Located near Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive is Los Angeles' most famous fashion hub. This stretch, from The Beverly Hills Hotel in the south to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in the north, packs over a hundred high-end boutiques into just three blocks. Cobblestone-paved streets, sunlight-sparkling fountains, nostalgic little taverns, and European-style specialty shops form the most unique scene in the City of Angels.
Starting from the Walk of Fame, reaching Rodeo Drive is just about a mile's drive, taking only five minutes. Joseph soon brought Hugo to this trendy district.
Looking at the rows of luxury stores on both sides Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Louis Vuitton the dazzling array left one overwhelmed with no idea where to start. Neither Hugo nor Joseph had much experience with shopping. After getting out of the parking lot, the two just stood on the street, not taking a single step.
Hugo carefully observed the lavishly decorated stores on both sides of the street. The opulent decor was daunting. Hugo knew that even a shirt inside might cost several hundred dollars—prices far beyond his reach before he transmigrated. That's why Hugo always believed that clothing wasn't about price or brand but about personal matching—wearing your own style and confidently presenting it, that's the essence of fashion. Simply chasing luxury brands or blindly following trends didn't necessarily suit oneself.
"Armani—how about it?" Joseph hesitated before suggesting, "Hollywood always says, 'If you don't know what to wear, go with Armani.' Should we give it a try?"
Hugo couldn't help but laugh. "That's just marketing. You actually fell for it?" Hugo never believed in those kinds of ads. Some even claimed, "You must own a Louis Vuitton in your lifetime, or your life is incomplete." Hugo scoffed at that even more. If someone needed a bag or a piece of clothing to feel complete, then that life truly lacked ambition.
However, Armani suits weren't overly bold but still had innovation. They were indeed suitable for most men. What's more, this was the early '90s, when men's fashion lagged far behind women's. Unlike the 21st century, where men's fashion flourished with endless choices, Armani was a decent place to start.
"Then let's check it out." Hugo didn't have any strong ideas either. Facing the dazzling number of fashion boutiques, starting with Armani seemed like a good choice.
Hugo and Joseph didn't hesitate further and directly pushed open the glass doors in front of them, walking into the store. As soon as they entered, a sales associate greeted them with a smile. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Hugo's gaze wandered through the neatly arranged racks. The sea of garments was dazzling it wouldn't be easy to find a set that truly suited him. Joseph seemed a bit more experienced and directly said, "We need suits for a formal event, but nothing too serious."
The associate immediately understood. This was Hollywood, and she had clearly served countless artists before. She smiled and asked, "Is it for a party?" While asking, she subtly assessed Hugo, who stood nearby.
It had to be said, Hugo's arresting charisma was truly eye-catching it was hard to look away. Today, he was simply dressed in a white T-shirt paired with black straight-leg jeans and white sneakers. His outerwear was a smoky gray jacket—simple, clean, and neat, yet brimming with youthful vitality. It perfectly highlighted the warm and sunny vibe Hugo naturally gave off.
Within a few seconds, the associate recognized the man before her as Hugo Lancaster, who had recently stirred up the scene thanks to the Golden Raspberry Awards. Honestly, although Hugo had starred in outstanding works like Dead Poets Society and big productions like Desparate Moments and Hudson Hawk, none of them were truly representative roles. What truly made Hugo's name resonate across Hollywood was the Golden Raspberry Awards.
Recognizing Hugo, the associate naturally began calculating in her mind.
Meanwhile, Joseph answered, "A premiere."
That made the associate smile and nod. "Please follow me." Then she led the way in front, her tone polite and appropriate—not overly reverent, nor at all dismissive.
Hugo had previously heard that sales associates in luxury stores could be snobbish. There were even absurd cases where plainly dressed customers were barred from touching clothes under the excuse, "You can't afford it." Such things happening in the service industry were truly shocking, yet that was the harsh reality. But today's associate behavior was quite satisfactory. Actually, both Hugo and Joseph were dressed very casually—Joseph simply wore a shirt and jeans, looking quite shabby. Perhaps the associate had recognized Hugo, because her expressions and gaze remained fairly neutral.
The Armani store was large. The associate led Hugo and Joseph across the lobby and turned into a side section—an entirely different space. Then she stood in front of a row of racks and pointed at the surrounding two rows of clothing. "These are all new arrivals for the spring season—formal yet not too serious, casual yet refined."
She quietly observed Hugo's gaze, trying to gauge his preferences, while continuing to explain, "This spring's designs focus on cuts that emphasize the body's form and strength. Clean lines paired with fine textures, without the dullness of typical formal suits, adding a touch of youthful unruliness."
After catching onto what Hugo was focusing on, the shop assistant walked over to the rack and pulled out two suits. "I think Mr. Lancaster has a tall build and a sunny, outstanding aura—he can pull off any color. But this black one and this gray one are more suitable for a premiere—dignified yet still luxurious."
The assistant hung the two suits on the rack next to them, fully displaying the overall feel of the garments for Hugo and Joseph to assess, and also allowing them to examine the finer design details.
Joseph glanced back at Hugo's figure and nodded subconsciously. Hugo had the classic clothes-hanger body—anything would look especially appealing on him. These two suits were bound to work. "Try the black one?" Joseph suggested, thinking the gray one looked a bit dark and mature, which didn't quite fit the vibe they were going for.
At the premiere of The Final Analysis, Richard would be representing the mature and steady charm, so Hugo naturally couldn't follow that same route otherwise, his attendance would lose all meaning. It wasn't just the actresses who compared themselves; the competition among male actors could be just as intense. The only difference was that men were generally limited to suits, so it didn't seem as dazzlingly diverse as the women's dresses. Still, Hugo couldn't go head-to-head with Richard in the mature charm department—that would be asking for disaster.
Hugo knew that most clothes didn't look great on the hanger, and only by trying them on could one really judge. So he didn't object and took the suit into the fitting room. Just before he stepped inside, the assistant handed him a white shirt. Only then did Hugo realize he'd blanked out and forgotten to take a shirt—kind of embarrassing.
Amused glints flickered in the assistant's eyes, and Joseph gave a helpless expression as Hugo took the suit and headed into the changing room.
Soon, Hugo came back out dressed and muttering, "Is this the right size? Why does it feel a bit big?" But no one responded. That's when he realized the entire space had gone completely silent.
When he'd walked in earlier, there had been a few other customers and some assistants chatting quietly. But now, all the sounds had vanished. Hugo looked up and saw everyone staring at him, mouths slightly open in dazed shock. The blank looks on their faces made the scene feel like something out of a comic, and he almost burst out laughing.
Standing there, Hugo was wearing a crisp black suit. His broad shoulders and slim waist were clearly outlined beneath the fabric. Even though the suit's slightly looser cut didn't emphasize a tight silhouette like 21st-century designs, it was still easy to see how perfectly his figure matched the outfit's design. It presented masculine elegance in a way that radiated youth, and his bright smile lit up the whole world.
Everyone in the Armani store was stunned, frozen by the wave of charm washing over them—left speechless. It was often said that clothes make the man, and Hugo, already blessed with natural advantages, looked devastatingly attractive in the right outfit. His striking, deep-set features were brimming with sunny energy, and the moment he appeared, people lost the ability to speak.
Joseph was the first to snap out of it. He gave a small cough and said, "No, I think this outfit is perfect. Really perfect." He even added a note of emphasis to express how strongly he felt.
The shop assistant who'd been helping Hugo also came to their senses and quickly walked over, circling halfway around him to inspect how the suit fit and check for any adjustments needed. "This one isn't too heavy, and the narrow lapel with the two-button design feels young and suits your vibe perfectly."
"Really?" Hugo tugged at the collar and buttoned the suit, then walked over to the full-length mirror to take in the whole look. "Why do I feel like I'm wearing a barrel?"
Uh…
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