Chapter 201: Brother will let you make the clothes that everyone rushes to wear, and

By the time Lu Yuan returned to the rear courtyard, Gu Qingwan was already waiting there.

After Lu Yuan opened the door, Gu Qingwan took Su Liyan's hand, and the two entered chatting and laughing.

After everyone entered the house, Gu Qingwan and Su Liyan busied themselves tidying up the bowls and chopsticks and such.

They were busy getting ready to cook later.

Lu Yuan, meanwhile, was with Liu Shoucai in the main hall.

Lu Yuan went to check his shop yesterday.

In size, it's about the same as his second uncle's shop.

It also has a rear courtyard.

Lu Yuan thought, why not simply roof over the rear courtyard as well? That would greatly increase the shop's area.

Although Lu Yuan intends for his shop to follow a high-end custom route, unlike a department store where clothes are displayed taking up space,

but the more high-end custom the route, the more space it needs.

After all, you need to build a tea area, a changing area, and a fitting area.

Moreover, you need to bring in two sewing machines.

So simply roofing over the rear courtyard will make the area much larger.

As for the decoration, naturally everything should be of good quality.

Marble shouldn't just be laid on the floor; the walls should also be covered with marble!

One must upgrade the grade.

In any case, the positioning is a high-end, upscale, custom-made shop.

Don't fear lack of wealthy customers.

In this world, no matter where you are, there's never a shortage of rich people.

Like the fried dough sticks in a breakfast stall.

One fried dough stick costs four fen; ordinary people simply can't afford it.

Yet the breakfast stall's fried dough sticks always sell.

Moreover, where is this?

This is under the emperor's feet; this is the imperial city!

As life gets better and better in the future, just watch—there will definitely be people buying expensive clothes.

Even so, it's not that only the wealthy can buy them.

Like during holidays and festivals, even families with average means will scrape together some money to buy themselves a nice outfit.

As for this shop,

Lu Yuan is also pondering.

You say, although it's to make a happy shop for his wife,

but you say, if the shop has no customers all day, it'll be desolate.

That would really dampen his wife's enthusiasm.

That would be so boring.

So, we still need to put in some effort.

As for how to run the shop, Lu Yuan isn't planning to give his wife advice, like bringing modern Earth clothing over.

Frankly, that would be useless.

Everyone's aesthetics differ.

This isn't such that if you bring Earth's things over, they'll definitely become a hit.

That's absolutely impossible.

Like Earth's bell-bottom pants from the 80s and 90s—if you look at them now, they're truly ugly.

But people back then loved them.

Likewise, if you put modern items into the 80s and 90s, they'd be shocking enough that people could hardly accept them.

Although there's a saying that fashion cycles, it's only a small part.

So, Lu Yuan doesn't plan to bring modern Earth items over to buy.

Moreover... what would that become?

Wouldn't that just become his own design?

What does that have to do with his wife?

This is a big toy he's giving his wife; the so-called big toy means letting his wife play with it.

Letting his wife's designed clothes sell would give her a sense of accomplishment.

So, regarding clothes and such, Lu Yuan doesn't participate.

What Lu Yuan can help with is

that is to use another set of things from Earth.

brand culture.

The Great Zhou Dynasty has no brand culture to speak of.

If one insists there is, it could only be said that, for example, the dishes at a certain restaurant are really tasty.

This is an old establishment.

These.

But this doesn't count as brand culture either.

As for other things, they're not even worth mentioning.

These days, enterprises, factories and such are all under the Ministry of Works of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Put another way, these are state-owned enterprises.

What brand could possibly come from the goods produced by factories under the Ministry of Works?

For example, the leather jacket Lu Yuan wears in winter, and the Martin boots he wears.

They have no brand at all.

So, we need to create a brand!

But creating a brand involves particulars—how can we make it high-end, classy, and upscale?

First, the interior decoration of this shop must be luxurious.

Second, it's the packaging.

The packaging must be good, and moreover, it must be very good.

Around here, when people buy things, how are they packaged?

When buying things, if the shopkeeper is in a good mood, he'll give you a black plastic bag to carry; if he's in a bad mood, you just carry it yourself.

Even if you go to a department store to buy a few dozen yuan's worth of valuable clothing.

That's all you get—a paper bag.

That really has no sense of ceremony at all.

You say a leather jacket costs several dozen yuan, and when you come out you just carry it like that—just like carrying a pound of pork—does that feel right?

So, the packaging needs to be done well.

Three layers inside, three layers outside.

Lu Yuan has figured this all out; he'll make the packaging himself.

Get a stamping machine.

By then, the wrapping paper and boxes all need to be stamped.

Moreover, the trademark, Lu Yuan has also figured out.

It is a single-stroke simplified line of a fox's ear.

It is a minimalist style.

Although it is a fox's ear, it is not especially cute; rather, it gives a mysterious feeling.

After all, if your trademark is too cute, you can't make it high-end.

Then it would become children's clothing.

Lu Yuan handed over all kinds of design drawings to Liu Shoucai.

After Liu Shoucai took it, he picked up his own small leather bag beside him, preparing to look and put it inside.

However, after looking at two pages, Liu Shoucai then asked curiously:

"Master, what is this?"

Liu Shoucai held the simple sketch of the fox-ear trademark and asked curiously:

Lu Yuan then took a sip of tea and said somewhat proudly:

"This is called a trademark."

"Trademark?"

Liu Shoucai looked at Lu Yuan with a strange expression and said:

"What is a trademark?"

After Liu Shoucai finished speaking, Gu Qingwan and Su Liyan, who had come out together from the kitchen, also curiously gathered over.

Liu Shoucai, however, was quick-sighted; he hurriedly went to sit at one side, making room for these two lady masters.

After Gu Qingwan and Su Liyan sat down beside Lu Yuan, they also saw the simple sketch that Lu Yuan had drawn.

Lu Yuan then took his wife's hand, looked at Su Liyan, and said with a smile:

"Wife, from now on, on the clothes you design, the cuffs and collars should have this kind of trademark sewn on."

Su Liyan curiously looked at the paper in her hand for a while, then cutely reached up and touched her own ears on top of her head.

Turning her head to look at her man, Su Liyan pretty much guessed what her man meant.

And Gu Qingwan also blinked her eyes from the side.

Speaking of this trademark, Lu Yuan then began to think about something.

The Imperial Court ought to establish a trademark law!

Immediately, Lu Yuan looked at Gu Qingwan and winked, saying:

"Sister, you know so many high officials—could you give some advice and get the higher-ups to enact a trademark law?"

"Trademark law?"

"What is that?"

Immediately, Lu Yuan gave Gu Qingwan a popular science explanation of the so-called trademark.

After a long explanation,

Lu Yuan then spread his hands toward Gu Qingwan and said:

"So, the trademark law must be taken seriously; otherwise, you say, if someday my wife's clothes sell well and some people become jealous,

and then secretly make this kind of clothing, embroidering this pattern onto the clothes—if the quality happens to be poor, wouldn't others think my wife's clothing has a problem?"

Gu Qingwan had never heard of such a thing before.

While Gu Qingwan was still pondering, Lu Yuan then said:

"It's just like when we go to eat at Lou Wai Lou—if someone sees that Lou Wai Lou's business is booming, they also open a Lou Wai Lou.

No, even if we don't use the name Lou Wai Lou, we could use Shan Wai Shan, Ren Wai Ren, and so on.

Would outsiders think this is a branch of Louwailou?

After going in, ordering a few dishes and taking a few bites, one would discover—Pfft, it's truly awful.

In that case, wouldn't those who come here to eat think, 'This Louwailou isn't anything special, not tasty at all, and they'll never come back to eat here again'?

So, do you think Louwailou would suffer a loss? For no reason, having done nothing, they'd be spoken ill of behind their backs.

If these people, after eating, go back and tell their neighbors, well, then even more people will find out.

You say, who did Louwailou provoke or offend?

After Lu Yuan finished speaking vividly, it instead provoked Gu Qingwan into a burst of charming laughter, and then she lightly poked his forehead with her jade hand and cooed:

"You you, you always come up with such strange, weird things."

"Alright, when I go back today I'll tell them, and it'll be settled soon."

……

At noon, Su Changliang also came over for a meal.

Upon hearing that his older sister no longer worked at the Threshing Machine Factory, Su Changliang found it a bit hard to understand.

After all, working at the factory is great.

So many people want to get in but can't.

Moreover, his sister's job isn't tiring at all; she just idles away there playing.

However, upon hearing that it was his brother-in-law who had arranged this, Su Changliang didn't say a word.

Anyway, his brother-in-law always has a reason for what he does.

Listening to his brother-in-law is sure to be right~

After lunch, Su Changliang continued to go to work.

And Liu Shoucai also left; after having a few drinks with Lu Yuan at noon, feeling a bit dizzy and bloated, he went home to get some sleep.

Lu Yuan's words were fine, though.

After all, he has a perfect physique, his physical condition is just right.

Just a little tipsy, it doesn't affect anything.

After the meal, Lu Yuan looked at the two women chatting and laughing in front of the sewing machine, grabbed his clothes from the rack, and said:

"You two stay home and behave, big brother… I'm going to Bing Jia Chang to get something."

Huh?

After Lu Yuan finished speaking, Su Liyan and Gu Qingwan both immediately turned to look at him.

Instantly, Gu Qingwan put on an interested look and said:

"Eh?"

"What are you going to make this time?"

Seeing Gu Qingwan's expression, Lu Yuan chuckled and said:

"It's not some novel gadget; I just want to make a steel stamp, a trademark steel stamp, for the shop."

Huh?

Gu Qingwan looked bewildered and said:

"Do clothes also need a steel stamp??"

"That sort of thing isn't usually put on valuable items, is it?"

"For example, on a sewing machine, or on a bicycle, or on a horse's butt."

"Of course, that mark on a horse's butt isn't a steel stamp; it's just heating a piece of iron until red-hot and branding the horse's butt with it."

"But anyway, I've never heard of clothing sellers needing to stamp anything."

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan shook his head and said:

"Of course! Not only inside the clothing, but also on the packaging bags and boxes—everything needs a steel stamp!"

Lu Yuan's words left Gu Qingwan a bit dazed; by the time she came to, Lu Yuan had already gotten dressed.

At that moment, Su Liyan quickly rose and said in a coquettish voice:

"Big brother, can we go together? ~"

Lu Yuan glanced at his adorable wife and smiled:

"Where's it chilly? Especially my workshop—there's no stove lit or anything; it'd be nicer to stay home where it's warm."

Meanwhile, Su Liyan immediately replied sweetly:

"It's fine~ big brother~ just wear more layers~"

After becoming pregnant, Su Liyan grew ever more adept at acting coquettish; sometimes she didn't seem like a married woman but like a little girl.

Now Su Liyan just wants to be with her man.

Meanwhile, Gu Qingwan, though she couldn't act coquettish with Lu Yuan like Su Liyan could, still said:

"That's right, just wear more layers; anyway, everyone's free this afternoon, let's go have fun together~"

Gu Qingwan also wanted to stay by Lu Yuan's side.

Otherwise, it'd be boring just her and Su Liyan at home.

Seeing them say that, Lu Yuan cracked a smile and then said:

"Get dressed, let's go~"

Upon hearing Lu Yuan's agreement, Gu Qingwan and Su Liyan let out a cheer, like little girls, quickly ran over to him, and put on their coats.

Afterward, the three of them, fully dressed, left the house together.

The three of them went out on foot instead of riding, just taking a leisurely walk after lunch to aid digestion.

Each of the two women took one of Lu Yuan's hands, standing on his left and right, chatting and laughing with him.

The people in the courtyard, seeing Lu Yuan and the three of them, all couldn't help shaking their heads.

This family of three is really harmonious.

Everyone also ended up figuring out one thing.

That is……

Lu Yuan this guy might really not be able to suffer being wronged for a while.

After all……

This person's second wife is quite formidable.

This guy's second wife is actually the daughter of a high official in the Ministry of War!

I just don't know, this guy spends his days eating, drinking, and playing, not working, and Su Liyan won't have a proper job either.

Even this tailoring shop might not make much money.

This second wife takes money every day from her maiden home; how many days can she keep it up?

……

After arriving at the Bing Jia Chang.

Lu Yuan directly led his wife and Gu Qingwan to the workshop.

Making steel stamps is actually very simple.

It's just two pieces of iron, one of which is engraved with a trademark.

Then, when the time comes to apply the steel stamp, heat the iron piece and press hard—done.

Simple.

While Lu Yuan was doing that, Su Liyan and Gu Qingwan stood guard beside him.

Their voices were soft, for fear of disturbing Lu Yuan.

After the two chatted for a while, Gu Qingwan suddenly looked curiously at Lu Yuan and said:

"When we were eating, I heard you talking with Liu Shoucai about what kind of box, what kind of packaging bag—everything has to be the best.

You even want to wrap the box in leather?

Will that work? Won't it be a loss?"

Lu Yuan, without raising his head, said:

"How could it not work? Wool comes from sheep; a piece of clothing sells for fifty or sixty, let alone using calfskin to make a packaging box.

Even if you inlay a gemstone on the box, it wouldn't be a loss!"

Hearing Lu Yuan's words, both Gu Qingwan and Su Liyan were a bit dazed.

A piece of clothing for fifty or sixty?

You know……

The shop we're opening currently only plans to make summer clothes.

Summer clothes, one piece selling for fifty or sixty??

Are you crazy?

Even if it were a winter raccoon-fur coat or leather jacket, how much would that cost??

One summer garment selling for fifty or sixty??

Gu Qingwan stared at Lu Yuan, mouth agape, and said:

"Fifty or sixty…… can this actually be sold?"

After all……

Su Liyan currently isn't a famous master either.

How…… how can one piece sell for fifty or sixty?

Lu Yuan lifted his head, glanced at Gu Qingwan, then raised his eyebrows and said:

"Saying fifty or sixty is an exaggeration; selling for twenty or thirty is still doable."

Twenty or thirty……

That's also too much……

And Lu Yuan, raising his eyebrows, looked at Gu Qingwan and said:

"If it can actually sell, this is like… like when you buy something to give to someone else, you want to give them a coat whose price they don't know.

Or you want to give them a garment in an exquisite box, a clothing gift that everyone knows is very luxurious?"

Selling goods is like… like writing a novel; before you write a novel, you must first determine the book's positioning.

Is this book intended for seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youths, or for thirty- or forty-year-old middle-aged people?

You need to figure out what these people like.

Only then can you earn the readers' subscription fees, right?

Of course, some authors are just screwed; their books don't earn money from seventeen- or eighteen-year-olds, nor from thirty- or forty-year-olds.

They earn the three-month minimum guarantee after the work is uploaded to the reading site.

Write it in three months, get four thousand five hundred in hand, then after shearing the wool from the goose factory, they leave.

Our own shop targets high-income people.

After Lu Yuan finished speaking, Gu Qingwan understood something and nodded seriously.

Meanwhile, Su Liyan beside them, after hearing that, blinked her eyes and then looked at her man and softly said:

"Brother… the clothes we make… are just for others to use as gifts…"

Lu Yuan lifted his head, glanced at his wife, seeing her like that, he knew what she was thinking.

After all, his wife isn't like Gu Qingwan; she's simple, and she can't hide things on her face.

Immediately, Lu Yuan earnestly looked at his wife and said:

"Don't worry, wife, you don't need to worry that no one will wear the clothes you make; they're just for giving as gifts and such."

"Brother will see to it that the clothes you make, the designs you create, are snatched up by everyone to wear, so that everyone can take pride in wearing the clothes you made, the designs you created!"

As a modern person, although I was merely a college student before.

But the most basic business principles, such as hunger marketing, Lu Yuan understands them perfectly.

Just rest assured.

The clothes designed by my wife will surely be top-tier luxury goods!

Uh-oh, my recent routine has become irregular again.

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(End of chapter)