roccoschili Chapter 450 London Trip (5) Toby and the Fashion Show
Chapter 450 London Trip (5) Toby and the Fashion Show
Europe, London.
The Langham Hotel, first floor.
Ezra Cremo, director of the New York CIA, and Toby Olga, the "guide" invited by David, after being interrupted several times by David, smiled a little frustratedly and apologized, stood up and said.
"Sorry, I want to go to the bathroom~"
"Of course! Please do~"
David nodded very gentlemanly and watched Toby Olga's retreating figure.
When the two of them first met, David's attention was still on the strange reactions of the three Livlin girls at the breakfast table. .
I didn't take a serious look at Toby Olga, who seemed extremely ordinary at first glance.
But~
David saw Toby Olga's back, which seemed to be deliberately slowing down. .
This figure. .
Tsk~tsk~
Toby Olga is definitely the "best" woman he has ever seen, second only to Elena Mesa~
The "top quality" mentioned here is not just evaluated based on the face~
Just now, David naturally stared at Toby Olga every time she made a small move. .Subconsciously, it seems that I am afraid of missing something. .The scenery is average~
That's it. .
Coupled with Toby Olga, that devilish figure is comparable to a Hollywood first-line movie star, and the swaying steps look like Marilyn Monroe~
David, a young man who was at the peak of male hormone secretion, could hardly take the initiative to take his attention away from her. .
Emm. .
David waved to a waiter in the distance and ordered an ice drink~
He also didn't know what kind of professional training Toby Olga had received in CIA.
But judging from her current performance, her job position in the City of London should not be too high ~
David adjusted his breathing and recalled the bank-related information he knew in his mind.
. . .
The modern banking industry, after more than 30 years of development after World War II, has become one of the most eye-catching industries in the world.
People are fully aware of the cruelty and destructiveness of war. .
There is no one left and I don’t want to fight anymore~
In addition, the two poles of the Cold War and the super nuclear weapons powers have military deterrence + nuclear deterrence for the world. .
Emm. .
People put all their energy on a brand new battlefield without smoke~
Currency and financial war!
As for banks, as the core part of the modern financial system, the main ways to make money can be roughly divided into two categories.
Interest income and non-interest income~
(Non-interest income may also be called business income.)
Interest income means that banks will use the deposits deposited by depositors to buy some low-risk, stable-yielding government bonds, corporate bonds, etc., and earn the difference in interest.
Of course, these are low-yielding, stable investments, and their contribution to the bank’s income is only a fraction~
If banks want to obtain more interest income, they need to obtain lower-risk income from: interest on mutual borrowing funds between banks; house mortgage loans, car mortgage loans, company business loans, personal mortgage loans, etc.
Generally speaking, in terms of interest income, banks give the highest priority to the safety of principal, followed by income.
Banks will continuously adjust the interest rates on loans at any time according to the situation, in order to achieve stable income while reducing the possibility of bad debts ~
. . .
In terms of obtaining non-interest income, banks have a more diverse business volume~
First of all, the lowest risk and most profitable business is. .Handling fee!
For example: account opening fee, account closing fee, transfer fee, exchange fee, consulting fee, agency fee, service fee, etc. ~
As long as transactions occur, banks can use a variety of handling fees to make money from customers. .
Handling fees can contribute nearly 10% to the bank’s income statement every year~
. . .
Secondly, it’s the agency business~
For example: acting as an agent to sell products of fund companies, insurance companies, trust companies, or treasury bonds, etc.
JP Morgan slowly became a legendary tycoon by relying on selling national debt for the United States and Britain during the war~
Every year, the income from agency business can account for about 10% to 20% of the bank's annual income.
The specific situation is slightly different~
. . .
Third, it is bank exchange business.
To put it simply, the exchange business means that your company's deposit bank will issue you an exchange voucher after review and hand it over to you for use in some transactions.
To put it more bluntly, the bank has reviewed you and there is indeed money in your account, so it will issue you a white note.
This IOU is a transaction voucher that the bank stands behind to endorse you.
It can also be understood as a check for personal use upgraded to a check for company use.
You've got this money order in your hand, but it's money. .But it’s still in the bank!
The bank can take advantage of the time difference before you cash the money order and use your money to obtain short-term profits.
Of course~
A company’s money order doesn’t cost much~
But the exchange business operated by banks is huge~
When the total amount of short-term funds reaches a certain scale, it will change from quantitative to qualitative. .
(In the previous episode, David went to San Francisco to attend the Association for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication/swift meeting, just to give everyone a preliminary understanding of why banks are so keen to join swift.)
(Because there is a time difference in international bank exchange business!!!)
. . .
cough~
The last one worth mentioning is the investment business.
Banks hold countless deposits in their hands, and they will naturally invest a certain proportion of funds in some financial products with relatively low risks and high returns to obtain returns.
For example: investing in some large companies that have problems with their capital chains, or investing in some companies with huge development potential to obtain a certain proportion of shares, etc.
In the United States, for decades, commercial banks were strictly supervised and prohibited from using depositors' deposits to conduct risky investment businesses based on the Glass-Steagall Act. .
Now~
The shackles that have been hanging around the necks of commercial banks, preventing them from breathing, have been torn apart~
----
The Langham Hotel, first floor.
David smiled and nodded to the waiter who brought him an ice drink.
Toby Olga, not back yet~
David took a big sip of the ice drink and let out a long breath~
The City of London has begun to reap the benefits of the new “money laundering” business. .
It is natural that Hong Kong, which is currently under British rule, will become a newly emerging center of international financial freedom in the future~
Xiangjiang~
Cui Yingying came out from there and arrived in New York.
David had only met her twice and had very little time to chat. He didn’t know what the situation was like in Xiangjiang~
After going back this time, I must find time to have a good chat with Cui Yingying.
. . .
After a few minutes.
David drank half a glass of ice drink, and after the "inner fire" gradually dissipated, Toby Olga also came back ~
David looked at her swaying figure and sighed in his heart: This is also a little fairy who knows how to use her own "advantages" and give full play to her own "advantages"~
. . .
Toby Olga knows very well that his appearance is by no means his greatest advantage~
Therefore, this time she took the initiative to go to the bathroom, took off her heavy coat, and only wore a close-fitting sweater on her upper body, just to show more of her "advantages" in front of David Coleman~
Toby Olga, trying to control her breathing, slowed down a bit as she approached the small table, pausing briefly with each step to let the "majestic burden" on her chest feel like. .
(Forget it, I won’t write it anymore~ If I write it again, I will fail the review...)
(Also~ When I was writing this section about Toby Olga, I suddenly thought of the girl in the movie "The King of Flowers" who dug two big holes in the body armor and the helmet sister...)
. . .
David worked very hard to keep his eyes from rising and falling and trembling slightly. .He moved away, waved his hand with a smile, and said.
"Please sit down~"
"Ok~"
"I...can I call you Toby?"
"of course can!"
"Well... I heard a piece of news and wanted to verify it with you, Toby!"
"Please speak~"
"I heard that the new director of your CIA who took office last year is planning to lay off employees, right?"
Toby Olga straightened his body, the teacup he just picked up in his hand trembled, lowered his head slightly, and did not answer.
David didn't know whether it was her acting skills that were too good or her true state at the moment, which was just like this. . "Delicate yet charming"?
He looked out the window not far away and continued with a smile.
"The relationship between me and Claymo is equal and cooperative~"
"What about you?"
"Are you also willing to do some... cooperation with me?"
Toby Olga put down the teacup, bit his lip, and nodded.
"Yes, sir!"
"ok~"
David stood up, slowly straightened the folds on his body with his hands, looked down at Toby Olga, and smiled.
"Since you work in the Financial City, today is another working day..."
"How about you serve as my guide and take me to visit the Financial City?"
Toby Olga raised his head and blinked in surprise: "You want to go...?"
"Yes~"
"..OK!"
"Are we going now?"
"Well... please wait! I'm going to put on a coat~"
. . .
David's figure disappeared around the corner.
Toby Olga felt a sense of regret and failure in his heart ~
I messed up again~
Those "skills" she had learned so hard, were very useful to David. .Why doesn't it work?
He wasn't supposed to. .
Um. .
Toby slowly put on his coat, buttoned it, picked up the small bag, stood up with a disappointed look, and walked to the lobby of the hotel.
Is there still a chance?
There will be!
Toby kept encouraging himself in his heart, and the heavy steps under his feet became lighter~
----
The other side of the Atlantic~
new York.
Due to the time difference, the sun has just risen here~
Manhattan.
40th Street, Da Company’s small building.
Fourth floor, Shirley Fashion Design Studio.
Shirley, who hadn't slept a wink after a busy day and night, didn't look tired at this moment, only excited~!
She skillfully stepped on the sewing machine, and after completing the last "work" in her hand, she checked it carefully again, and then let out a long breath~
In the studio, there are still several female garment workers who were temporarily arranged by Polly to help Shirley yesterday. They are sitting or lying down, resting and sleeping~
They are so tired~
Shirley is tired too!
But now she finally understood why she heard her instructors say in school that designers would sometimes stay up for days and nights for a piece of work or an inspiration, just to complete it. .Wonderful experience~
The enrichment and satisfaction of the spiritual world can continuously provide them with all nutrients ~
This novel and extremely pleasant experience also made Shirley obsessed~
. . .
Shirley drank the last cup of cold coffee in the coffee pot, walked into the bathroom, closed the door tightly, and locked it~
She quickly took off all her clothes and took a quick cold shower with cold water~
The physical fatigue seemed to flow into the sewer along with the streams of cold water.
When Shirley walked out of the bathroom, apart from the dark circles under her eyes, a hint of exhaustion could be seen. .
She is a resurrected "vibrant female fighter"~
. . .
The sun rises slowly~
Last night, Polly Sidrich, who had not had a good rest at home, stepped on a pair of high heels and walked into the small company building.
Fourth floor.
Polly pushed the door open and walked into the studio. She saw Shirley who was holding a piece of manuscript paper and reciting seriously, and asked with a smile.
"Are you all done?"
"Yes!"
"Wow ~ you really did it!?"
"Haha~ they are all there, you can look at them~"
Polly put down her handbag, walked to the two rows of clothes racks by the window, and checked these works one by one, which were still on the design drawings a few days ago.
Especially the ones David gave to Shirley. .Underwear design works~
They were placed in a corner by Shirley, leaving Polly speechless~
"Oh~ right Shirley!"
"Ludi called me this morning~"
"He said that the originally scheduled models and some sisters wanted to come to this fashion show~"
"Is there a problem with you here?"
"no problem!"
"Some time ago, I made some samples of my design works at school at home~"
"Now...there's still enough time!"
"I'm going to call my dad and ask him to drive him here!?"
"Yes~"
"Then I will contact Ludy now and ask them..."
. . .
Polly and Shirley.
Of the two of them, one was originally a housewife and the other was an apprentice in a tailor shop.
Now he has become the president of a group company and a new fashion designer~
This wonderful identity has brought great changes to their lives.
. . .
Eight o'clock in the morning.
Manhattan, Blue Crystal Hotel.
Pine, who was wearing a crisp suit, walked out of the elevator and saw Polly at the entrance to the lobby on the second floor, who was directing everyone's work.
"Hey Polly, how can I help?"
"Have!"
"Sounds! What time does your hotel's sound engineer start work?"
"We were about to prepare for rehearsal, but the door to the sound room was locked~ Your manager said that only the sound engineer has the key..."
"Forehead.."
Pine turned to look at the hotel manager not far away, who had a helpless expression on his face, and smiled.
"The door can be opened without a key~"
"..you sure?"
"If it breaks, I won't pay for it~"
"Hahaha~"
"You can go, I don't need you to accompany me~"
"I'll ask the manager to deduct the sound engineer's salary!"
"Humph~hehe~"
Polly raised her eyebrows and smiled at the bitter-faced hotel manager~
"ok~"
"Hey~Harvey!"
"Have your people find some tools and give that damn door..."
. . .
In the morning, almost nine o'clock.
Blue Crystal Hotel.
Mr. Odis Parker slowly walked out of the elevator on the second floor and saw Giles, Bloomer, and Leslie gathered together in front of the closed door, thinking slyly. Through the crack in the door. .
"Cough cough~"
"Forehead.."
"Hi~ Mr. Parker, you're early!"
"Haha~ What are you doing?"
"We...that...just take a look~"
"Can you see it through the crack in the door?"
"Just a little bit~"
"Hahaha~"
Mr. Parker laughed, walked to the door, and looked inside through the crack of the door. .
"..."
Giles opened his mouth wide, not knowing what to say~
Blumer suppressed his laughter, kicked him, and shot Leslie a look.
The three of them retreated quietly in a tacit understanding, rubbed oil on their soles, and slipped away~
. . .
In the morning, nine twenty.
The audience invited today entered the hall on the second floor one after another.
Thanks to the staff here and Harvey, Tangtang and others, I had the experience of participating in David's show last time.
This time, the entire hall and auditorium were arranged in a more reasonable, compact and formal manner.
. . .
Today's invited audience list was composed by Polly based on the list left by David, and after a brief discussion with Pine, she added some people's names.
The people in the company include: Ludy, Andy, Sally, Ben Whitcott, and lawyer George.
Plus Giles, Bloomer, and Leslie as three bad friends, as well as Pine and Lilith.
And Otis Parker, Mag Ludwig, Janet Patrick, and David's company's Sam Rogers, Mu Brandes, Leon Hoffman, Bob Rockefeller, Yuri Orlov et al.
As well as Xena and friends Mary Tyler Moore and Barbra Streisand; Bernard Madoff and Mikhail Freddie Liman; Martin Scorsese and Francis Coppola, Mario · Puzo et al.
Of course~
How could David forget his own people in such a super "exciting" fashion show?
Everyone in the Wildfire Bar came, except Menge, the steel-toothed dog who stayed behind to look after the bar.
In addition, David specifically told Polly to invite Harold Stone and Ezra Claymore. .
. . .
In the hall, after all the audience are seated.
Under the signal of Harvey, the temporary commander of the scene, Polly pushed the tight Shirley in front of everyone and smiled.
"Shirley, it's your turn!"
"it is good!"
Shirley, under the strong lights specially arranged by Harvey, could almost only be seen vaguely by the audience.
She took a breath and spoke the lines she had memorized long ago into the microphone.
"Fashion!"
"Many people regard it as a derogatory term~"
"Say it is frivolous, say it exudes a snobbish and alternative atmosphere~"
"But they seem to be unwilling or afraid to face it~"
“Fashion has already occupied a big place in our culture~!”
"It is a language, a drama, a platform to express yourself, and an arena!"
"Friends, do you think...clothes can talk?"
"My answer is yes!"
"It's about power, beauty, joy, happiness, money, class, desire, gender, age... and everything!"
Shirley felt that her brain was burning with a ball of heat in her chest at this moment~
She suppressed this "impulsive" feeling and spoke in a calmer and lower voice.
"Friday, January 1971, 1."
“On Avenue Spontini in Paris, 180 guests were sitting anxiously in Saint Laurent’s fashion house, waiting for the closing fashion show of the 71 Spring/Summer Haute Couture Fashion Week~”
"But what no one expected was that the precursor of the storm was already spreading in the air~"
"That closing show had no background music and no opening host as usual."
“There was just a simple press kit that listed the Liberation collection in fashion industry terms.”
"But when the six models started filing out, the storm unleashed all its power!"
"Everyone was stunned!"
"Some people shouted that this is...a scandal!"
"Some people left the Yves Saint Laurent fashion house with disgusted expressions just a few minutes after the show started."
Here, Shirley paused slightly, letting her heartbeat slow down a little, and then continued.
"I know that everyone doesn't know much about the scandal that shocked the entire fashion industry thousands of miles away in Paris~"
"That's why it's called a scandal by some."
"Because of this series, people in the industry can guess it just by looking at the name. It refers to the clothes of the girls on the streets of Paris who had no choice but to leave their homes in order to make a living during the Second World War~ "
Shirley's right hand holding the microphone trembled slightly~
She seemed to be able to feel the presence of the street girls who participated in the last "David Show" at the door of the dressing room at the back. .Gaze ~
at the moment~
Harvey, the general conductor of the scene, waved his right hand several times to the sound engineer according to the order of the rehearsal.
A burst of carefully selected background music sounded~
Tangtang, holding two chairs with both hands, placed them on Shirley's left and right sides respectively~
Shirley, not disturbed by these planned things, continued speaking in the music.
"Yves Saint Laurent's Liberation series of fashions set off a storm that swept across Europe!"
“In London in 71, the women’s equal rights movement reached its climax~”
"In March 71, the Paris edition of "Vogue" magazine published the Liberation series fashion show, and wrote a paragraph next to the illustration to annotate it~"
"Saint Laurent, we must break the rigid system of high fashion!"
"It allows women to feel more comfortable and have the awakening characteristics of modern women when wearing the Liberation Series fashion~"
"It gives women the right to break free and express themselves fearlessly!"
. . .
In the dressing room behind Shirley, six models wearing the Liberation series fashion models designed by Shirley, with particularly conspicuous blush on their faces, walked up to Shirley with a carefree smile~
Under the strong light, the smiles on their faces and the confident eyes made the audience who were only two or three meters away from them become even more silent. .
. . .
Shirley stood there, looking left and right at the models who were full of confidence and fearlessness, and her heart became filled with pride~
She continued in a higher voice.
"Sleeved tight-fitting tank top + knee-length skirt + bare-leg high heels, long-sleeved low-cut short top + wide pleated pants, polka-dot dress + red pattern accessories on the chest, and some people, labeled Thickened fox fur coat with porn label..."
"There are also Greco-Roman printed impromptu dresses, dark women's double-breasted business attire + beige summer shorts."
"They are all considered by some people in the Paris fashion industry to be of too low a taste to be sold as haute couture clothing...junk!"
"Kitsch, vulgar, vulgar~!??"
"No!!"
Shirley resisted the urge to curse and let out a "no!" that resounded throughout the hall~
The models in front of her sat in the two chairs placed by Tangtang one by one in a tacit understanding, and made various frowning poses to the audience. .Actions and postures ~
Shirley’s eyes seemed to have lost the Morgan expression~
She continued speaking loudly according to the script from today's rehearsal.
"Any belittling and slander is a hymn to that period of scarcity!"
"This thick and plump fox fur coat + miniskirt + brightly colored stockings + Carmen Miranda-style headscarf + platform shoes."
"All their design ideas are based on the clothing of the street girls who were trying to find German soldiers on the streets of Paris and wanted... to pick up business..."
"It allows us to bravely face the hardship and helpless life in shackles~"
"It allows those young women who have no memory of the war, those girls who are wandering around fashion houses to realize more differences from women in Hollywood movies."
"It makes us less sensitive to rumors, makes us aware of our own unique temperament, and allows us to find our undiscovered... precious wealth!"
"In March 1971, the American version of "Vogue" magazine published a set of color photos of models as inserts~"
"At the closing show of Saint Laurent."
“All models used red lipstick on their faces instead of blush~”
"This kind of lipstick was the only one available during the scarcity period in the 40s. It was a bright color for women~"
"But now, it has been attributed to the exclusive color of frivolous street girls??"
"Bright red lipstick is banned from all elegant cocktail parties and salons in Paris... and even in New York~"
"But this red is the red of the blood flowing in our bodies!"
"It is the red of rumor, the red of liberation, the red of independence, and the red of freedom!"
"us.."
. . .
Behind the lights, in the audience.
Bloomer, who was the friend of the trio, frowned and asked in a low voice to Leslie and Giles beside him.
"Why do I feel like what she said was written by David?"
"Shut up you!"
"At this moment, it's best for us to remain silent...just watch~"
"Oh~"
. . .
On the stage.
Shirley ended her "speech~" with some background music.
Today's fashion show has officially begun!
In the background music with a brighter rhythm, after the six models on the stage followed Shirley back, one by one, the models wearing the fashions designed by Shirley walked in front of the audience with brisk steps~
The two chairs placed in advance seem to have become one of the props for their "performance" on the stage.
Some of them wore square-point knee-length skirts, some wore wide-leg pleated pants with short sleeves + short-sleeved fringed vests, and some wore miniskirts to wrap their beautiful legs in In brightly colored stockings, she "shows off" to people wantonly~
They sat, stood, supported, or seductively showed the audience the "eighteen kinds of martial arts" they learned on the street~
. . .
offstage.
Old Rhett, the oldest, and his friend Andy sat together, their mouths tightly closed and their eyes wide open. .
Sally, who was sitting next to Andy, turned her head and glanced at the two old men, and couldn't help but smile.
Old Rhett's arms tightly clasped in front of his chest had exposed his innermost feelings. .nervous?
He seemed to have missed a lot during his years in Shawshank Prison. .Ah~
the other side.
Ludy, who knew today's big show very well, smiled softly at lawyer George and Mr. Odis Parker beside him.
"Don't worry~"
"The fun is yet to come!"
"..."
Otis Parker smiled with an unknown meaning and said nothing.
Lawyer George, a bachelor, stared at a model with gleaming eyes and kept swallowing his saliva. .
. . .
One round, two rounds, three rounds~
Models waiting for the fourth round,