Some of the more famous designers are starting to exit after chatting with talent scouts. You note that the Monsieur has floated over to a quieter corner to pluck up another flute of champagne, appearing to be not very interested in conversation, and a few people are looking his way but seem too nervous to approach.
@Mithical You're so exhausted that you don't even notice being approached until a female voice says from right behind you, quite suddenly and loudly, "Are you the one behind those fascinating twelve-thirty dresses?"
@Mithical The speaker, who is a younger mousy-haired woman looking a bit frazzled and having that vaguely anxious intern energy, scribbles on her clipboard and nods. "My client is interested in purchasing them, and looking at a few more of your designs. Is there a business number at which they can reach you?"
"Oh, dear, I'm afraid I'm rather exclusive with who I sell my designs to. Is your client here, by any chance, so that I can talk to them before I give you my number? I'm a rather private person, you understand, love."
@AncientSwordRage Approaching, you see the young man you saw fixing his buttons earlier backstage is absolutely stuffing his face with lemon tarts and apple crisps. He looks up in embarrassment and hastily mumbles something about not telling his designer he's eating so much.
The intern shifts awkwardly. "That's not necessarily possible, I'm afraid, they're very private as well. They were most interested in something along the lines of that first young lady's outfit, I believe, if you're able to make more things like that?"
@AncientSwordRage "Yes," he says enthusiastically, and resumes chowing down as he talks through crumbs. "I've been on a tuxedo diet for two weeks and I'm starving."
"That would certainly be within my talents, love. Tell you what, love, take my number, but be aware that your client is, naturally, competing with others for the design." She winks.
@Mithical "Oh, I assure you, they pay very well," the intern says, and flicks her eyes over and then subtly moves her hand a few times near her side. Teri, you recognize Thieves' Cant: She's interested.
@AncientSwordRage The man stuffs himself with a blueberry turnover as he speaks. "He can afford the fabric, it's just, you know... got to be svelte for the magazine covers, and all."
@Sciborg Fin raises an eyebrow at the man, "Where I am from that word means starved... Maybe you should find a magazine with more space on the cover, já?!" And she chuckles nervously, given this is the first casual conversation she's had outside of Teri and Sherri in a long time.
@Sciborg What does this guy look like, incidentally? Would he have caught Sherri's eye as someone who could probably pull off something... better, if he had the opportunity?
@bobble You lose sight of her a few times due to the thickness of the crowd, but eventually you place her arriving at a closed door with a "VIP" paper on it; someone opens it for her from the inside the moment she approaches, and she slinks inside, very much in the way you slunk earlier, like she doesn't want to be seen going in.
@AncientSwordRage The man turns a bit pink. "That's a fair point." He looks sheepishly at his growing pile of tart crumbs. "I never manage to stick to fashion diets for very long, really. I'm starting to think they just make people miserable."
@Mithical He's about in his mid-twenties, fairly good-looking, and strikes you as sort of a Donald Glover type with curly hair. He definitely could pull off more than just suits.
@Sciborg "Já, diets are overrated at best." And she does a gentle twirl as if making an example of herself, "unhealthy at worst. Svó, are you interested in new designs?"
The man looks hesitantly over at his designer, who is busily chatting up a talent scout. "That's a really nice offer, but I would feel wrong betraying Brian. He's been really good to me. Maybe I could just get your designer's number, if you promise not to snitch on me?"
@Sciborg Sherri is going to calmly approach, and then stand there, arms crossed, going for a slightly intimidating, you-should-be-admiring-me-now look. "Oh, that they do, young man."
Sherri just smiles. "I couldn't help but hear that last snippet of conversation, honey. Now, I happen to think that your talents are being slightly... squandered, you could say. I mean, really, darling, a regular old suit? On you. Please." She shakes her head. "Such a waste."
@Mithical His gaze flicks interestedly between the two of you, clearly imagining how your outfits might look on him. "You think so? My designer's always been a little old-fashioned."
@bobble The VIP door is relatively normal-looking, except for the fact that there's a piece of printer paper saying "VIP" stuck to it with blue tape. It appears to be locked.
@Mithical "If I can eat whatever I want working with you, I think I might be willing to chat." He shoots another nervous look over at his designer. "If I give you my number, would you call me sometime? When I'm not working?"
@bobble "Looking for a way in?" comes a mild, polite voice from over your shoulder. The Monsieur approaches with his champagne glass in hand, studying you. "Not that we have met before, but I'm a fairly good judge of people. I don't believe a locked door has ever stopped you."
@Mithical "Devon," he says, hastily dabbing crumbs off his mouth with a napkin and trying to strike a handsome expression. "It's very nice to meet you both."
@Mithical Fin pulls two chairs close together, and plops herself down while she watches the professional schmoozer at work, her dress engulfing the two chairs.
"The way you moved across that stage, I imagine you get into all sorts of places you're not supposed to." He winks, takes out a VIP lanyard with a key ring jingling on it, and unlocks the door. "This time, you won't have to."
@bobble "Monsieur will suffice, I think." He sweeps inside and stops the door with his foot, so you can follow. You notice that in the mirror that's mounted on the far left wall of the room, he has no reflection - it only shows you. "Names have something of a power. I have always advised to be careful who knows yours." He smiles again, knowingly.
According to old folktales of otherworldly creatures, a mirror reflects back the truth of the material world, and some creatures who aren't from the material world lie outside that truth - to be specific, beings from planes with different physical laws don't obey the laws of this one. You've heard this in stories of vampires and fey in particular.
@Sciborg "I'm glad to hear it, Devon. Might I ask, though, darling, what exactly is the arrangement between you and your current designer? Are you, hmm, locked into a contract, dear?"
@Mithical He looks awkwardly in Brian's direction again. "Well, something like that. He's the one who discovered me, so I still feel like I owe him something. When he found me, I was just a kid who wanted to be a star."
@Sciborg "And if you stick with him, dear, you'll still be just a kid who wants to be a star. Don't sell yourself short, kiddo. I'll be in touch." She raises her glass slightly in his direction, and then returns to strolling, leaving Fin and Devon together.
@bobble The VIP room turns out to be a small arrangement of tables and chairs labeled with the names of reserved guests, with a long banquet table of alcohol and nice food laid out. Most of the chairs are empty due to the mingling outside, but you note the names of a few local businesses that have sponsored or donated to the event, as well as Victoria and some of the other more famous designers.
The young woman you saw slip inside is sitting by herself in the corner with a phone held up to her face like she's video chatting with someone, wearing earbuds and focused on the call; she doesn't look up at your entrance, apparently not noticing you and the Monsieur. "...could definitely go for that kind of thinking," she's saying. "I really think she's got the kind of spark you'd be interested in."
Teri will load up a snack plate with caramelized almonds - not something she saw outside - and sit against the wall s couple feet from the intern, nodding thanks to Monsieur
The Monsieur nods in reply and slips back out into the hall. The woman pauses in her conversation, apparently listening to a response. "I don't think so. The design felt very intentional. It just -" Another pause. "No, no. Definitely not."
Another long pause. "Well, if you wanted me to ask her about the enchantment, you should have told me."
(i think you're within range so that should go through, provided you haven't moved away from where you were standing when teri last saw you)
"Yes, of course! You think I can't tell a fabric enchanter when I see one -" She looks up at that, apparently just now realizing she should be checking for eavesdroppers, and her eyes widen when she sees you sitting there. She hastily looks back down and coughs. "Uh, I've got to go."
Upon sending that, Teri is momentarily surprised that her reaction was to check if she could communicate with the other two. They join the exclusive club of "people Teri wants to check in with", which is currently them and Oakwinkle only
@Mithical He's hard to see, but you manage to spot Daycen DeCapalla, the designer that Jean mentioned in the car ride here and who is usually a little cliche for your taste, chatting merrily with a ring of people about his walk; he's wearing so many expensive watches that he's practically glowing in the hall lights.
A well-dressed young man who you presume is his husband is hovering patiently nearby, smiling obligingly at all of his cheesy jokes.
The Monsieur, you note, has exited the VIP room and is meandering lazily around the perimeter, keeping a sharp eye on the crowd.
@bobble The intern nods, reluctantly. "Well, I guess there's no point in dancing around it, then. Your designer, what's her enchanting style? Utility-focused, practical, form over function...?"
My style? Why, innovative, unique, and highly personalized. Everything designed specifically for each customer individually, drawing upon my history and training in the field mixed-
"Hm." She nods, slowly. "Well, that's very interesting. It's been a while since a new enchanter has come onto the scene, so my client asked me to catch her before she got snagged by someone else. You must know how much of an impression you made."
"Well, I'm just a messenger, so pass that along if you want to." She looks nervously at the door. "I should probably find somewhere more... secluded, to call back... if you don't mind. They're not big on being seen or heard."
She nods, hastily gathering up her earbuds and phone to leave. "Thanks." Then, gesturing to the almonds, "I know you're not supposed to be in here, but I won't tell anyone. I hate conference rules anyway."
"Oh. I'm -" She stops herself. "Actually I'm not even supposed to be talking to people unless I'm told to, er... just forget you saw me at all, really, okay?"
@Mithical It's not necessarily a big company, more of a medium-sized one, but near DeCapalla you also spot the talent rep from Blythe and Geltier, a French fashion company that's mainly known for stylish coats, hats and berets. He's deep in conversation with one of Victoria's models, apparently interested in the jacket she's wearing and asking deeply intricate questions about the zipper design.
You catch, though, that he's mentioning: "...and that one model who did the slinking, she had a similar jacket, I think I may find her next...? Ooh, that angle shape on the clip is very interesting."
"God, you can't find any decent execs these days," Sherri mutters to herself. "They're all just interested in bits and pieces, nobody wants the whole set."
