Wait, there are other competitors?
Melvin's first reaction is to leave in a huff.
He thought he was special, he thought his abilities far exceeded this job, he thought they should be ecstatic to welcome him if he agreed to give it a try, he thought he was the only candidate.
However...
He was wrong.
His pride and confidence hit a wall; things were completely different from what he imagined.
Such a job, and there are actually other competitors?
Actually!
So, what does this mean?
"Melvin, this is an opportunity. Trust me, I understand Anson; at the same time, I also understand you. For you, this is both an opportunity and a challenge."
Eddie's words echoed in his ears again.
Phew.
Melvin takes a deep breath and doesn't leave—
So, it's almost impossible for men to stand out in their styling at premieres and award ceremonies.
Melvin also skillfully takes out his business card and exchanges it. "Melvin Bailey. Yes, I'm here for the interview for Anson's personal stylist position."
Moreover, Melvin notices two details.
Maybe competition is a good thing, Melvin's fighting spirit is ignited. Indeed, he's a maverick, an oddball, a difficult neurotic, but his pride and confidence aren't baseless arrogance. He believes in his professionalism and talent, one hundred percent.
That was before, things are different now, Dior menswear has emerged, hasn't it?
Maybe some people would be confused:
"Good afternoon, I'm Edgar Cook, Anson Wood's manager. May I ask if you're here for the personal stylist interview?"
This means they need to create a premiere look for Anson, and in the end, Anson will try it on and showcase it, choosing the winner.
A man approaches, smiling and handing over a business card.
First, Edgar didn't look at his business card. Either Edgar already knows his background, or his identity simply doesn't matter.
Even a white suit is rare on such occasions, as are gray and blue.
Edgar makes an inviting gesture. "Welcome, thank you for coming. The interview has already begun. Please choose an outfit for Anson to attend the 'Catch Me If You Can' premiere. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
His personality, once he decides, ten horses can't pull him back.
Second, the other two competitors stretched their ears to eavesdrop for a bit, but then quickly returned to their tasks, no longer paying attention to them—
It's very likely they have the same interview question.
So, this is the interview question.
Melvin doesn't think so.
He will prove his talent.
Since he has already pushed open that door, he wants to see the results.
Remember?
But... that's it?
To be honest, just like award ceremonies, men's styling for premieres is basically a three-piece suit, and the color is often black—
Men's fashion is indeed on the rise, and Dior is leading the trend, but Dior can't be the answer to all men's fashion. Otherwise, if the red carpet is filled with only Dior, that would also be a disaster. Besides, the red carpet is not suitable to be a fashion stage. Even if men try to showcase their taste, it's usually not at premieres or award ceremonies.
However.
Edgar's question is precisely about premiere styling.
Of course, compared to award ceremonies, there's slightly more room for creativity at premieres, occasionally even allowing men to not choose a suit. But it's still a minority, after all, being too unconventional isn't good either—
No one wants to steal the spotlight from the movie.
Things aren't that simple.
Taking a deep breath, regaining his composure, Melvin's brain starts working at high speed:
What did Eddie say about this job?
It's not that Eddie might reveal any secrets, but Melvin believes that with Anson's intelligence, the details must have been communicated beforehand. It's up to them to discover them and ultimately stand out from the competition.
See, Anson is currently outside playing football, completely relaxed and carefree, seemingly unaware of the ongoing interview inside.
Melvin doesn't think this shows Anson's indifference towards this matter. On the contrary, this is Anson's way of sending signals. Eddie has repeatedly said that Anson is very smart, and working with him is always easy and enjoyable.
So, the details—
Personal stylist. Movie premiere. Personal fashion image.
Melvin stands there, not rushing to start, then, a flash of inspiration strikes his mind.
"Mr. Manager."
"Just call me Edgar."
"Edgar, may I ask, what kind of movie is 'Catch Me If You Can', and what kind of role does Anson play in it?"
Edgar glances at Melvin. The two people who are busy nearby also perk up their ears slightly, but after hearing Melvin's question, they both turn their heads away, no longer paying attention.
Melvin has no direct connection to the film industry, but it's also part of the entertainment industry, so he naturally has heard about it.
In 2002, the connection between fashion and film is not strong, mainly staying at the level of award ceremonies and premieres. The cases of actors becoming popular through fashion styling are also few and far between—
Like Jennifer Aniston, like "Sex and the City."
Currently, the general view in the fashion industry is that styling is just styling, related to the actor, not to the movie or the character.
However.
Call Melvin a layman, but he believes fashion shouldn't be separated from film.
For example, "Star Wars" and "Sleepless in Seattle," one a sci-fi movie, the other a romance, the fashion styles for their premieres can be completely distinguished.
"The Terminator" and "Blade Runner," although both are sci-fi movies, their styles are vastly different, and the actors' fashion styles can also showcase different colors.
The same applies here.
After all, the styling they're creating is for Anson to attend the movie premiere, not a talk show, not a fan meeting, not a media roundtable interview. It's purely for the premiere.
Moreover, Melvin hasn't forgotten one thing, the key point Eddie emphasized:
Treat Anson as a brand, build a fashion image, a fashion style around him, truly make Anson a fashion icon.
In other words, it needs characteristics, it needs color, and at the same time, it needs to break existing rules and frameworks.
So, what should Melvin do?
The first step is to treat the actor as an actor, highlighting the actor's personal colors.
For example, at the movie premiere, showcase the charm between the actor and the character, break the fourth wall, and bring a brand new experience.
So.
Melvin doesn't rush. Within the scope of his consideration, he tries to delve into the movie and the character as deeply as possible, even asking about Anson's interesting stories on set and his experience during filming—
After all, ultimately, Melvin is styling for the real-life Anson, not for the character Frank Abagnale Jr. in the movie.
For a while, the atmosphere becomes a bit strange.
Melvin doesn't seem like he's here for a personal stylist interview at all. Like a reporter, he stands aside chatting with Edgar, in a deep interview mode.
Strangely, Edgar doesn't urge him either. There's an old friends' vibe between the two, enjoying the conversation.
Is this really okay?
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