Chapter 112: There are only a few styles of designer winter clothes available...
Yao Xiaoyu didn't stay with Tao Jingu for long. The two agreed on a time to visit the construction site and then said their goodbyes. Tao Jingu had been busy for most of the day, handling the most important matters, and then welcomed a new guest.
"Why are you coming to me instead of finding buyers after you've finished making the clothes?"
Tao Jingu ate his char siu, mussel, preserved egg, and lean pork congee with a spoon, and asked Lan Shuangyu with some doubt. She did have a demand for customized work clothes, but the factory was just starting out, and some equipment was still at sea. At first, she didn't plan to make it very big. This order was like a drop in the ocean for Lan Shuangyu's factory.
"Give me a bite."
Lan Shuangyu looked at the porridge with longing, but Tao Jingu rolled his eyes and pushed the bowl he had prepared for a midnight snack over to her. Lan Shuangyu drank a few mouthfuls to calm her anger before shaking her head with a wry smile.
"Why bother finding buyers? The clothes are shipped directly from the factory as soon as they're made, and the money is paid on the spot. There's absolutely nothing to worry about."
These words, spoken of Versailles, were clearly misinterpreted by Lan Shuangyu's expression. Tao Jingu took two more sips of the rice porridge, which had been cooked until it was mushy, before asking in agreement:
"Isn't this a good thing?"
Lan Shuangyu rolled her eyes:
"Good my ass!"
She can't make any money from just buying and selling; in fact, she might even lose money if she's not careful. She didn't open the factory to do charity work!
"I only realized how murky the clothing industry is after I entered it myself."
Lan Shuangyu is here to complain today, and once she starts talking, she can't stop.
For a factory to be profitable, it usually has to overcome three hurdles: raw material procurement, product manufacturing, and sales. Lan Shuangyu had worked in the fabric industry for a long time, and even worked as a factory worker herself. She was sure she could do this job before starting her own factory. However, she got stuck on the sales hurdle that she had never thought of. In this era, demand exceeds supply, and anything produced can be sold, not to mention the most basic necessities of life: clothing, food, housing, and transportation.
Lan Shuangyu had planned everything meticulously and thought she had everything prepared, but she never expected that the clothes would not sell!
Clothing can be divided into many categories, but they can be roughly categorized into men's and women's clothing, and the difference between Chinese and Western styles. Lan Shuangyu's factory makes Chinese women's clothing, which is the kind of top and skirt that you can see everywhere now.
To be fair, this wasn't a wrong choice: although the Qing Dynasty had fallen, clothing, especially women's clothing worn by the Chinese, remained almost unchanged. Even if there were any so-called changes, they were at most minor details like altering the button designs or making the trim colors and patterns bolder. If Lan Shuangyu had really sought novelty and change, she would probably have been the first to die.
This is not an exaggeration; the failures of our predecessors are clear as day. A small factory that had reached the end of its rope took a bold step and produced a number of horse-face skirts with bright colors and beautiful patterns, but no one dared to wear them. The surviving Qing dynasty loyalists, young and old, denigrated them as worthless. In the end, these skirts were cut into handkerchiefs, and the factory was completely hopeless.
If they valued everything about the Qing Dynasty so much, why didn't they just follow the Qing Dynasty? Was the water too cold for them, or were they just itching for a fight?
Lan Shuangyu's resentment could not conceal the cruelest reality—her women's clothing was the same as everyone else's, so why should others choose the clothes from her factory?
Lan Shuangyu only discovered this predicament after the clothes were produced. Her connections were only enough to supply factory production. She couldn't get orders for other companies' work uniforms. However, the clothes were not very competitive in the market due to objective conditions. She had to sell them with a smile and a price reduction. In the end, she barely broke even.
"I've figured it out. In this world, unless you're a tough guy who can crush everyone with your strength, you still have to rely on connections."
As Lan Shuangyu chewed on the pork rib bun, it felt like she was chewing on the flesh of those people. She had invested almost all of her funds and connections into the factory. If she were to leave, Lan Shuangyu would be reluctant and unwilling to do so—every one of her female workers was desperate and had nowhere else to turn. If they left the factory today, they would have to jump into the Huangpu River tomorrow.
She had originally planned to expand her garment factory little by little, just like Miss Qiu had written, and turn it into a world-class business. Now... just breaking even is already a victory.
"I need new clothes, the kind that are so eye-catching and flawless, what are people in that line of work called again, designers?"
Tao Jingu listened to Lan Shuangyu's mutterings and looked at the meat dumpling in her hand with heartache. Tao Jingu had finally managed to buy it. That vendor with thick eyebrows appeared and disappeared mysteriously every day. She had originally planned to have it as a late-night snack!
"If you need a designer, just advertise for one in the newspaper."
Tao Jingu had no idea what Lan Shuangyu was struggling with. Ever since she mastered the secret to getting published in the newspaper, she had rarely encountered any difficulties.
"I can't find it."
Lan Shuangyu looked at Tao Jingu, whose factory had not yet officially opened, with almost affectionate eyes. Ever since she plunged into the abyss of the factory, she understood what it meant to have rare talents.
"The designer I want is not from an ordinary family, but even a phoenix in distress is still a phoenix."
Fashion designers were a very trendy profession in the Republic of China era. Those with a little talent were hired by large factories with high salaries, and those who wanted to live a more relaxed life were invited into mansions. Lan Shuangyu had such a small budget that she couldn't even hire a swindler.
As for the probability of finding a wild genius from a group of people... Lan Shuangyu shook her head and sighed. Tao Jingu stared at the braised pork bun that she had specially ordered, which had gone into Lan Shuangyu's mouth before he had even tasted it, and wanted to cry.
"Let's wait a bit longer, maybe we'll find a suitable candidate."
Tao Jingu earnestly comforted her, trying hard not to think about the five steamed buns, two pancakes, and three zongzi that Lan Shuangyu had eaten, constantly reminding herself that she had also eaten quite a bit when she went to Lan Shuangyu's territory.
"I hope so."
Lan Shuangyu sighed. Everyone hopes to find a beautiful jade hidden in a stone, a pearl covered in dust, but talent is like an awl placed on cloth. There aren't many fools when it comes to planting flowers. Lan Shuangyu never dared to imagine that she would have such good luck.
Let's just hold on for now. At least we haven't lost money, right? Maybe things will change if we just hold on.
...
"Are you drawing clothes? They look a bit different from what we wear?"
Aunt Peach looked at Shulan's notebook with curiosity. Shulan quickly closed the paper, her face turning bright red.
"...Just some random sketches..."
Shulan drew the clothes she had trimmed in her dream. They were indeed quite different from the ones she had now. She planned to draw all the clothes she thought were nice and make them for the girls in the village when she got home. She didn't really mind Aunt Peach Blossom seeing them, but she was afraid of being laughed at, so she subconsciously hid them and didn't feel comfortable handing them over.
Aunt Peach Blossom didn't dwell on the topic for long. She quickly took Shulan's clothes out to wash them. Shulan breathed a sigh of relief and took out her notebook to continue drawing. The thin notebook was already more than half full. On the first page, she drew a rough-hewn top that slightly revealed her waistline. On the latest page, she drew an exquisite dress, with even the bees embroidered on the hem of the dress looking lifelike.
Shulan had never been to school and had never read any books, so she was unaware of how amazing her talent in design and art was. She painstakingly sketched the patterns on the hem of the skirt, waiting to return home and make clothes when her one-year term was up.
...Perhaps we could sew a dress for the Yao family's daughter. It would cost twenty silver dollars. We could take out a few cents to buy a piece of cloth, and the family would probably be willing.
After Shulan finished the last stroke, she saw that Aunt Taohua had returned with a lunchbox, so she closed her notebook and carefully placed it under her pillow.
...
After saying goodbye to Tao Jingu, Yao Xiaoyu went to a restaurant to satisfy her appetite as usual. The chef of this restaurant was said to have come from the imperial kitchen. Yao Xiaoyu was intrigued when she heard this, so she simply asked the waiter to prepare a meal according to the Xuantong Emperor's diet, so as to experience the treatment of an emperor.
The waiter checked on the manager and went to the kitchen. When he returned, he readily agreed. To be fair, the dishes were served quickly, and the chef's skills were indeed quite good, but these dishes...
"Is this all the emperor eats?"
Yao Xiaoyu pointed to a series of dishes, including mushroom chicken, three-delicacy duck, braised mutton, and braised magnolia petals, her expression full of doubt. What happened to the Manchu Han Imperial Feast? Even if there was no bird's nest, abalone, or shark fin, there should at least be some seafood. This braised arrowhead, smoked pork hock, and stir-fried shredded pork with chives is more refined than what nobility and even nouveau riche eat.
The emperor really did eat these things!
To prove his identity, the chef not only brought out a recipe that was supposedly written by the head steward of the Forbidden City, but also a yellow jacket. Yao Xiaoyu didn't know if the thing was real or fake, but seeing the chef's excited look, she didn't argue. After Tao Xiaoxiao cleared the table, she paid and left.
The taste was decent, and the price was fair.
After eating and drinking her fill, Tao Xiaoxiao casually pinned the two thugs who were staring at her bulging pockets against the wall, and then followed Yao Xiaoyu to get winter clothes custom-made.
There were only a few styles, and apart from a few details, there wasn't much to choose from. The tailor couldn't accept new ideas. Yao Xiaoyu wanted to cinch the waist of the clothes so that she wouldn't look like a cylinder. Although the old tailor didn't object, he had a rather unpleasant expression on his face. The big cotton-padded jacket and cotton-padded trousers were all that was missing was a bright red and green floral print, and she could have made her debut in Northeast China.
Yao Xiaoyu lost interest in the clothes and randomly picked a few colors. She couldn't work on the large pieces and was too lazy to pay attention to the details. She left her size and went to the shoe store—there were much more options there than at the tailor shop.
Yao Xiaoyu spotted a pair of winter boots with rabbit fur turned outwards. The snow-white color wasn't very dirt-resistant, but they were really beautiful. She was so captivated that she immediately put on the boots. Before the shopkeeper could even set up the screen, Yao Xiaoyu had already started trying them on.
During the Republic of China era, feet were still considered a private part of the body. Yao Xiaoyu could only wear the modern open-toed sandals in the yard and had to change them when she went out. Although shoe stores had women's shoes and a fitting service, they would use a movable screen to block the view when trying on shoes. However, Yao Xiaoyu did not pay much attention to these details. She was frowning as she pulled her feet out of the velvet shoes.
"It's a bit tight."
The shopkeeper glanced at Yao Xiaoyu and took out a pair of shoes that were similar in style, with pom-poms hanging on them.
"It might be because you used too much force when reeling in the yarn. Try these pairs."
Yao Xiaoyu admired the shopkeeper's language skills. Big feet and small shoes are both easy to trigger, so the shopkeeper didn't talk about the customers' problems or the products' problems. She only talked about some possibilities caused by the production process. If she had that kind of mouth, she wouldn't have only been waved away when handing out flyers to experience life.
However, if she can't fit into shoes of roughly the same size, it means her feet have grown... Does that mean she's grown taller?
Yao Xiaoyu's eyes lit up immediately.
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