The graduation show was originally a test, with students performing on stage while college teachers sat below, scoring each student's work to determine their final grades, which could even influence their postgraduate applications. It was said that achieving a top three ranking guaranteed success in postgraduate entrance exams.
However, this year was different. The judges were not teachers but the wealthy patrons in attendance.
The host continued, explaining that after each student's work was showcased by a model, the piece would be immediately auctioned on-site. All proceeds from the auction would be used to establish a foundation to help children harmed in the Fuyang milk powder incident.
Even Huang He, upon hearing this plan, couldn't help but admire its design, finding it far superior to typical charity galas. In past events, attendees would dine, then either directly donate money or listen to a keynote speaker before donating. Huang He had also participated in events where guests auctioned their own items to raise funds.
While this event also involved auctions, directly auctioning student works felt more elegant and artistic than ordinary auctions. Although these students were insignificant at present, and their works were mostly worth only a few hundred yuan, no one would determine the value based on the student's work. Instead, it was about how much people were willing to donate for charity. This was also an opportunity for the businessmen to display their philanthropic spirit.
For the students, this was an excellent opportunity. When they entered the industry in the future, they could proudly state on their resumes how much an esteemed entrepreneur had paid for their work. Although the price was for charity, HR personnel reviewing the resumes wouldn't know this. Furthermore, there would be a segment where entrepreneurs and students posed for photos, serving as proof of their claims and a significant advantage in their future careers, potentially saving them years of struggle.
Therefore, once the rules were announced, all the students present were incredibly excited. Their potential, previously at 120%, surged to 150% as they vied for recognition from the bosses, hoping to get a photo with them and dramatically increase their future value upon graduation.
While the bosses present would certainly purchase at least one piece of work and offer a substantial price, there were only 48 bosses, less than half the number of students. As most bosses would likely buy only one piece, half the students would receive nothing, which was a rather dire prospect. Moreover, while bosses would definitely buy one item, they would naturally choose the ones they found aesthetically pleasing, turning it into a competition of skill.
Soon, amidst the students' excitement, the first model appeared. It was a male model wearing a hoodie and jeans. The design was conventional, with some subtle details that Huang He found satisfactory. Most importantly, the model did not have narrow eyes, which pleased Huang He immensely.
"If you were to score this outfit, what would you give it?" Huang He asked Qu Wei with a smile.
"What's the maximum score?"
"100 points."
"20 points," Qu Wei replied plainly.
"That low? I thought it looked quite good!" Huang He asked, surprised.
"If you were asking me to score it against all clothes sold on the market, it would be around 80 points. But if scoring it against the work of a professional designer, it's a 20!"
"This outfit doesn't even meet the basic requirements; the stitching on the pants isn't aligned. I wonder how their teacher taught them!" Qu Wei criticized without reservation. A man wearing sunglasses sitting behind them looked visibly embarrassed, seemingly the student's teacher.
Qu Wei was right; the pants had significant production issues. The teacher knew this but was helpless because the student was a favored connection, with a father who was a high-ranking official, which explained why he was chosen to go first. In this graduation show, being the first or last to present had its advantages. Typically, the first and last presentations were guaranteed to receive bids. Due to common psychological inertia, as long as the design wasn't too outlandish, some boss would be willing to pay for it, setting a good opening.
Indeed, when the designer came on stage to announce the auction of the first piece, three to four bosses raised their bidding paddles. Ultimately, the outfit, which Qu Wei had rated a mere 20 points, was sold for 122,000 yuan, eliciting screams of joy and excitement from the designer.
Soon, the second model appeared, and as she took the stage, a stir went through the entire venue. The model's attire was quite exaggerated: a beehive hairdo, wearing a bikini covered with a layer of yellow cloth. More strikingly, she had a pair of large, feather-duster-like objects attached to her back. The overall visual impact was explosive; it was the kind of outfit that would cause social suicide if worn in public. However, in a fashion show, such exaggerated styles were quite common. In fact, there were even more outlandish outfits.
"I'd give this design a 69!" Qu Wei stated proactively, before Huang He could ask.
"Why? It's so ugly!" Huang He exclaimed, grinning.
"Because the design language here is very intricate. Also, observe the colors of these outfits; they are matched in a New Guinean style, a rare style in China. That this designer could achieve this so well indicates her broad professional expertise and knowledge."
"Finally, don't be put off by the exaggerated tail. If you look closely, you'll see these feathers are ostrich feathers, and they are natural. Moreover, each one is roughly the same size. Normally, ostrich feathers vary in size. To select several hundred feathers of similar size, one would have to sift through tens of thousands of feathers. The effort invested here is considerable; this student put in a lot of work!" Qu Wei praised. The teachers behind them nodded in agreement. They had initially been somewhat unconvinced about Qu Wei receiving the "Goddess" title from foreigners, but her ability to discern the essence of the students' work with just a glance was truly remarkable. If they hadn't guided these students throughout their graduation projects, they wouldn't have been able to grasp the intricacies of these designs at first sight.
"It's a shame. Despite your eloquent praise, I suspect no one will bid on this outfit," Huang He said, shaking his head.
"Why?" This time, it was Qu Wei's turn to be puzzled.
"Because the people paying here are not professional fashion connoisseurs but a group of nouveau riche. They are most put off by bizarre and unconventional clothing. Asking them to buy this design is like telling them their milk powder quality is substandard!" Huang He said with a smile.
As expected, although the outfit received a high score of 69 from Qu Wei, it was worthless in the eyes of the bosses. When the designer took the stage, and the host called for bids for 20 seconds, no boss was willing to raise a paddle. The designer, who had invested so much effort, could only lead her model and her work off the stage in tears.
"That's so pathetic; she clearly put in so much effort!" Qu Wei said with a hint of pity. As she was not an invited entrepreneur, she was not eligible to bid; otherwise, she would have felt compelled to offer some encouragement to the student and buy the outfit.
"No, this is a good thing for her. It will teach her that China is not Europe, and that showy designs are not popular or appreciated here. From now on, she will diligently focus on researching and designing for popular tastes and creating high-end designs that are close to life!" Huang He stated calmly. In fact, among all the bosses present, Huang He was the most disdainful of such extravagant clothing. He was, in essence, a "boorish" boss.
Indeed, the second designer's fate served as a valuable lesson. The students yet to present, who had similarly exaggerated designs, immediately began dismantling their ostentatious elements, striving to make their outfits as conventional as possible. While this might compromise their meticulously designed aesthetics, getting bids from the bosses was far more important for their future. However, these last-minute attempts were unlikely to be effective and would likely ruin their overall designs. Therefore, relying on such tactics to gain recognition had a low probability of success. It would be better to stick to their original vision, as that would at least earn them appreciation from the teachers present, who understood and admired such beauty.
Soon, graduate after graduate appeared, showcasing their designs. Half of them received bids, while the other half received nothing. There was a mix of joy and sorrow, but the atmosphere at the venue remained peaceful.
This continued until the ninth model appeared. As she emerged, Huang He's brows furrowed deeply. Qu Wei immediately noticed the change in the person beside her. She glanced at the model's outfit, finding it to be a rather normal and quite attractive long dress with no apparent issues. However, upon seeing the model's makeup, she understood why Huang He's emotions had shifted. The model was wearing makeup designed to create a "narrow-eyed" look, which appeared to be remarkably sophisticated.