Reciprocity

"Is he called Frank? What's his last name?" Hugo's memory was awakened by Joseph's hint. The man in front of him was Frank Ghana, the manager of the Armani Rodeo Drive branch.

Since being looked down upon at the Armani store earlier this year, Hugo and Joseph had no further contact with Armani. On one hand, their schedules were busy, and they had no opportunity to interact. On the other hand, Hugo quickly put that incident behind him and naturally lost the chance for a direct encounter. Armani had already disappeared from Hugo's sight, and he didn't expect to see him again at this unexpected moment.

Joseph furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, but in the end, he shook his head, giving up. He couldn't remember Frank's last name either. Joseph recalled the list of clothing brands that Prada had handed him but couldn't remember if he had read it carefully.

Typically, clothing sponsorships are handled by public relations managers. However, since Hugo didn't have a public relations manager at the moment, Joseph was currently handling these matters. It wasn't Joseph's expertise, so his abilities were naturally weaker. For example, this time it was Prada who took the initiative to make the request and found the sponsorship for Hugo, and finally handed the list of sponsor brands to Joseph for Hugo to choose the final sponsor.

Joseph turned his head and whispered to Hugo, "Should we just let them leave directly?"

Hugo couldn't help but smile lightly. Life was truly strange. Previously, they had voluntarily come to Armani hoping to purchase a suit, but they were looked down upon. Now, it had turned into Armani wanting to become Hugo's sponsor, seeking more attention through him. Although a big brand like Armani didn't need to beg Hugo, it was just an ordinary sponsorship after all. After all, Hugo hadn't reached the top level yet, not even the A-list. He wasn't qualified enough for Armani to lower its stance. But it had to be admitted that this change in position was quite interesting, especially against the backdrop of Hollywood's fame and fortune.

"No need," Hugo denied Joseph's suggestion with a shake of his head. "They haven't done anything to us, right?" Strictly speaking, Armani's rejection last time was a veiled one, and Hugo took it as a lesson learned. He couldn't compete with the popularity and trust Richard Gere had. Therefore, this time Hugo didn't need to confront them directly. "Besides, even if we directly refuse, they won't suffer any loss. I'm not some scarce and highly sought-after actor."

Hugo's self-mockery made Joseph laugh lightly. Initially, when Joseph saw Frank from Armani, his first reaction was to regain their dignity and let Armani taste the feeling of being rejected. However, after Hugo's remark, Joseph realized that he had been too hasty. But Armani's fate was already determined today; only the manner of refusal was different. "Should you refuse, or should I?"

"I said last time, I'll leave the opportunity to you," Hugo said with a smile. "You have to seize the moment."

While Hugo and Joseph were chatting, Frank was also in agony.

A brand sponsorship meeting like today shouldn't have been his responsibility to attend personally. As the branch manager, his main duty was in the store. However, last month, the headquarters expressed their intention for him to start handling the business related to high-end clients for the brand, specifically catering to the top Hollywood actors. This part of the business was booming with countless opportunities, and as the manager of the Rodeo Drive branch, Frank's network and business capabilities were recognized. That's why he became one of the candidates. Currently, the headquarters was still in the evaluation phase, allowing the candidates to demonstrate their abilities.

Today was Frank's first opportunity for evaluation. But who could have anticipated that the first chance would be Hugo Lancaster.

Perhaps Hugo couldn't remember it clearly, but Frank had to remember it clearly. It was one of his essential skills for business. Hugo was a smart person, and Frank knew that. He could tell from their previous encounter. Even though Frank concealed his disdain beneath politeness and decorum, Hugo still noticed it. It wasn't a good thing.

So one could imagine that today's meeting would be full of difficulties. But as for Frank, he couldn't back down. Not only because it involved his own promotion, but also because it was an inevitable lesson in his career. Situations like Hugo's were almost a daily occurrence in Hollywood.

Yesterday, one could be unknown, but today they could be famous. Conversely, yesterday they could be at the top, but today they could fall from grace. The fluctuation of clients was almost unpredictable, so exclusive brand services had to handle these differences in attitude and treatment. If Frank was worried about being rejected or felt embarrassed, he might as well pack up and go home. He wouldn't even be able to hold onto his position as the manager of the Rodeo Drive branch. Therefore, Frank had no room to retreat; he had to face the challenge head-on.

Taking a deep breath, Frank glanced at the representatives of other brands in the conference room, then proactively approached Joseph and Hugo. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. I'm Frank Ghana, the representative of Armani."

Hugo smiled at Frank, a polite and humble smile. The smile seemed genuine, but it felt piercing to Frank. Then Hugo turned his gaze to Joseph, and Joseph's lips tightened slightly. In a gentle yet irresistible tone, he said, "It's nice to meet you, and thank you for coming today. However, the briefing hasn't started yet. There will be a dedicated time for you to introduce yourself later." Joseph softened the blow. "I think we should take a break for now."

The same courtesy and gentleness. Frank felt like he had run into a rubber wall. It didn't hurt, but it was embarrassing. That's how Frank treated Hugo before, and now he was savoring this beautiful reciprocation.

"Of course. I look forward to the specific briefing later," Frank said elegantly and politely. Then he turned and left, but inside, he couldn't help but curse. Frank wasn't angry at Hugo's counterattack, but rather at the manner of the counterattack. It was too frustrating.

Frank had to adjust his mood and prepare for the upcoming briefing. However, at that moment, he caught a glimpse of a figure approaching Joseph. It was Kurtis Glover, the high-end client representative from Givenchy. Frank saw Kurtis talking to Joseph and Hugo. Hugo still wore a sincere smile on his face, but this time, it was completely radiant, exuding a sunny aura. Compared to that, Hugo's interaction with Frank earlier seemed distant.

Frank couldn't help but bite his lower lip. He remembered that after Armani rejected Hugo last time, Hugo chose to wear a Givenchy suit to the premiere. He had to remember because on that occasion, the male lead, Richard Gere, was completely overshadowed by Hugo. Even the highly anticipated film "Scent of a Woman" had its spotlight stolen. Armani's decision to choose Richard was not wrong, but they missed out on Hugo. In March, Givenchy's sales increased by two percentage points on top of their existing base.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Frank reminded himself, "I prepared myself mentally before leaving today. What I need now is not regret, but to give it my all."

The brands attending the briefing today were not many. Apart from Armani and Givenchy, there were also Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Gieves & Hawkes. Five brands in total, they were among the top international luxury brands, but not the absolute top. It was still evident that Hugo's status hadn't made a breakthrough. Of course, compared to the disastrous situation before the release of "Scent of a Woman", it was a significant improvement.

Among the brands present at the scene today, Gieves & Hawkes stood out the most. Although its international fame couldn't compare to the other brands, it was not particularly outstanding in terms of its level. However, Gieves & Hawkes was a British royal warrant holder for men's clothing, with a brand history spanning over two hundred years. Its heritage was something no one could ignore.

Gieves & Hawkes started out by designing uniforms for the British Navy but had become renowned for its tailored suits today. Even in the production of suits, Gieves & Hawkes had never strayed from military elements. Their suits, to some extent, always retained traditional military uniform elements, making it one of the brands appointed by the British royal family.

Columbia Pictures specifically invited Gieves & Hawkes, mainly due to the film "A Few Good Men", hoping to create a set or even multiple sets of clothing suitable for movie promotion for Hugo. Of course, this was just a hope, and further communication and selection would be needed to see if it could materialize.

Once all the brands were in place, Hugo and Joseph started browsing through each brand one by one. The first to be discussed was Gucci. Since the appointment of the new designer Tom Ford in 1990, Gucci had gradually formed a sexy and retro style. Tom had a great understanding of how to showcase the enchanting charm within a man's physique, with bold colors, exquisite cuts, and a distinct style.

With Hugo's physique, wearing a Gucci suit would have a unique charm. His natural charisma made it effortless for him to carry any clothes. However, it was apparent that it didn't quite match the premiere of "A Few Good Men". Even though it looked handsome and impressive, an immediate decision couldn't be made.

Dolce & Gabbana's designs were full of coolness and luxury, but they didn't quite suit Hugo. In fact, Dolce & Gabbana only launched their first menswear collection in 1990, and in recent years, their style was still not distinctive enough, relying more on fabrics and overall style to target their consumer base.

The biggest characteristic of Givenchy's suits was elegance and delicacy, something that Hugo had displayed to the fullest in his previous outfit. Today was no exception. Hugo was drawn to a double-breasted suit with a large lapel in black. The streamlined cut, perfect fit, and pairing with a black floral shirt made it classic and grand, truly outstanding.

Although men's suit choices were somewhat similar, the differences in details did bring about different dressing effects. Hugo had a very positive impression of Givenchy. However, there were still two more brands to consider today before making a decision. Next up was Armani.