So, they’re engaged! Tan put a ring on it, and it is a stunner. Sinna being Sinna, she admired her new bauble, pondered the up and down sides of the decision, and went right back to work.
For me, that’s one of the joys of writing about real women. We can have a fabulous man put 4 carats on that very special finger, but the next day, you get back on the grind. I love showing behind the scenes action, world building a fan once told me its called. It gives your work teeth, depth, and I often have to fight myself to not let the work and world building eclipse the love story! That’s how much I enjoy it.
In this week’s blog, which picks up where my last one left off, Sinna gives us a peek into the process of making 501K beautiful as she prepares to onboard new team members and kick things into high gear pre-tour. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think!
Oh, the photo is of incredibly handsome, very masculine South Korean actor Sung Hoon who I may watch in “Are You In Love” on Viki later today.
XOXO,
SS
Saint yelled when he saw the ring. Cressida sniffed and wiped a tear, and Jon bowed to give the diamond – and the occasion – the proper respect. Sinna let them fuss for a while, and then gently brought their attention back to work.
“Ya’ll held it down while I was out yesterday, and I thank you, but I can already see we’ve gotten behind. So, let’s buckle down and plow through this mess. And get these damn interns on point! They’re too young to be this lazy.”
There were boxes literally piled to the ceiling. It meant hours of work, cuts, curses and getting dirty, but Sinna always looked at them with satisfaction. Each one might hold something beautiful for her clients to wear, and she said another quick prayer of thanks that so many designers were willing to work with her.
“I should do a little video,” she whispered.
“Hmmm?” Cressida
“When we open something great, remind me to do a ‘thank you brand collaborators’ video.”
“Got it.”
Part of the irresistible cache around 501K’s new look was because it was fresh, elegant and luxe, which was exactly what she wanted. She wanted the world to see the boys and immediately think sophisticated and sexy. Sure, they wore some things more than once – she made a point of addressing that in an early Instagram video:
“It’s ridiculous not to re-wear your favorite things. That’s why you should buy quality, and take good care of your clothes and accessories. Your wardrobe – if done right – can positively influence other facets of your life because it impacts how people see and treat you.
“Your wardrobe should be a thoughtful investment, not a throwaway expense. Trends are a great way to stay current, but never follow them blindly. Follow with a firm eye on your personal style and your daily life and needs.”
But when the majority of 501K’s public and private appearances comprised a constant stream of new, perfectly curated clothing – a good deal of which was designer – and all of it perfectly tailored and of excellent quality? It screamed access, connected, now, and obviously money. That the whole thing depended on the generosity of designers willing to donate their wears in exchange for publicity was neither here nor there.
There was no need to share that information. Fashion insiders already knew how the game was played, and the fans didn’t really care how things were done. They just wanted to admire their beautifully turned out idols.
The public liked to think the group was spending coin. It added to their allure as rich, untouchable, beautiful things to be worshiped. But free or bought, it was a shit ton of work.
“Are we on track to onboard our new team members next week?” she asked Saint.
“Yup. I’ve been texting and emailing everybody constantly answering all their questions and offering information, and Cressida arranged to have everyone picked up from the airport to ease their transition to Seoul as requested.”
“Good. We should make it as stress free as possible at the beginning since none of them have been here before. I’m just happy Mr. Big Wig was so accommodating about the apartment for Tarquin and Billy.”
It was a gorgeous place, not terribly big, but very comfortable and conveniently close to their house and to the studio.
“Did you give him a choice?” Saint smirked. “Even the translator was laughing at how impossible you made it to refuse your request. Anyway, everyone’s mad excited, and we should be straight when they get here.
“Tarquin’s gonna work with you. Cressida also asked that he assist with some of the social media photography work to free up her time for admin. You said you wanted more time with your phone and laptop to network and source clothes.” She nodded. “Billy’s gonna hit the streets with me. People have no idea how traumatizing accessories can be, and the streetwear,” he said, shaking his head.
Sinna laughed. “Sounds like a great plan, and no, my dear. They surely do not.” She worked like work was going out of style for the rest of the day, but when Tommy showed up in a chauffeured car to get her, tiredness fell away like mist in the sun…
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