Chapter 227
Professor Sun had gone along to show Qin Xiang and the others the world, so they wouldn't be completely clueless. These three were the best in their design field, and the university respected them, so naturally they'd send a teacher to explain things. So Professor Sun volunteered to go along.
But Qin Xiang and the others didn't expect that as soon as they sat down on the train, Professor Sun was about to give them a lesson.
A senior student laughed and said, "Professor Sun, I'm already a senior, so do I not need to attend classes anymore?"
Professor Sun rolled his eyes at him and said, "How dare you say you're a senior? Seniors won third prize, sophomores won special prize and first prize. You think you're proud of that? If you don't make good use of your time to catch up on your studies and improve your skills, you still have the nerve to say it."
Professor Sun has always had a bad temper and likes to argue with people in the college. The senior named Jiang Mingteng was immediately speechless.
Could he say he was honored to have won third place? It was their senior year, and everyone else participated. Others only received an encouragement award, which didn't entail attending the awards ceremony. He was the first to win a prize throughout their junior and senior years.
I looked up at Qin Xiang and Zhao Wenna, the two girls were looking at me happily. Alas, there is no comparison, there is no comparison. Some people are born to do this job.
So Jiang Mingteng also took out his notebook, "Okay, Professor Sun."
The two little girls opposite were already sitting upright, each holding a notebook on their knees, waiting for Professor Sun to give them a lecture.
Professor Sun was satisfied and opened the book to give them a lecture. Jiang Mingteng found that the courses he taught were only used in the third year, and he was immediately confused.
Professor Sun glared, "Just listen to what I'm saying."
Their group of six just occupied an entire carriage. When Professor Sun was giving them a lecture, Zhao Ping sat on a chair in the aisle, while He Liping also listened to the lecture with great interest.
Professor Sun taught them textbook knowledge in the morning, and in the afternoon he changed his mindset and told them the history of fashion shows and some fashion exhibitions around the world. Sometimes, worried that He Liping wouldn't understand, he went out of his way to explain in detail, which made He Liping's eyes light up and she was very excited.
Professor Sun was more informed. He glanced at Qin Xiang and said, "Next spring, there will also be a fashion exhibition in our capital. Factories from all over the country can participate."
Qin Xiang was a little tempted when she heard this. Although she had signed a OEM agreement with Xiang Yanghong and Wu Gang, the tags and other things all had the "Xianglian" brand on them. Xiang Yanghong and Yimei Garment Factory could only be considered commissioned manufacturers. When the time comes, she can ask Mi Hongjun to bring people over to participate and stockpile some goods in advance. If the quantity is too large, she can place an order with the two factories.
To put it simply, a trade fair is a large-scale wholesale site, and it is also an opportunity for wholesale merchants and manufacturers to communicate face to face.
Qin Xiang naturally would not stop Xiang Yanghong and Yimei Clothing from participating, but she just couldn't use her designs.
In a flash, Qin Xiang thought it through and said to Professor Sun, "Thank you, Professor Sun, for telling me this news."
Professor Sun smiled and said, "It's not a big deal. It's already been decided. A notice will be posted in a few days at most."
"This is already a rare opportunity," Qin Xiang said with a smile. "Generally, factories close for the year-end holiday, and work resumes later after the Lunar New Year. I got the news in advance, so I can definitely place orders and communicate in advance, so I won't be left without clothes for next year's sales fair."
The trade show is in the spring, so the best items to prepare are summer and spring styles, and don't have too many spring styles. If you don't prepare in advance, you'll probably only have autumn and winter styles. Autumn styles are fine, as they can be sold as spring styles, but winter styles won't be suitable. Most clothes are sold a season in advance, so by the time the season finally arrives, it's too late.
With the support of the entire Tsinghua University design major, Qin Xiang has received a lot of design drafts this year, including those for all seasons. Some spring styles have already been produced, and summer styles are easier to make. She quickly handed the design drafts to the two factories, and maybe the clothes can be ready before the New Year.
Professor Sun's eyesight was not very good, so he stopped talking in the evening when the light dimmed. Instead, he asked the three of them to discuss the current development of the clothing industry with each other.
There is no doubt that even the senior students in the fourth year don’t know as much as Qin Xiang.
Jiang Mingteng sighed, "This junior knows so much. When we seniors talk about her, we can't help but admire her. We used to be confused, but now we're not confused anymore. She knows so much."
Qin Xiang laughed. "I just read a lot. For example, I can basically see all the first-hand information about fashion in Hong Kong, and occasionally I can also read some foreign information. Besides, I own a shop myself, so I like to talk to customers and understand more about their thoughts."
Professor Sun agreed, "Indeed, design comes from life and also from the customers themselves. Everyone is different, but their pursuit of beauty is similar. The more you understand, the more you will naturally grasp the key to clothing."
He also said to Jiang Mingteng, "You just see too little and understand too little."
Jiang Mingteng was a little depressed. They were all in their senior year and would have to start their internship after the New Year.
He couldn't help but sigh as he recalled asking some of his senior graduates about their internships.
Students in this major have few career options after graduation. Some can indeed enter government departments, but most students have to go to factories to study.
The factories that college graduates join are inevitably state-owned, bringing pride to the companies—they're college graduates themselves. But once they get to the design department, the situation is completely different. Seniority reigns supreme, judging by seniority. Large factories have supply and marketing cooperatives as a backstop, so as long as the design isn't particularly bad, it can be sold. This means that even if college graduates have good ideas, they won't be given much attention. Pang Ran's simple statement, "You're still young, you need more practice," can easily stifle them.
They asked more than one or two seniors, most of them were like this. Unless they had a relative relationship with the leaders of the factory, others would give them face. Otherwise, they would have to endure it and do some odd jobs.
Jiang Mingteng couldn't help but ask Professor Sun, "Which do you think is better, gaining experience in a large state-owned factory or working in a private factory?"
Professor Sun and Qin Xiang couldn't help but look at him.
Professor Sun felt that he had started to use his brain, and Qin Xiang felt that she could recruit people in advance when necessary.
She is most familiar with this year's juniors and seniors. If she wants to retain them, she must do it quickly, which means she needs a factory. Otherwise, she can only set up a separate design department and then slowly build the factory later.
But she felt that they might not feel at ease with this, so building a factory had to be put on the agenda.
While Qin Xiang was pondering, Professor Sun glanced at Qin Xiang and said with a chuckle, "That depends on what you want."
Jiang Mingteng was puzzled.
Professor Sun, in a rare display of good humor, explained, "If you want fame, then go work for a large company to gain experience. It'll sound good to others, like working for a large company. After ten or eight years, you might even have a chance to break through. If you want to quickly put your designs into production, private enterprises are also a good place to start. It's not easy for private companies to recruit designers these days. As long as Tsinghua University graduates have decent skills, they'll be well-received and get paid well. Of course, there's no guarantee. No one knows for sure what kind of company they'll choose. Maybe you'll be valued right away at a state-owned company, or maybe you won't be able to thrive in a private enterprise. There are risks in every choice."
Jiang Mingteng nodded, and Professor Sun continued, "There's still time to think about it. If you really can't decide, then just obey the school's arrangements and give it a try. At worst, you can just quit. With the reputation of Tsinghua University, it won't be difficult for you to find a job in another state-owned factory, let alone a private one."
Qin Xiang couldn't help but nod, "Professor Sun is right. I plan to set up a design department next year. If Senior Jiang is interested, you can come over. We can discuss salary and benefits."
After she finished speaking, Professor Sun was speechless. "You really are taking the opportunity to recruit people."
Qin Xiang said seriously, "I'm just giving Senior Jiang more options."
However, Qin Xiang couldn't guarantee how many people he could attract.
Because it is still the 1980s, state-owned enterprises are still everyone's first choice. No one is willing to choose private enterprises unless they have no other choice.
Jiang Mingteng nodded and said, "Thank you, junior sister. I will consider it."
Qin Xiang didn't have much hope, so she could only take it one step at a time. If it really didn't work out, the design department would still be outsourcing, and she would buy manuscripts from her classmates. After graduation, she would sign a manuscript purchase and sale agreement with outstanding students in the school.
The designs of college students do have some shortcomings, but college students are more energetic, and some of the designs can be turned into very good-looking clothes with a little modification.
Qin Xiang stopped talking at this point, and Professor Sun continued to explain to everyone the development of the foreign clothing industry.
At six o'clock, several people bought dinner from the train cart and ate it separately. After that, it was time for personal activities.
Zhao Wenna and Qin Xiang were chatting on the same bunk. Zhao Wenna asked, "Qin Xiang, are you really going to set up a design department next year?"
Qin Xiang nodded and asked with a smile, "Are you interested?"
Zhao Wenna scratched her head and said embarrassedly, "I'm interested in money."
Then he added, "I always feel that designing for money is a little impure."
Qin Xiang shook her head. "That's not the case. We say we're going to college to realize our dreams, but to put it bluntly, it's all about money. Without money, how long can we keep our dreams alive?"
"That's true." Zhao Wenna thought for a moment and said, "If possible, I can work in your design department before graduation."
It's certainly tiring. University courses aren't easy, and schools like National Tsing Hua University have high expectations for students. But Zhao Wenna felt this was her chance, and she didn't want to give up. Regardless of her choices after graduation, at least she was able to get practical experience and a living allowance during her university years, which was already great.
She was of course happy to have chosen Qin Xiang. "You're most welcome."
Jiang Mingteng, who was sitting on the lower bunk, couldn't help but sigh as he listened to them talk, "I wish I had graduated two years later."
Professor Sun said mercilessly, "If you want, it's not impossible."
Jiang Mingteng said quickly, "I was just joking."
Although he could take the postgraduate entrance examination, his family's financial situation did not allow it, and he had already promised his family that he would work and earn money after graduation.
Jiang Mingteng was obviously still a little confused about the future. Although he knew the drawbacks of large state-owned factories, he was reluctant to give up and go directly into private enterprises.
He also thought, what if he could get a job in the government?
Who can say this well?
At night, the six of them went to bed early and arrived in Haicheng at six o'clock the next morning.
Haicheng will be an international metropolis in the future, but there is still a big gap in its development at the current stage.
After Qin Xiang and six others got off the bus, they took two taxis and headed straight to the city cultural center.
After finding a guesthouse near the city cultural center, Professor Sun was a little tired from the train ride and decided to stay in the morning. Jiang Mingteng and Zhao Wenna asked Qin Xiang about her plan.
Qin Xiang smiled and said, "It's a rare occasion for us to come to Haicheng, so of course we have to go shopping. Why not go shopping?"
And the reason why the school asked them to come a day early actually had this meaning. Students majoring in fashion design cannot work in isolation.
Zhao Wenna and Jiang Mingteng had no objection, "Then let's go shopping together."
Qin Xiang had no objections, so the five of them headed out together. The city's cultural center was right in the heart of the city, and there were plenty of shops and stores nearby. They looked around, trying on anything they liked, and once outside, they took out a pen and paper to record their thoughts and ideas.
This is why design students always carry pen and paper when they go out.
It was already nine o'clock when they went out, and they kept shopping until twelve o'clock before having lunch nearby. In the afternoon, they continued to shop in other places.
When I came back after dinner in the evening, Professor Sun asked, "How do you feel?"
Qin Xiang said, "It's quite good, no worse than the capital, even more fashionable."
Professor Sun smiled and said, "Of course. In the early years of the Republic of China, Haicheng was second to none. Song and dance performances were particularly popular, and the costumes were naturally more exquisite. Moreover, this place is close to Guangzhou, so travel is more convenient, and some new elements spread quickly."
Professor Sun stayed at the guesthouse all day. That evening, he gathered the three of them together and discussed the award ceremony and the important points to be aware of. Finally, he said, "This is a rare opportunity to learn. There will be many outstanding fashion professionals present. Listen and observe, and be bold and ask questions."
Several people nodded in agreement.
Professor Sun said happily, "Alright, go and have a rest. Don't be nervous. There's only one special prize, and it's from our school. We also took one of the two first prizes. They're just shameless enough to pick on us. Putting that aside, we graduated from Tsinghua University, the best university in the country. Just relax."
Qin Xiang, Zhao Wenna and He Liping lived in the same room. He Liping was carefree and thought that this matter had nothing to do with her. After a tiring day, she washed up and lay down to sleep. Qin Xiang was also fine and didn't feel anything. But Zhao Wenna was a little nervous and tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.
Qin Xiang comforted him, "Don't be afraid. Just recite the script we wrote. We are students, so no one will say anything even if we get a little nervous."
Having said that, Zhao Wenna was still nervous.
When she woke up the next day, she almost had panda eyes. She splashed cold water on her face and looked at Qin Xiang's energetic appearance. Zhao Wenna felt jealous and said, "How come you are not nervous? I didn't sleep well last night."
Qin Xiang smiled and said, "We are here to receive the award, what are we afraid of?"
After breakfast, Qin Xiang and the others were about to go to the awards ceremony, so she instructed He Liping and Zhao Ping, "Look for a suitable shop in the city center. If there's nothing in the city center, look near the university town. It should be larger, at least 50 or 60 square meters. If there are options in both places, book them both."
He Liping nodded, "I understand, boss."
Qin Xiang smiled and said, "Go ahead."
After the two left, Qin Xiang also followed Professor Sun and others to the Municipal Cultural Center.
On the way out, he met a professor from Capital University. Professor Sun chatted with him for a few words, and then they went to the cultural center together.
When I got to the door, I met even more people. Many of them knew Professor Sun and greeted him politely. Some people knew that the special prize had been won by a student from Tsinghua University, so they looked behind Professor Sun curiously, trying to guess who the student was who had won the special prize.
Professor Sun was as proud as a peacock, and spoke in a high-pitched voice, "Okay, stop looking, the tall one is it."
Several old professors immediately turned their eyes to Qin Xiang, and said with emotion, "It's really amazing. She looks young but she can design such a good work."
"Of course not, he's only a sophomore." Professor Sun's smile did not fade.
This award ceremony is more of an exchange meeting than an award ceremony, otherwise these veteran professors would not have bothered to lead the team personally.
Several professors entered the venue while chatting. When talking about the development of the domestic clothing industry, many people couldn't help but frown. One professor said, "Many state-owned factories in the south have already closed down."
The others couldn't help but sigh.
In fact, they all understand the reason, but there are some things that are beyond their control. What's the use of them cultivating good students? When they get a job in a factory, they still have to rely on seniority and their works cannot be selected.
If they were asked to do so, they would say it was bureaucracy that caused the disaster.
Otherwise, why can't some large factories with thousands of employees beat small private factories with only a hundred employees?
Professor Sun said, "The market will make choices for everyone. Without destruction, there will always be a time for change."
Several old people couldn't help but sigh.
If these old guys can understand this, don't the factory managers know it? Even if many know it, they are unwilling to change, and they still act like it was more than ten years ago.
After entering the venue, staff members distributed number plates according to their schools. This was a university design competition, and Tsinghua University was a leading university in China, so they were both in the first row, along with Capital University.
Qin Xiang and three others followed Professor Sun. Zhao Wenna was shaking a little as she held Qin Xiang's hand.
Jiang Mingteng was also a little nervous, but he managed to hold himself together. Qin Xiang comforted him, "Don't be afraid. It's not the awards ceremony yet. If the time comes, there will be someone to accompany you. Don't worry."
Zhao Wenna took a deep breath. She used to envy Qin Xiang for winning the special prize, but now she thinks that the first prize is also pretty good. At least she doesn’t have to go up there herself.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at Qin Xiang guiltily. Qin Xiang was so good to her, she couldn't have any other bad thoughts. Qin Xiang was her God of Wealth and her boss.
After everyone was seated, the host came on stage and made some witty remarks and flattery, and then the leader of the Haicheng competition organizing committee came on stage and talked about the purpose of the competition and the number of participants.
After he finished speaking, he said loudly, "The award ceremony begins now."
For a moment, Qin Xiang was also a little nervous.
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