Chapter 82: The Designer

In New York, Charles met up with Tom Ford again and chatted about investing in Tom Ford's eponymous fashion brand.

Tom Ford was prepared to resign from his roles as creative director of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent this year to start his own namesake fashion brand.

Manhattan, Upper East Side, at the cafe below the Taj Mahal Hotel on Fifth Avenue.

"Charles, you should have come a few days earlier; you could have attended this year's Met Gala with the 19th-century theme!" Tom Ford lamented slightly. The Saint Laurent gowns he designed had shone brightly this year.

"I was in Los Angeles, lots of things to handle!" Charles didn't mind; those wild and chaotic parties didn't attract him much.

Tom Ford nodded, then asked, "I watched your Brokeback Mountain. It wasn't the final version, but I liked it. The release date in December won't change, right?"

"I heard many conservatives are opposed to it. Will that significantly affect the release?" Tom Ford, himself a gay man, found the beautiful yet tragic story of Brokeback Mountain incredibly moving, with its refined visuals and emotionally resonant plot.

Charles smiled and said, "It won't change. Focus Features has ways to handle it, and the conservative opposition won't have much impact. A movie is just a movie, after all. Besides, love shouldn't be confined by gender!"

Tom Ford nodded in agreement, indeed believing that love should not be limited by gender. The primary reason he accepted Charles Carpe's investment in Tom Ford's fashion brand was his great appreciation for the movie Brokeback Mountain.

Tom Ford believed that someone who could create such a film would likely make for a very pleasant partnership in the future.

The earliest Tom Ford could establish his namesake fashion brand would be next year, and the equity agreement would undoubtedly require negotiations from both sides.

Sitting in his chair, Charles watched Tom Ford leave the cafe and shook his head, puzzled.

Why are so many of these talented male designers interested in men?

Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, and even Gianni Versace, who was shot in Miami a few years ago, were all gay.

Have women stopped inspiring them? Or is it that only men can understand the joy of men?

Charles shook his head again, decided not to dwell on it, settled the bill, and left.

He drove to the Brentwood community in Long Island, where Mr. & Mrs. Smith was currently filming some scenes.

"Hmm, the number of reporters outside the set seems unusually high," Charles remarked as his Mercedes SLR entered the set.

Assistant director Simon laughed and explained, "Because our movie stars both Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie!"

Charles' mind quickly grasped the situation. It must have been some intimate photos of them causing a scandal or the like.

Charles spoke, surprised, "They've gotten close already? The filming has only been going on for a little over a month! Even though they trained together before, that's just about two months in total, right?"

"Let's go," Charles shrugged it off. High attention was good for the film's release as long as it didn't disrupt the filming process.

"Brad still needs to find time to shoot Ocean's Twelve this year. He'll often need to go to Europe for location shoots. Although we have many scenes in the UK, we still need to adjust our schedule," Director Doug Liman said somewhat helplessly.

Extending the filming schedule meant increasing the budget, so Charles looked at executive producer Eric McLeod.

Eric McLeod nodded, "Ocean's Twelve is the sequel to Ocean's Eleven. The last one did well both critically and commercially, so director Steven Soderbergh and stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon decided to start shooting this year and then release it immediately!"

"Filming and releasing it within the same year?" Charles was stunned.

"From June to August, Brad Pitt will be fully devoted to Ocean's Twelve," Eric McLeod said, helplessly spreading his hands.

"I estimate we'll need an additional $10 million for our budget!"

Charles nodded, "I'll discuss the budget with Universal."

Ocean's Twelve had gathered many big-name stars and was greenlit quickly, with just a two-month shooting schedule.

Looking at Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie laughing together on the set, Charles brought his gaze back.

"Let's make sure we have a good shooting plan. We can't film next month without Brad," Charles said as he sat down. A set assistant handed him a cup of coffee, which he began to drink.

"Will Ocean's Twelve have enough time for release?" Charles asked casually.

Eric McLeod laughed, "A team of big-name stars on a heist tour in a foreign country, surrounded by countless reporters wherever they go. George Clooney and Brad Pitt are always followed by reporters; even Matt Damon has become a big star thanks to The Bourne Identity. And then we have Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones joining the cast.

With the reputation and box office success of Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve immediately sparked fans' anticipation upon announcement.

No way Warner Brothers would reject a sequel like this."

Charles knew about the movie but didn't realize it would be released this year. He also wasn't aware that Ocean's Thirteen would follow, resulting in a decline in reputation and box office success, ending the series.

In the evening, after the crew wrapped, Charles returned to Manhattan's Upper East Side to attend a party at the Mark Hotel.

Located close to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this five-star hotel was a popular choice for actresses attending the Met Gala every year.

"Hey, Charles!" Rita Wilson, who had come with Tom Hanks, called out upon seeing him.

"Good evening, Mrs. Wilson!" Charles warmly hugged her.

"Where's Mr. Hanks?"

"Oh, Tom's over there chatting with Spielberg about the movie The Terminal, which is releasing next month!"

"Right, I know that. It's based on the story of an Iranian man at Charles de Gaulle Airport in France. I heard he's still living at the airport, right?" Charles smiled.

Rita Wilson nodded with resignation, "He appeared at the airport in '89. Some European country later gave him refugee status, but he didn't want to leave. Even if he did leave at some point, he would eventually return to live at the airport again."

"Of course, Steven's adapted the story with a perfect ending!"

Charles nodded, "A good ending sounds great, and Tom's acting is perfect for such a character!"

After all, a role like this was a piece of cake for Tom Hanks.

*****

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