating warmth like sunshine. Compared to this, Hugo's earlier response to Frank had clearly been much more distant.
Frank bit down lightly on his lip. He remembered: after Armani had rejected Hugo last time, Hugo had chosen Givenchy suits for a premiere. He had to remember—because at that premiere, leading actor Richard Gere was completely overshadowed, Hugo stole all the spotlight, and even the then-hot film Basic Instinct lost some attention. Armani's choice of Gere was not wrong, but they had missed Hugo—and that March, Givenchy's sales increased by two percent over their baseline.
Closing his eyes, Frank inhaled deeply, reminding himself: "You prepared for this before coming today. What you need now is not regret, but to give it everything you've got."
The number of brands attending today's presentation was not actually that many. Aside from Armani and Givenchy, there were also Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Gieves & Hawkes. A total of five brands—these were among the world's top-tier luxury labels, though not the absolute pinnacle. It was still evident that Hugo's status had yet to achieve a true breakthrough. Of course, compared to the miserable situation before the release of Scent of a Woman, this was already a tremendous leap forward.
Among the brands present today, Gieves & Hawkes drew the most attention. Although its international recognition did not match the others, and in terms of prestige it was not especially outstanding, this was a menswear brand with a royal warrant from the British monarchy, boasting a history of over two centuries, a heritage no one could ignore.
Gieves & Hawkes had originated in designing uniforms for the British Navy, and to this day it was most renowned for tailoring suits. Of course, even in its suits, Gieves & Hawkes had never abandoned its military elements; its suits, more or less, always retained the essence of traditional uniforms, remaining one of the official outfitters to the British royal family.
Paramount's invitation to Gieves & Hawkes was in fact tied to A Few Good Men. They hoped to craft for Hugo one—or even several—sets of attire suitable for the film's publicity. Of course, this was merely an aspiration; whether it could be realized still required further discussion and selection.
Once all the brands had taken their places, Hugo and Joseph began browsing them one by one. Gucci gave the first presentation. Since young designer Tom Ford took over in 1990, the brand had gradually established its sensual yet retro style. Tom had an exceptional eye for showcasing the seductive allure within the male form. The suits used bold colors, luxurious cuts, and bore a very distinctive flair.
With Hugo's physique, wearing a Gucci suit carried an entirely different kind of charm. His natural build made him an effortless clothes hanger, capable of pulling off any garment with ease. Yet clearly, this was not quite aligned with the premiere of A Few Good Men. Even though it looked dashing, a decision could not be made right away.
Dolce & Gabbana's designs were full of attitude and retained a touch of luxury, but on Hugo they did not seem to fit as well. In fact, Dolce & Gabbana only launched their first menswear line in 1990. In the past two years their style had yet to fully take shape, relying more on fabric and overall tone to capture their clientele.
Givenchy's suits were characterized by elegance and refinement. At the last event Hugo had worn their attire, which had brought these traits vividly to life. Today was no exception. Hugo had his eye on a double-breasted black suit with a large curved lapel. Its streamlined tailoring and perfectly fitted design, paired with a black patterned shirt, was classic and commanding—undeniably outstanding.
Although the choices in men's suits were often broadly similar, subtle differences in detail could create entirely distinct effects. Hugo held a very positive impression of Givenchy. Still, with two more brands left to review, it was not yet time to decide. Next up was Armani.
...
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (40 chpaters)
Made In Hollywood (60 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)
Douluo Dalu: Reincarnated as Yan(40 Chapters)
Hollywood:From Razzie to Legend(40 Chapters)
The Great Ruler (30 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu