impossible,” Jiovanni argued, his short black curls flopping around his face. “We signed several deals this year, and high-end boutiques in Montreal, Dubai and Paris are chomping at the bit to carry our gowns as well.”
Jiovanni had a fun-loving personality, an outrageous sense of humor and an infectious laugh. He loved fine wine, Italian rap music, and had a different woman on his arm every week. He liked to joke about marrying her one day, but he was the big brother Zoe never had, and she’d never ruin their friendship by getting involved romantically with him.
“The film company backed out of the deal weeks ago, but we didn’t know how to tell you.” Davide wore a sad smile. “You worked hard on the presentation, and we didn’t want to disappoint you, especially after everything you’ve done over the years to help the line succeed.”
“How could this happen? We’ve given our blood, sweat and tears to this company for years, and now we have nothing to show for it,” grumbled the creative director.
“Casa Di Moda isn’t the only company feeling the pinch,” Aurora said. “People aren’t splurging on designer labels like they used to, and according to official figures, clothing, shoes and jewelry fell another eighteen percent over the last nine months.”
“Households are under increasing pressure as they wrestle with rising living costs,” Davide added. “There’s a lot of fear and uncertainty in the world right now. Consumers are being very conservative with their money, even the rich and famous.”
Staff members grumbled and complained, bombarding Aurora and Davide with questions and concerns. Zoe couldn’t speak. This couldn’t be happening. Not to Aurora and Davide. They had big hearts, and she admired their tireless work ethic. Married for over a decade, the couple had no children, but referred to Casa Di Moda as their baby and treated everyone at the company like family. It was hard to listen to her colleagues bash them, but every time Zoe tried to come to the couple’s defense, someone interrupted her.
“Everyone, please settle down. I’m still the boss, and I won’t tolerate this kind of behavior at my company. If you can’t be respectful, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
Silence fell across the room as Aurora spoke, but tension and anger polluted the air.
“It will be business as usual around here during the holidays, but Davide and I will be away from the office a fair bit, so we’ll need all of you to hold the fort while we’re aggressively seeking new investors who’ll help us take Casa Di Moda to the next level.”
An associate designer raised her hand. “Are you planning to file for bankruptcy in the new year? Should we be looking for other jobs?”
Aurora stared down at the beige carpet, as if the answer to the question were written there. “I don’t know,” she said in a quiet tone of voice.
“Let’s not dwell on the negative.” Davide wore a broad smile. “Tonight’s the premiere of Amore in Tuscany, and we expect to see all of you at Anteo spazioCinema. You can’t get in the theater without your VIP pass, so guard it with your life.”
For weeks, Zoe had been looking forward to the movie premiere, but Aurora and Davide’s announcement had soured her mood. Casa Di Moda collaborated with several European directors to design movie sets and costumes, and the success of the film could mean more business for the company. Since Zoe wanted to see the fashion house succeed, she’d post about the event again on her social media pages once she got to her office.
“One last thing,” Aurora said, raising an index finger in the air. “If you have any ideas on how to help us turn things around and increase sales, please don’t hesitate to share them with us. Speak up. We want to hear from you.”
“I know a surefire way to boost sales and increase our popularity as well.”
Everyone in the room cranked their heads in Zoe’s direction but she wasn’t at all intimidated. She had this. Knew what she was talking about. Had the numbers to support her argument. And she was excited to share her knowledge with her colleagues.
“You do?” Interest sparked in Davide’s eyes.
“Well, don’t keep us in the dark.” Aurora spoke in a loud, animated voice. “What is it? What’s your brilliant idea for saving Casa Di Moda?”
“Create a plus-size line for curvy women.”
A scowl darkened Davide’s face, and the smile slid off Aurora’s thin pink lips.
“I don’t design clothes for big girls,” she spat. “And I never will.”
“Why not?” Zoe pressed, curious why her boss had shot down her idea. “According to published reports, the average woman in the United Kingdom is a size fourteen, and I think it’s high time we tap into that underserved and unappreciated market.”
“We will not. I style women from size zero to size eight, and that’s it.”
“But women don’t stop at size eight,” Zoe argued. “We come in all shapes and sizes. As a woman with curves, I know firsthand how stressful it is to find attractive designer clothes in Milan. And from what I hear on social media, it’s an issue all across Europe.”
Aurora inspected her French manicure. “That’s not my problem.”
Zoe took a moment to collect her thoughts. Having had this conversation with Jiovanni numerous times before, she stared at her best friend for help, but he dodged her gaze. Undeterred, Zoe returned her attention to her boss, forgetting about everyone else in the room and speaking from the heart. “Aurora, you make the most beautiful clothes, and I’d kill to wear your designs but I can’t because you don’t make them in my size. Why not create clothes for everyone? Why not share your talent with the world?”
“Because if I do I’ll never be taken seriously again as a designer. I’ll be shunned by the entire fashion community. At this stage in my career that’s a risk I can’t afford to take.”
“You’re a designer, and no one can ever take that away from you.”
“We could call the line, Chic and Curvy,” proposed an intern with colored braces.
“I love it!” Zoe said, unable to hide her excitement. The expression on Aurora’s face said back off, but she had to speak her mind. Wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she kept her feelings bottled up inside. Buying clothes had been an issue ever since she’d moved to Milan. If not for Jiovanni making dresses for her to wear to industry events, she’d be stuck ordering clothes online from the States.
“You have a God-given talent,” Zoe continued. “And it’s time you share your gift with the world, namely curvy beauties like me. Hey, voluptuous women love fashion, too!”
Her joke fell flat, and for the second time in minutes, an awkward silence filled the air. Needing help, Zoe stared around the table at her colleagues, but everyone avoided her gaze. Undeterred, she flipped open her journal and reviewed her notes.
“I think the Men of Milan calendar promotion would tie in well with the launch of a plus-size line,” she explained, continuing her pitch.
Aurora perked up. “A Men of Milan calendar? Sounds dreamy! Tell me more.”
“Everyone who buys a Casa Di Moda gown
