“Uncle,” she stirred her coffee, her face solemn as if about to announce a new collection. “I just read something quite famous that stated the concept that people only have two basic motivations: either love or fear. I am wondering, am I an artist or just a rabbit running away from a hunter? In the fashion world, people create because they love beauty, but mostly because they are afraid of being forgotten. Afraid of falling behind, afraid of being outdated, afraid of their name disappearing after a season. If there were no such fear, would people be willing to squeeze themselves out to stay up all night?”.
The old writer leisurely took a sip of coffee, saying: "Fear is a whip, and love is a lamp. Both urge us to walk, but the way we set foot on the ground will be completely different. When you make a collection for fear of being overtaken by opponents, you will always look around. You look around, compare, be wary and guess what the crowd wants. That is an outward gaze, a chase without a destination. But if you do it because you love the material, love the moment the woman wears your clothes and feels more proud, then you are looking inside".
He paused for a moment, then smiled: "The one who runs because of fear is fast, but the one who leaves because of love is far away". The girl was silent, looking at the crowd rushing outside the window and said: "But uncle, love is also full of fear. Loving the profession is afraid of failure, loving others is afraid of loss. It seems they are always intertwined?
He nodded in agreement. "They are intertwined like vertical and horizontal fibers on the weaving frame. But their energy nature is different. Fear makes us withdraw to protect ourselves, while love makes us open our hearts to dedicate ourselves. When I was young, I wrote because I was afraid of poverty, afraid of being unknown. The writing page at that time was full of calculation, sharpness and dryness. Only when I started writing because I loved human imperfections, imperfect beauty, did I truly find my own voice. When you choose a project not for money, not for fame, but only because you believe in it, that is when you allow the lamp to lead the way.
The girl stood up, confidently as if walking on the stage of her life, and said decisively: "From now on, every time I hold the scissors, I will ask: Am I running away from the whip, or am I following the lamp?
He laughed heartily: "That's right. And remember not to forget to pay me with a coat that fits this godfather style! The kind that fear can never penetrate!
