He smiled and was about to comment further about the coat, when all of a sudden a shape appeared in the hallway catching his attention. And when that shape solidified into a man, lit with lighting that Gabriel could tell was designed to show off his outfit to best effect, that attention solidified as he took in every detail, approaching closer without realizing to get a better look. Gabriel almost started to address the man, to ask him for details about the outfit, particularly that false starfield effect, before he caught himself, realizing that the man was almost certainly an elaborate illusion of some sort. One thing was certain though, between Malia's dress and the illusion man's outfit, he wasn't going to be short of inspiration for some time.
"Hmm? Oh." It took a moment for what she'd asked to register, but when it did, he finally managed to tear himself away from the illusion to answer. "A fashion brand is a type of large company, though I know that that doesn't really explain a great deal in itself. I'm a fashion designer by trade; I design and create high-end clothing. That's where I began and is still the core of the business; any clothing I create is sold under the Agreste brand, which is a sort of trademark. But the company sells more than just clothing; shoes, belts, bags, jewelry, perfume, cosmetics, even things like glasses frames and certain home decor items, all are sold under the Agreste brand."
"Now, I don't personally have all the skills necessary to produce all of those items- I'm not a leatherworker, a jeweler, or a perfumer-, so I hire people who are experts in those fields to develop and produce those things according to my designs and specifications. The finished products- and often several intermediate stages- are sent to me for final approval. If I'm satisfied, then its approved for full production. The brand- the company- manages not only all those various experts and their teams, but also advertising Agreste products, managing the boutiques that sell the products, the workshops and factories where they're produced, making sure finished products and raw materials get where they need to go in a timely manner, making certain all of the employees are properly paid, and managing numerous other aspects of business that most customers rarely think of."
"That is, in the technical sense, what a fashion brand is. But in an artistic sense it's essentially selling a look. Or even an idea. Products from designer brands, like mine, tend to be expensive. So a fashion brand sells an idea of wealth, of style, and often of sophistication. People who shop at my company's boutiques, who regularly wear and use Agreste brand products, do so because on some level they want to be seen. Seen as stylish or wealthy, seen as fashionable or beautiful, or just to be seen in general. To stand out. It's one part art, one part commerce, with a bit of practicality thrown in to make it all work."
"...And please do stop me if I'm not making any sense. Conversation has never been my strong suit, and I've frankly never really had to explain the concept of a fashion brand to anyone before."
no subject
"Hmm? Oh." It took a moment for what she'd asked to register, but when it did, he finally managed to tear himself away from the illusion to answer. "A fashion brand is a type of large company, though I know that that doesn't really explain a great deal in itself. I'm a fashion designer by trade; I design and create high-end clothing. That's where I began and is still the core of the business; any clothing I create is sold under the Agreste brand, which is a sort of trademark. But the company sells more than just clothing; shoes, belts, bags, jewelry, perfume, cosmetics, even things like glasses frames and certain home decor items, all are sold under the Agreste brand."
"Now, I don't personally have all the skills necessary to produce all of those items- I'm not a leatherworker, a jeweler, or a perfumer-, so I hire people who are experts in those fields to develop and produce those things according to my designs and specifications. The finished products- and often several intermediate stages- are sent to me for final approval. If I'm satisfied, then its approved for full production. The brand- the company- manages not only all those various experts and their teams, but also advertising Agreste products, managing the boutiques that sell the products, the workshops and factories where they're produced, making sure finished products and raw materials get where they need to go in a timely manner, making certain all of the employees are properly paid, and managing numerous other aspects of business that most customers rarely think of."
"That is, in the technical sense, what a fashion brand is. But in an artistic sense it's essentially selling a look. Or even an idea. Products from designer brands, like mine, tend to be expensive. So a fashion brand sells an idea of wealth, of style, and often of sophistication. People who shop at my company's boutiques, who regularly wear and use Agreste brand products, do so because on some level they want to be seen. Seen as stylish or wealthy, seen as fashionable or beautiful, or just to be seen in general. To stand out. It's one part art, one part commerce, with a bit of practicality thrown in to make it all work."
"...And please do stop me if I'm not making any sense. Conversation has never been my strong suit, and I've frankly never really had to explain the concept of a fashion brand to anyone before."