Work Text:
[Video: A hand with several rings reaches up to knock against a silver door. A few seconds later, it swings open. A man is standing there, smiling broadly. He has dark ash-blue hair and is wearing a plain white shirt tucked into tan slacks.]
“Hi, Johnny! Welcome.”
“Kun, hi! I’m here for Ten’s interview.”
“Yeah, of course! Come on in, I’ll show you where he is.”
“Thanks.”
[The camera shifts, showing the interior of a large house filled with paintings and plants. Kun leads them around a corner and up a floating staircase. They enter a large office with sketches plastered over every solid surface. A man is hunched over a large desk, draped in a colorful cardigan and scribbling furiously. A collection of metal shines in his ears.]
[Kun walks over to the man and taps him on the arm gently.] “Honey, it’s time for your interview.”
[The man’s head snaps up. He blinks wildly behind his round glasses before his eyes settle on the camera.] “Oh, interview, yes. Thank you, darling.”
“I’ll leave you to it.”
[Kun smiles and nods at the camera before exiting.]
“Ten Lee.”
[Ten stands, before smirking and giving the cameraman a nice, slow once-over.] “Johnny Seo.”
“I’ve got 73 questions for you today, let’s dive right in. How are you this morning?”
“Busy. Busy, busy, busy. As you can probably see.”
“What are you working on?”
“My upcoming fall collection.”
“And are all these sketches for the collection?”
[Ten shrugs, smiling coyly.] “Maybe, but you’ll never know until the day comes, eh?”
“What is your favorite drawing medium?”
“Pencil.”
“And what—” [The camera pans over to a glittering sculpture made of some sort of wire molded into a humanoid form by Ten’s desk.] “—is this funky thing here?”
[Ten arches an eyebrow.] “Funky? Oh doll, don’t call it funky. This is a dress mannequin my little brothers made for me.”
“Noted. So, what are you most excited for this year?”
“The Met Gala, naturally.”
“What is your usual morning routine?”
“Here, come downstairs with me first.” [The camera shakes as Ten passes by and leads them out the room and down the stairs.] “And it’s usually some mix of skincare, yoga, watering the plants, then whatever else I have on my schedule.”
“Of all the fashion hubs you’ve been to in the world, which is your favorite?”
“New York.”
“Patterned or solid colors?”
“Patterned.”
"Avant-garde or haute couture?”
“Avant-garde.”
“Hats or handbags?”
“Handbags.”
“If you could design for anyone in the world right now, who would it be?”
“Myself, always.”
“Tell me, what’s a fashion rule that you strongly disagree with?”
“That sloppy can be stylish.” [He wrinkles his nose.] “Like no, honey. Style is effort.”
“What’s the most overused term in the fashion world right now?”
“Groundbreaking.”
“Who would you like to share a drink with?”
“My mother.”
“And who would you like to invite to dinner?”
“The photographer, Jaemin Na.”
[They enter a long hallway lined with paintings and photographs.]
“Wow, Ten, who are all these?”
[Ten smiles and starts pointing at the photographs as they walk down.] “These are everyone important in my life. We’ve got the model Lucas Wong over there, I worked with him in Hong Kong, he’s a great guy. And here we’ve got the actor Jaehyun Jung. I made his suit for the Academy Awards last year. The rest are people from my design team, props to them, and of course, my family.”
“What’s something about the fashion industry that not enough people talk about?”
“Art block could literally cost you your career. It’s not just drawing pretty clothes, but clothes that people will want to wear, clothes that have an impact. That, plus deadlines. You gotta keep the inspiration rolling.”
“What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve ever drawn inspiration from?”
[Ten stops outside a room with open double doors.] “I remember towards the beginning of my career, I made this entire collection based on my post-surgical anesthesia loopiness. I just remember colors blending and textures blurring, and I thought that would be cool as clothing.”
“I see you’ve got quite a lot of games in that room behind you. What’s your favorite game to play?”
“Pool.” [He leads them into the room. There’s a pool table and air hockey table to one end, and a foosball table and minibar on the other side. A large sliding glass door adjacent to the minibar exposes part of a lush, flowering garden.]
“If you could describe your aesthetic with three words, what would it be?”
“Expressive, clean, and eye-catching.”
“What’s your favorite material to work with?”
“Satin.”
“And your favorite material to wear?”
“Cotton-polyester blends.” [He pauses and rolls his eyes dramatically.] “And I know, I know, all those natural fiber fanatics are ripping their hair out and threatening lawsuits against me as I speak. But listen, you get both comfort and stretch. Win-win.”
[Ten walks to the bar, grabs a bottle, and leaves the room.]
“Do you remember the first design that you sold?”
“A white hand-knitted cashmere scarf that I made when I was thirteen.”
“What’s your favorite holiday?”
“Christmas.”
“If you were stranded on a deserted island, who would you want to be with you?”
“Kun. He’ll find some way to either keep us alive or get us out of there.”
“What’s your most overused phrase?”
“That’s not it.”
“And what’s one quote that had the most impact on your life?”
“Passion without blood and sweat is nothing but a daydream.”
[He turns into a short hallway and enters an open-plan living room. The walls are adorned with hanging terrariums and there’s a large potted plant near another sliding glass door.]
“Now Johnny, before you ask me anything else, let me ask you something.”
“Sure, shoot.”
[Ten lifts the bottle in his hands.] “Would you like a drink? Apple cider, of course.”
“I would, thank you very much.”
“No problem, have a seat.”
[The camera tilts a bit and levels with Ten as he sits on the couch and reaches for a glass from a tray on the coffee table.]
“So Ten, the director Doyoung Kim gave you a shoutout in his segment. Do you have anything you’d like to say to him?”
[Ten grins, handing over a glass full of apple cider.] “Doyoung, let me design for your children’s wedding. Better yet, please have your son marry my little brother. Yangyang won’t shut up about your show and the cute boy in it. Please and thank you.”
“Do you own any pets?”
“Yeah! Louis and Leon—my cats—should be around here somewhere. And our puppy Bella is probably out with Kun, enjoying the sun.”
“If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?”
“Chocolate lava cake.”
“And what food is your guilty pleasure or midnight snack?”
“Cold pizza.”
“Coffee or tea?”
“Coffee.”
“Tech wear or alternative?”
“Alternative.”
“Suits or dresses?”
“Both.”
“What excites you the most about fashion?”
“Seeing all the visions of various designers.”
“What inspired your latest collection?”
“See, if I told you that, I’d have to kill you.”
“I’ve noticed that it’s a really nice and quiet space here. When’s the most noise this house has ever experienced?”
“Every time that my brothers came to live with me. I get no peace.”
“And what is this lovely painting over there?” [The camera pans to a somewhat cloudy, abstract painting of a face hanging on the adjacent wall.]
“Ah, that? That was actually made when my brothers had a two-months-long cold war trying to outdo each other in their art finals. And for the record, we’re talking college kids here, not toddlers.”
“Woah, what went down during that time?”
“Let’s just say that they spent more time outside than in, and the grass in the backyard was every color but green until the rain hit.”
“Who won?”
“Dejun, but only because he got sick of Yangyang’s bull—*beep* and decided to put his resin in the freezer.” [He fans his eyes with a sniffle.] “I’m so proud of him. And Yangyang, of course, but that should teach him not to mess with Dejun for a good bit.”
“I take that your brothers got their artistic streak from you?”
“Of course they did. Don’t tell Kun I said that. He’ll mope, like, forever.”
“Will do. Okay, true or false questions: you studied architecture before going into fashion.”
“That’s true.”
“True or false: you know how to fly a helicopter.”
“False. You must’ve got me mixed up with my husband.”
“True or false: you model your own designs at fashion shows.”
“True! If you see a short model wearing stripper heels, that’s me.”
“True or false: you’re allergic to fruit.”
“I say that, but it’s a lie. False. I just don’t like fruit.”
“And true or false: you like to stress-clean.”
[Ten narrows his eyes.] “Who told you that? But yeah, that’s true.”
“If you only had 24 hours left to live, what’s the first thing you’d do?”
“Go see my brothers and tell them to graduate summa cum laude. Or else.”
“And the last?”
“Hug my husband.”
“How many pairs of shoes do you believe everyone needs to own?”
“At least seven.”
“What’s a place in the world that you would have to be physically dragged away from?”
“My closet. And here, I’ll show you why.”
[They stand. Ten leads them past a minimalistic kitchen and up another flight of floating stairs.]
“Ten, how would you describe yourself?”
“Very hardworking, ambitious, and kind.”
“How do you think other people would describe you?”
“Workaholic, sassy, and bossy.”
“What’s something about yourself that not many people know of?”
“That I can speak five languages.”
“What are those languages?”
“Thai, Mandarin, English, Korean, and French.”
“That’s a lot of languages. Which one do you usually think in?”
“Usually Thai.”
[Ten walks down a hallway and enters a large bedroom. He opens the double doors of a walk-in closet the size of the room behind it.]
“Woah, that is…a lot of clothes.”
[Ten shrugs.] “It’s enough.”
“How long does it take you to get dressed in the morning?”
“Five minutes to an hour, depending on where I’m going.”
“What’s an accessory that makes any outfit instantly better?”
[Ten pulls open a drawer from the island and holds up a closed fan.] “Every outfit goes with a fan. And you sir can definitely use one of my folding fans.”
[A hand reaches out to accept the fan.] “I get accessories from Ten Lee.” [Then, quietly:] “I love this job.”
[Ten picks up another fan and leaves the closet.] “Of course you do.”
“What’s the first thing you think of when you come home?”
“Getting out of all my clothes and soaking in a bath.”
“Favorite scent?”
“Fresh-baked cookies.”
“Where do you hope to see the world five years from now?”
“With all human rights granted to all populations.”
“You made a strong impression last year at New York Fashion Week with your strikingly colorful collection. What was the message behind it?”
“That minorities are to be seen, heard, and listened to. It was never about the colors. It’s about what they represent.”
“How do you think fashion has changed since you first joined the industry?”
“It’s a lot more daring now. Before, high fashion was always confined to what’s elegant and classic. Not anymore. We’re going big and bold, baby. We’re out here making statements.”
“What’s a piece of advice you’d give to aspiring designers?”
“Design is a collaboration. You don’t work for your customer, you work with them.”
[Ten walks towards an open balcony. Beyond it lies rolling hills and the expanse of cities below.]
“Oh my god, Ten, this view is absolutely breathtaking.”
“Thank you, it’s my favorite place in this house.”
“If you weren’t busy with your usual commitments, what would you be doing?”
“I’d be going on a wine-tasting tour in California.”
“What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done in your entire life?”
“Drunk pole-dancing in front of about two hundred people at my best friend’s wedding down in Vegas.”
“Sounds like a good time. What’s a trend you’d love to see come back?”
“Academia.”
“And a trend you’d never want to come back?”
“Y2K. Please. Stop the madness.”
“How do you react to criticism?”
[Ten flicks open his fan sharply.] “That depends on whether or not they’re even qualified to criticize me.”
“What’s your opinion on social media influencers walking runways?”
“They’re not doing the work or clothes justice. A pretty face and height doesn’t equate to a model.”
“Who are the most undervalued members of a design team?”
“The hair and makeup stylists. It’s not easy to do five to eight people’s hair and makeup within an hour. Kun’s already going gray.”
“And our last question of the day: what fashion advice would you give me?”
[Ten arches a brow and fans himself, before smiling.] “Don’t be afraid to show off those tattoos, yeah? But otherwise, do you, Johnny. You do you.”
“It’s been a pleasure to talk with you, Ten. Have a nice day.”
“Pleasure’s all mine. Take care, Johnny.”
[The screen cuts to the white VOGUE ending clip.]