7 Winner
A very short dress in miniskirt style highlighted the slender and toned legs of the supermodel who, with her savoir-faire, was conquering the USA: long blonde hair, tied in a braid that started from the top of the head and adorned with tiny white and purple flowers, similar to lavender and daisies; the bright purple dress, solid colour and minimal makeup, made noteworthy by two heavy silver bracelets on both her forearms.
Lucy Donovan's dazzling smile captured the entire audience, and her full lips looked perfect as if an artist had just sculpted them from the late 1800s.
The young host picked up a microphone and raised her arm upwards, then pointing it at the audience in front of her.
"Good evening, Paris!"
The screams that followed that statement were above average, similar to those of a concert, even though most of the guests at that event were pretty calm and mild-mannered people.
"Good evening to you too, Clyde! How are you, my friend?" Lucy Donovan exclaimed again.
"How could I not feel comfortable in a place like this? In a country as wonderful as this?" the lead conductor replied, saying the classic phrases he repeated wherever he worked, around the world.
"Aaah... Paris... the city of fashion and love... I warmly invite all the public watching us from home to visit France, this beautiful country. The views are lovely, the weather is perfect and the food is yummy!" Lucy continued, never stopping to move her arms and gesticulate, knowing that, in that way, every muscle and hidden stretch of her arms and legs could be noticed, enhancing, even more, her athletic physique.
"Wow... now I can admit it: she's a stunning woman seen live... I thought that beauty was an effect of the TV instead..." Naseefa whispered, putting a hand in front of her mouth and speaking in confidence to Kora, never looking away from the stage.
Kora nodded, superficially confirming that statement, acknowledging the presenter's beauty within herself, but knowing that, deep down, behind that perennial smile and high heels, Lucy Donovan was probably a person like any other.
"Lucy, how about presenting these people the winners of the Grand Gala season award? They're really impatient, and so am I! I can't wait!" Richards said, shrugging his shoulders and watching the audience, which began to lower the voice volume.
"With extreme pleasure, Clyde! Editors! Let the envelope with the names of the three lucky artists arrive on stage!" the blonde-haired presenter promptly replied, as scripted.
Immediately, as if by magic, all the people in the big ballroom remained silent, as if witnessing the crucial scene of an thriller film.
"Ohohoh... amazing! Now, look how they're all shut up! Shh!" Clyde Richards chuckled, making his viewers smile.
A man in a black sweatshirt and work pants quickly walked to the stage, wearing strange microphone headphones. The audience applauded, realizing that he was a member of the technical staff who had made that show possible, mounting the stage, adjusting the microphones' volumes, setting the lights and all the rest.
The man made a quick bow and then disappeared again among the people, leaving a white letterbox locked in Lucy's hands and hurriedly heading backstage, which was actually an open space, one with the hall.
"Perfect... there we are, the most awaited moment has arrived. Oh God, I'm excited too! Hahaha!"
Those simple words that came out of beautiful Lucy's mouth and adorned with a hand gesture, helpful in moving the braid from her shoulder, generated additional applause from the audience.
Kora and Naseefa, like everyone present, continued to keep their eyes fixed on the two presenters, illuminated by two huge white light reflectors, which gave them even more importance, leaving the rest of the room in absolute darkness.
"Madames et Monsieurs... for me, it is an honor and a privilege to announce that the first place of the seasonal contest organized by the Academie Francaise de la mode, on the occasion of its Grand Gala goes to ..."
From the crates around the stage started a fake drum roll, which increased the suspense as if inside an actual television program.
"Antoine Moitessier, with his new perfume 'Voir'!" Lucy Donovan exclaimed aloud, waving forward the envelope containing the other names.
A piece of sudden music started loudly, and a group of people in the audience began to jump and scream, cheering the winner, standing between them.
"Mr. Moitessier, can you join me on stage, please? A round of applause to the winner of the contest! C'mon!" Lucy repeated, inviting the first-place finisher to take the stage next to her for the official award ceremony.
"Pff... pretty obvious," Naseefa said, looking at Kora to understand what she thought of that result.
"I told you, Naseefa. The names of the winners are written even before the contest begins. That's always been like that. Voir is a perfume that has already sold millions of units, and Moitessier is a famous name in France, and he has been operating in that sector for more than twenty years. If the first prize hadn't gone to him, it would have been a real injustice," Kora replied, applauding the winner and showing her friend her humility.
"Thank you, thank you all for this magnificent gift! I dedicate it to all my staff, my managers and all the people who have the patience to bear my whims, every day for over twenty years!" Moitesser affirmed, taking Lucy's microphone for a moment and drawing a smile from the audience, which gradually stopped applauding.
"Congratulations again, Mr. Moitessier! Please stay here next to me! When his colleagues are all on stage, Clyde will give you the prizes!" Lucy Donovan continued, pointing to the winner's position to wait for the other contestants on the podium.
The awards ceremony saw Nadine Houdin in second place, thanks to her high fashion clothes, for sale in the most expensive boutiques in the world. After she too positioned herself next to Moitessier, Lucy prepared to declare the contest's third winner.
