Chapter 41
“Yes, she’s been waiting since morning,” the servant informed Roseline.
“Oh, my God!” Roseline almost collapsed in a moment of dizziness. The sound of a guest coming and saying,
“If she was waiting, you should have told me,” came up to her throat, but she couldn’t bear to scold Deborah for shrinking while looking at her..
The Majesty had sent the designer, and she had been waiting for Roseline.
“His Majesty sent her, and I made her wait.”
Roseline touched her eyes and rang the bell twice.
“I have to go down quickly. Who is the designer?” she asked the servant.
“It’s Gertrude, the capital’s number one designer. A few years ago, Princess Annestrote, the niece of His Majesty, said she liked her designs and wanted to hire her as an exclusive designer, but I heard that she had high pride enough to refuse,” the servant explained.
Roseline’s spine cooled at the thought of the designer, who had refused the suggestion of the emperor’s niece, waiting all morning. What if she went back angry, saying that she called someone and made them wait endlessly? What if the empress found it unpleasant? A woman she saw for the first time stood in front of Roseline, who went down the stairs, worried that her actions would harm the Postenmeyer family and that it would be an opportunity to fall out with the imperial family.
“Nice to meet you, Grand Duchess. It’s called Gertrude Bart,” the designer introduced herself.
Gertrude was wearing a graceful black dress with black hair that was completely twisted so that it did not flow down a strand of hair, revealing the line of the body, but never looking sensational.
At the sight of Gertrude, who seemed self-respecting and perfectionistic, Roseline felt nervous inside.
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Ms. Bart,” Roseline apologized.
“Oh, my God. Please call me Gertrude, Grand Duchess,” Gertrude replied, her hard face softening.
Roseline wondered if she had a sociable personality that was different from what she thought. She didn’t know that the empress had already recruited all the designers in the capital, so it was strange that Gertrude, who seemed to have strong self-esteem, didn’t show any displeasure even though she had kept her waiting for a long time. However, Roseline couldn’t ask why she was being friendly, so she entered the dressing room in a vague state.
“Grand Duchess, first of all, look at the eight dresses here and tell me the design you want. After deciding the overall shape, you can choose the material and decoration you want from the catalog,” Gertrude explained.
Roseline looked around at the eight dresses on the mannequin and saw that they were base dresses with no decoration.
The eight dresses on display included a basic form with a tight top and a voluminous skirt, with the bottom being narrower and unbalanced. The overall look was brightly covered with fabric, and the tightness emphasized the silhouette of the body. This basic design was mixed with four other middle types to create the eight dresses on display.
Typically, Gertrude made customers choose the “base” dress first, even after looking at the catalog and selecting a dress that they liked. Customers would often choose a design that looked generally normal or ask Gertrude what design would suit them, and then Gertrude would decorate the dress in a way that suited their taste based on the design they selected.
Roseline asked Gertrude, “Do you know that the wedding will be held outdoors?”
“What?” Gertrude asked, puzzled.
“I had planned for a simple ceremony at the chapel in the mansion, but it has now become a bigger event, and I have rented an outdoor hall in the park,” Roseline explained.
“I see,” Gertrude said, nodding in understanding.
“The dress you picked is more suitable for an indoor ceremony, with its slightly bluish color that looks subtle and pure white under artificial lighting. But if it’s outdoors, it might look dull,” Roseline continued.
“Ahh, I see,” Gertrude said, now understanding what Roseline meant.
Dresses made for indoor ceremonies have pearl powder sprinkled on a slightly bluish fabric to make it look white under artificial lighting, but outdoors, it doesn’t have the same effect. Instead, the dress will be exposed to natural light, making the color less vibrant.
“I think I would prefer a complete white or a silver mix, with a stiff material rather than a light one. It will be inconvenient if I have to keep adjusting my dress every time the wind blows,” Roselaine suggested.
Gertrude was taken aback by the unexpected criticism, but Roseline was only speaking practically. She was not one to be easily swayed by Gertrude’s suggestions but rather spoke her mind.
“The Emperor, Empress, and other nobles will attend the wedding, so the dress shouldn’t look too shabby. But at the same time, it shouldn’t be too showy,” Roseline continued.
“That’s quite vague, ma’am,” Gertrude commented, taken aback by Roseline’s abruptness.
Despite her sharp ideas, Roseline was still an 18-year-old bride, and Gertrude regained her composure and put on a professional smile.
“If one doesn’t express their desires explicitly, they aren’t truly seeking what they want. They end up with the garment that I assume they want, rather than the one they truly desire,” Roseline declared.
She gestured towards the ceiling, indicating the height difference between herself and the groom.
“At a wedding, the bride and groom stand together. We must consider their height difference when designing the dress,” she continued.
Confused, the designer asked, “What do you mean?”
“Melchor is much taller than I am. If I put a point on the top of the dress, it will look awkward. The silhouette needs to be tighter at the top, wider at the bottom, with less volume on the front and sides, and a longer back,” Roseline explained, pointing to the first mannequin’s dress.
“Are you suggesting a design that inflates only the back?” the designer questioned.
“It will make it easier to stand side by side and move around,” Roseline responded, disregarding the designer’s concerns about the flat front.
The designer hesitated, “Madam, it will be challenging to use chiffon lace to keep the front from blowing in the wind.”
“You are the designer. It is your responsibility to figure out how to manage that,” Roseline retorted.
Gertrude watched in disbelief as Roseline flipped through the catalog, considering the most expensive option, a handmade lace.
“Then I will choose this one,” she announced.
“You want both dresses?” the designer asked incredulously.
“No,” Roseline shook her head and gestured out the window, “I told you that a wedding involves two people. I will have Melchor choose between the three designs I have selected.”
Unaware of Melchor’s lack of knowledge of tailoring and dresses, Roseline pushed him to make the final decision. “I implore you, Gertrude,” she pleaded politely.
The designer struggled to decide how to handle the daunting task of satisfying two formidable brides-to-be. Forgetting to mask her panic, she quickly excused herself and took her assistant to the Imperial Palace’s outer voice to see the Grand Duke.
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