Hollywood: The Greatest Showman - Chapter 311: Connections

Chapter 311: Connections

The series of events isn’t complicated.

The Golden Globe Awards ceremony is about to begin, and Renly has received his first nomination. Meanwhile, ‘Buried’ is still steadily expanding in theaters. Andy naturally couldn’t miss this important opportunity to boost Renly’s visibility and recognition.

However, Renly had been intensely filming ‘Fast and Furious 5’, and after wrapping up, he went on vacation to Hawaii. He hadn’t had time to select outfits, nor even to get his exact measurements, which posed quite a headache.

Andy had two plans: First, to contact a top-tier stylist to avoid another situation like the one with Melvin Blades at the Emmy Awards. Second, to reach out to major fashion brands to see if any would sponsor Renly, providing him with a red carpet outfit for free.

This wasn’t an easy task.

The fashion world, like the film industry, is a competitive industry with a cut-throat attitude. They showed little interest in newcomers like Renly, whose achievements were still limited.

Recently, Renly’s rising momentum had been strong, and his two Golden Globe nominations had further pushed him into the spotlight. But strictly speaking, Renly was still a newcomer who had only been in the public eye for less than a year. A Golden Globe nomination wasn’t the same as an Oscar, and to make matters worse, the return on investment for sponsoring men’s clothing was far lower than for women.

Some brands were indeed interested in Renly, but most were second-tier or lesser-known independent labels. None of the top-tier brands showed any interest, not even Burberry, which had politely declined Andy’s inquiry—despite Renly wearing Burberry at the Emmy Awards last time. For such big brands, there simply wasn’t enough value in it.

Andy turned his attention to stylists.

Stylists are like agents. They can serve multiple clients simultaneously and have strong connections to access more fashion resources. A top stylist’s salary can even surpass that of an agent—because they can earn commissions from both the brand and the artist.

But selecting the right stylist is incredibly difficult.

The well-known ones are either prideful, picky in their tastes, or uninterested in working with newcomers, or they’re simply too busy with a full roster of clients. The lesser-known stylists, on the other hand, haven’t proven themselves yet. Every stylist has their own distinct style, and finding the right match with an artist is often more challenging than selecting a script.

It was in this context that Eaton came into Andy’s sights, volunteering his services for Renly.

Andy did some background research on Eaton. He had been in the industry for less than a year and had no notable styling work to his name. But Eaton’s resume was impressive: a Savile Row pedigree, a degree from the London College of Fashion, and two years of experience as a buyer for Harrods during his studies. He also had solid connections in the major fashion weeks. While he hadn’t become a full-time stylist for any celebrity yet, his work had gained some recognition.

What truly convinced Andy, though, was Eaton’s Savile Row background.

Renly’s knowledge and expertise in suits had left a deep impression during his confrontation with Melvin last time, so Andy decided to give Eaton a chance, and also to give Renly an opportunity to see if they could spark something together. The Golden Globes, with a lower risk than the Oscars, could serve as a testing ground for their collaboration.

Thus, today’s meeting was arranged. Andy rushed to New York, only to find that Renly had taken a leisurely stroll to the supermarket, which left Andy both amused and exasperated.

What Andy hadn’t anticipated was that Renly and Eaton already knew each other. This piqued Andy’s curiosity about Renly’s background once again.

“You’re styling Renly?” Matthew cast a flat glance at Eaton. Though he didn’t scrutinize too much, a subtle air of criticism emerged.

Clearly, Matthew was assessing Eaton’s attire—stylish, avant-garde, and unique—but not quite suitable for Renly.

“You’re just the same as before,” Eaton smiled, unconcerned. “But we’re not in court now, sir.” He deliberately emphasized the word “sir.”

By custom, Matthew and Renly should be addressed as “Your Excellency,” as Andre did—while Andre was referred to as “Lord.” But they were classmates, and outside of London’s upper-crust circles, so their language was more relaxed.

“If it’s for Renly, his style wouldn’t be like this. And this is for the Golden Globe red carpet, not London Fashion Week. I may be bold, but I’m not crazy. Speaking of crazy, who could outdo Renly?” Eaton’s lighthearted tone, with a touch of sunshine, made people smile.

“Renly and crazy?” Andy looked puzzled. Those two words didn’t seem to go together.

Both Matthew and Eaton glanced at Renly but didn’t say a word, while Renly spread his hands and quipped, “Rumors stop at the wise.” There was no extra explanation, just a playful hint, making it hard not to chuckle.

“So, what’s your plan? Is there anything special for the Golden Globe red carpet?” Renly asked Eaton.

Though they were old acquaintances, they had gradually lost touch after college, each focusing on their own careers. Renly had limited knowledge of Eaton’s abilities, style, and taste. Friends were one thing, but when it came to work, Renly wasn’t about to wear a bright red suit to the Golden Globes.

Eaton shrugged. “I wasn’t sure when you’d be back, so I pre-booked several brands and had them send outfits to my hotel room.” He frowned slightly in mock complaint, “I’ve been in New York less than a week and haven’t had time to find an apartment. The hotel room is a bit cliché, but it’ll have to do for now.”

“Just before I left the hotel, Alexander Wang and Tom Ford said they might drop by if they had time. Christopher is currently in Los Angeles, but he’s sending his assistant over.” Eaton rattled off a slew of information at a rapid pace.

“Wait a minute,” Andy felt overwhelmed.

Alexander had been one of New York’s hottest designers over the past five years, with a modern, minimalist design style that had garnered widespread acclaim. As for Tom, no explanation was needed. He had single-handedly revived Gucci before founding his eponymous brand, which now firmly occupied a place among the top fashion houses.

“Christopher? Which Christopher?” Andy had a name in mind but needed confirmation.

“Bailey. Christopher Bailey,” Eaton responded concisely.

Christopher Bailey, the creative director of Burberry. After taking over in 1997, Bailey had revived the aging, outdated brand, restoring it to its former glory and even surpassing its golden era, ushering in a new heyday.

Just a week ago, Burberry had politely declined to sponsor Renly. Yet here was Eaton, once again bringing Burberry into the conversation.

Andy was genuinely surprised. Reflecting on Eaton’s background and career, he suddenly realized things might not be so simple. The British aristocracy, with its complex, interwoven network, was always something of an enigma to outsiders. Andy knew that Savile Row had close ties to the royal family and was home to some of the finest hand-tailored suits, but clearly, he had underestimated the situation.

Andy had only seen part of the picture. Eaton’s Savile Row background was significant, but even more important was his education at Dragon School and Eton College.

Someone once asked why fraternity connections at British universities were so crucial. The answer was simple: networking.

Take David Cameron, for example. Born into an upper-middle-class family in London, Cameron’s father was a stockbroker, and his mother was the daughter of a baronet. His family hailed from the Scottish Highlands and had long-standing ties to the financial sector, with many members working as brokers or in investment.

In university, Cameron attended Oxford, where he leveraged his family connections to join the Bullingdon Club. After graduating, the members of this fraternity spread across various industries, watching out for each other and laying the foundation for his political career. He eventually became the youngest British prime minister since Robert Banks Jenkinson in 1812.

The 2014 film ‘The Riot Club’ was based on the Bullingdon Club.

In Britain, such networking doesn’t start at university—it begins in primary school. People like Renly, Andre, Eaton, and Matthew all went to school together, with fewer than 600 classmates, but they were now gradually stepping into society, taking on positions arranged by their families and playing increasingly significant roles.

Renly had uniquely stepped away from London. Had he followed his family’s plan, securing a major position in the financial sector wouldn’t have been difficult. He was, after all, a link in that network.

“It’s just about dinner time. Why don’t we head to the hotel restaurant for a meal, discuss our ideas, and then get to work? How does that sound?” Eaton may have appeared young, but his actions were efficient, showing that the past few years had honed his skills.

Andy nodded, “That sounds perfect.”

Female actors typically need to start preparing their gowns at least three months in advance. For men, it’s a little shorter but still requires about a month. With only two weeks left before the Golden Globes, every second counted.