Chapter 2471 - New Life of Female Naturalized Citizens (Part 2)

Myriad Purple Pavilion was originally just a tailoring room in Compound 82, specifically serving Elders and Life Secretaries. The tailors inside were the earliest batch of naturalized staff to accept modern tailoring techniques.

Here, they not only produced modern-style high fashion and various improved Hanfu but also were the first enterprise in this timeline to produce modern-style female underwear and stockings.

"...Elder Hong and several Elders in the textile system, under the premise of lacking artificial elastic fibers like nylon and Lycra, experimented with multiple natural elastic fibers and cooperated with the mechanical department to develop knitting machines, producing the first batch of silk stocking products. Once released, they achieved great success, filling the domestic gap in this field of products. Not only satisfying the demand of the domestic market but also exporting in large quantities to European countries..." (Textile Industry Chronicle, 1700 Edition)

As business expanded continuously and market demand increased day by day, this small tailoring room was separated from Compound 82 and became an independent clothing company. Although it still followed the high-end route, the service scope expanded greatly. Naturalized citizens and indigenous people could also have "Elder-like enjoyment" as long as they could afford it. The person in charge was said to be a retired Life Secretary of Elder Hong, who had served in Compound 82 for many years, had exquisite skills, and had wide connections among Elders and local big households.

Now it occupied a small three-story brick-and-wood structure building alone in East Gate Market. Inside were fitting rooms, garment making rooms, warehouses, design rooms, etc. It was the fashion center of Lingao and even the entire Hainan Island. Myriad Purple Pavilion followed a "Ming-Australian Hybrid" style of "incorporating things of diverse nature" in overall style. Stylistically, it was quite friendly to big households. It could be said that it satisfied their wish to "try new things" without being too "avant-garde." Ladies and misses of local big households came to order mostly. Although they disliked some styles as "bold" and couldn't wear them out, they would order a few pieces to wear in their boudoirs; otherwise, they would lose face.

For the vast number of female naturalized citizens, Myriad Purple Pavilion also satisfied their desire to "wear beautiful clothes." Once the consumption desire was aroused, it became difficult to suppress. Many female employees would save money for a few months or even half a year to a year to buy a piece of Myriad Purple Pavilion brand clothing.

Myriad Purple Pavilion's frontage was very small and inconspicuous on the bustling East Gate Market street. Because He Xiaoyue was an employee, she didn't enter through the frontage but through the employee channel in the side alley.

Entering the door, she took out her badge and flashed it at the doorman. The doorman here was the same as in most places in Lingao, a disabled person who lost labor ability in military operations or due to work injury. This doorman of Myriad Purple Pavilion was about thirty years old and had lost an arm.

He wore an indigo cloth staff uniform, with a purple ribbon bordered by two white strips sewn on the chest button—this indicated he was a disabled worker awarded the "Work Injury Ribbon." Such ribbons were awarded to industrial workers who were injured on duty on the production frontline reaching the "Medium Disability" level.

He nodded with a smile and didn't look at He Xiaoyue's badge—she had been working here for two months. The doorman had known her for a long time.

"Miss He, you came really early! It's only six-thirty."

"Coming early avoids crowded cars. Later, there will be too many people." He Xiaoyue took her time card from the wall, punched it on the card clock, and walked up the stairs quickly.

The first floor was the sales department, not where she worked. But every day she would go around to understand what styles sold well and which products attracted more attention. Although He Xiaoyue didn't understand what "market demand" was, she knew popular products mostly had some commonality. No one taught her, but she summarized silently by herself.

The second floor was the production workshop, equivalent to a small garment factory. He Xiaoyue originally worked here.

When she was assigned here, she served as the "Technical Officer" of the workshop, which was a job with technical content. Specific work was decomposing the designer's sketches into cutting pieces operable by tailor workers and establishing cutting processes. At the same time, supervising clothing production and checking quality.

He Xiaoyue's traditional needlework skills were very solid, and she systematically learned cutting and drafting in the training class, so she was handy with this work. However, she was not willing to merely serve as a "Technical Officer." Although this position had already placed her in the ranks of "Cadres," He Xiaoyue yearned more for the "Design Room" on the third floor.

Designers were "Gold Collar" employees in the entire Myriad Purple Pavilion enterprise, few in number and high in pay. The key was being superior in social status. Naturalized designers in the design room were obviously more confident when facing Elders, and the relationship was more "equal."

Today was the critical moment of whether she could "go up one floor."

Guo Xie'er had patted her chest to her, saying the Elder was very satisfied with her design, and this review was more of a formality. Her promotion to designer was "ten chances out of nine steady" (very certain). But she still felt somewhat uneasy.

Workers in the workshop hadn't arrived yet. She went to the office first, tidied up her workstation. The thermos bottle in the office was already filled, and the floor was swept clean—this was all done by that doorman. Don't look at him having only one hand; he did things carefully. What was his name again? He Xiaoyue thought for a long time before remembering; his name was Wu Xinsheng. Judging from the name, nine out of ten he was also a refugee from the mainland.

She looked at the wall clock; it was just past six-thirty. Guo Xie'er wouldn't come until seven. She tidied up the office, brewed herself a cup of tea, and flipped through the "Compilation of Australian Women's Wear Materials" borrowed from the reference room.

Seeing the time passing close to seven, He Xiaoyue picked up her bag and went up to the third floor taking three steps as two.

Stepping into the designer's office, she saw Guo Xie'er and hurriedly greeted: "Designer Guo!"

Guo Xie'er smiled charmingly upon seeing her: "You came really early! Said how many times, just call me Xie'er, no need to be so restrained!" Then asked, "Brought the stuff?"

He Xiaoyue hurriedly went up to open the bag in her hand. Guo Xie'er didn't take it but pulled her into the fitting room. The curtains of the fitting room were drawn tightly. Sunlight shone through the large frosted skylight on the roof, making it unusually bright.

Guo Xie'er looked at He Xiaoyue mysteriously and smiled again: "Actually, I forgot to tell you last time; this second review mainly looks not at drawings but real effects, so..."

"What?"

Guo Xie'er hugged He Xiaoyue and went to unbutton her chest: "So Sister Xiaoyue, you are our model today. You must perform well; know that there are two Elders at today's second review site! This is a rare opportunity in a thousand years!"

"Ya! Designer Guo, I can do it myself, don't..."

"Shy about what, both are girls—and what did you call me?"

"Um, Sister Xie'er, no need to take off underwear, right..."

"No way, the underwear on you has no whalebone; the lines are not good enough."

Saying this, Guo Xie'er had already deftly stripped off He Xiaoyue's clothes, looking up and down at her body, sighing seemingly with satisfaction and jealousy: "Sister Xiaoyue's figure is really nice."

From a female perspective, He Xiaoyue's figure was very beautiful: fair skin, smooth and plump lines, long and beautiful legs; simply a standard clothes hanger.

He Xiaoyue blushed all over her face, covering her chest with both hands: "Alright Sister Xie'er, stop teasing... give me the clothes quickly."

Guo Xie'er then walked to a cabinet smilingly, took out a set of clothes from inside: "This is the sample dress of your 'Drizzle Duckweed' (Wei Yu Ping Sheng); put it on quickly."

"Drizzle Duckweed" was the first dress designed by He Xiaoyue, borrowing from the design of Tang Dynasty chest-high Ruqun. Four layers of gauze were interlaced at the skirt hem, green outside and white inside, specially cut into irregular petal shapes. A silk peony at the waist hung down two gauze ribbons; when the breeze blew, it appeared exceptionally graceful, refreshing, and free.

Especially worth mentioning was that He Xiaoyue boldly adopted short sleeves and, gritting her teeth, shortened the skirt hem to above the knees. Even Guo Xie'er, who had received new-style education, was shocked with her mouth open. This is too short, right? Even skirts in Fangcaodi (scent of grass place/school) are not this short!

"Sister Xiaoyue, drawing like this won't work! The pass rate for design drafts contributed by naturalized citizens is already less than thirty percent, you doing this..."

"But looking like this is very beautiful." He Xiaoyue insisted, "Look at those Australian magazines; female models wear either long skirts or short skirts, rarely like what you said, putting skirt hems below knees. And don't girls in the Plaid Skirt Club all wear like this?"

After some persuasion, He Xiaoyue finally agreed to add a long style design, but refused to add the medium style strongly recommended by Guo Xie'er even if she died. Unexpectedly, after the drawing was submitted, several Elders of the review team praised it greatly and specifically proposed to meet He Xiaoyue to listen to design ideas. If she was a talent in this aspect, promote her to work in the design room later. Guo Xie'er was surprised and a bit sour, specifically instructing the tailor to make the second review sample dress well, especially the short style. Must choose the best and most transparent gauze; absolutely don't be reluctant to use material—Good for you, He Xiaoyue, daring to design such a short skirt; wear it yourself first to see!

In the next room, Liu Shuixin was carefully flipping through He Xiaoyue's design drafts, nodding again after a long time: "Talent, her talent is really unusual."

For a long time, Lingao's clothing design had no standard; either simplified copying of modern styles or rigid matching of Ming Dynasty and modern styles. Weird combinations like labor suit tops over long gowns or short jackets over trousers could be seen everywhere on streets. Not to mention female Elders, even many male Elders felt it hurt their eyes. But clothing matters couldn't be forced; the Senate could only let it take its course plus guidance.

Honestly speaking, looking with eyes of the old timeline, it was hard to say how brilliant He Xiaoyue's design was. However, explaining that she could design clothes with such modern aesthetic taste could truly only use talent.

Although this clothing might not necessarily catch the eyes of naturalized citizens and indigenous people, possessing modern concepts and modern consciousness was the quality of naturalized citizens most valued by the Senate. Once discovered, it became a treasure.

(End of Chapter)