Chapter 186 - Overseas Phone Call

11 February, LY Studio City K

Lexi, was sitting in a design staff meeting, discussing with the junior designers' ideas for the upcoming mass release collections and ideas for pieces for the couture collections. It had been a couple of months that the whole team had this opportunity to sit down and bounce ideas off each other.

Lexi paused, and said "OK everyone. I know that a couple of you are about to head off for London, Milan and Paris Fashion weeks, but based on the feedback we received in New York, how does everyone think our Spring/Summer collection will go down with the public, Maria?"

"Some loved the collection, others hated it, but the request for the feature pieces was amazing. We also had three requests, one from an Actor and two from royalty about designing wedding dresses. I said those requests needed to come back to you Lexi for a determination if we could accommodate them. I know wedding dresses are not something we focus on, but one was a middle east princess, willing to pay millions for her dress alone, let alone for her wedding party," responded Maria Cohen.

"You know my reluctance to move into that space. When I started LY, I did not go down the path of wedding dresses as I knew that I could never do it justice but as we expanded as a team I made it clear that I was willing to expand, if that was the consensus. They I messed all of you around, having you relocate here from Paris. I know it takes us away from European and American markets, but you have all been quite understanding about my need to be here and relocated for that purpose. Business wise, it gives us the opportunity to better incorporate Eastern traditional design into pieces within the mass release collection and the couture collection to differentiate us from others. But as I said, if the consensus is to do that we will. My only condition would be that they are made to order, not part of any collection and difficult to get. Plus, whoever designs the dress would have their name along with LY attached to the dress."

Maria looked around seeing the nods around the table. "Boss, I guess I am spokesperson. Since we arrived here, we have discussed the idea behind your back about created a wedding dress division. Nothing against you, but we know the requests that we have all heard. What we all thought was there would not be any specific designed in the area, but we would share the workload, while limiting it to about six clients per year. That means that we would not take away from all out other work. But in doing this, it would not just be the bride we would dress, it would be all the female members of the wedding party along with the mothers and sisters of the bride and groom. So we can maintain our integrity, the initial design consultations and the initially fittings would be here. We would travel to the bride the week before the wedding for the final fittings and any last minute adjustments. We can they price this accordingly to minimise the people who will responsible. The benefit is none of us will be overburdened, including you Boss."

Lexi looked around the design team. She knew that they had sacrificed so much to come here. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I know how much you have sacrificed to stay with me and the studio. It would have been easier for you all to tell me where to go when I announced I was relocating LY to here, but none of you did. As this is what you want, we will do this, but it is no more than six clients in the year without everyone agreeing. But the only thing I want to add, is that once the preliminary design work is done, like our couture designs it needs to come back to the group for approval. But promise me, that our other work will not suffer."

A chorus of yes' responded around the room, before Maria said "Now we better get back to everything. Boss Lexi, how about for the next few months we have design meetings each fortnight we can reassess, say at the end of May?"

"If you are alright with that. Everyone you should know, yes, I started this company at my own risk, but you all helped grow it to what it is. Unless something is too far outside what I am comfortable with I will listen to you and likely agree with your position."

With the nods of agreement, Lexi said "Now I will leave you to your work. I have some things I must deal with in my office, but I will by the end of the day have designs for wedding suits for my brother and his fiancé who are going to travel overseas to marry. I want your opinions on them."

As she left the meeting a chorus of "Yes Boss" followed her. Lexi hurried into her office and as she went to sit down at her design desk, her phone rang.

Quickly picking up the mobile, Lexi noticed the number was Anna, and she quickly answered "Anna, how are you?"

"Happy that I am at home. Jang was discharged as well, so I can get settled into my life. Yi is sorting out the christening details, but we have decided it will be in Australia. I grew up in a town called Warrnambool, and we decided to go to the church where we had our formal wedding ceremony for the christening. Yi will let you know the date once it is sorted. You will be there?"

"Anna, I said yes, and I will not go back on my word." Lexi paused and said, "But that is not why you called is it?"

"True. I know when you were here, I hammered into you about your relationship with your husband. I realised after you left that I should not have done that, but I was worried you would let the past impact your future."

"Anna, no need to apologise. Someone had to say that to me and make me listen. I was not willing to fight with you, so I took in what you had to say."

"Just promise me that you do not hate me and that you will be open to opportunities."

"Hate you, no. I remember what I was like after I gave birth to Dominic. I needed to be in control of everything around me, and why would I not accept someone else doing that to me. Just because you told me things, it will not impact our friendship, as even though we have only known each other for a few weeks it is stronger than that. But, as to the other I will not promise you something that I cannot guarantee. As I have told you I detest the situation he has put me in, including trapping me in a marriage that I do not want. But I will at least respect your opinion."

Lexi could hear a cry in the background, and Anna said "Sorry. Jang was asleep so I thought I had time to call. But I have a favour to ask. Can you organise a dress for me to wear for Jang's christening?"

"Not a problem." Lexi could hear Jang crying harder in the background. "Now go and see what that little man wants. He has been through a lot since his birth. I will talk to you later." Lexi ended the call before Anna could say anything.

Lexi sat and thought about the call with Anna. She was still torn. Did she give Matthew an opportunity or not?

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