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The North end of Chinatown has Fashion's Boutique, the shop window showing off a pair of puppets with dresses made for the beginning fall weather, between them an old sewing machine for display. In the door are the opening time and a shield showing the open side.
When entering the shop a wind chime chimes, the white counter with the cashier and a catalogue full of sketches next to a few fashion magazines of the month. Elle, Vogue Paris, Grazia… the big ones from France and Italy.
Ducking out of the windy weather, Cindy's arrival here was really by accident - though someone once told her there are no accidents, just coincidences. As the chimes sound, the young woman takes in some of the dresses, and wows softly. There's a little bite on her bottom lip as she continues to explore just a little, and in accented Korean asks, "Hello?"
While not speaking any Korean, Janie does know her windchimes. Watching from the opening to the backroom, where maybe most of the action for the seamstress should happen, the measuring and sewing. Where her cloth was stored. "Good afternoon. Can I help you, Miss?"
"Oh, hi!" comes the response from the tall Asian girl as Cindy smiles polietly and bows for Janie, as she's the shop owner. "I was just admiring your wares. Do you make.. simpler dresses?" she asks, not quite touching one of the more exquisite designs as she tugs on her blouse. "…something more.. historical?"
Janie does note, having actually more normal fall dresses made in the display, just her sketches are much more elaborate, made for evenings. "Something historical? That could be done, if I know what is to be done." the smaller chinese girl explains, smiling as she moves to the white counter and pulling out a sketching pad from under it. "You might have some reference or can explain what you might want?" With skilled movements, she does sketch a rough shape in grey pencil onto the pad, eying up Cindy to judge her proportions and fit them on the pad.
"Hwarot… that is really something I am not too familiar with. It sounds Korean though. I guess I'd have to see a picture somewhere, but there are just few picture reference guides for Korean clothing I know of." Some moments she ponders, the back of the pencil scratching at her right temple. "I do know though this one traditional dress… Let's see… it has this bow here… fold…. hem… collar…" As she speaks, she sketches a Hanbok onto the pad, only minimally correcting herself and as she goes on, she does add some rough shading to it. "At least so much I can do from memory…"
"It is a little bit colorful…" Cindy nods her approval at the drawing and offers a smile. "…but yes, that is the general idea. How expensive is one of these?" she asks, the girl is dressed smartly enough to be a college student, but her clothes seem to be from last season.
"That entirely would depend on the fabric and details… Silks and all traditional layering - I think it was layered after all - would be pretty expensive, but there are always ways to save some fabric. I could research the look of a Hwarot for you though." Janie explains, her hand searching for her fabrics catalogue below the counter and pulling the heavy book with fabric samples in it up with ease (and a little help of her cloth levitation).
"Oh. Hmm." Cindy rubs the back of her head. "I would have to ask my.. sponsor.. if such a thing would be an acceptable expense." she explains. "I am here on a student visa. My sponsor is Miss Gwen Stacy. I would have to ask her if it's alright if I make a purchase like this. If that's okay?"
"Well, It all depends on what you want in the end, but it is always better to know what you can spend on it. If your sponsor allows the spending, sure, why not? I am not a specialist on asian clothing, but I am willing to look into what I can do from just the descriptions and pictures… Could you write down for me this Hearot? I might know who to ask if they might have at least an idea how they look."
"Oh! Sure." Cindy comes over to the table, and reaches for Janie's pencil. With a smile, she starts to sketch - which when combined with her memory, turns out a pretty good version of the hwarot. It will definetly take some work as she returns the pencil to hand back to Janie. This close to the girl, the smell of fresh apples is strong on her as she bounces on the balls of her feet excitedly.
Janie eyes Cindy sketching something instead of just writing down the signs for it, but she nods as she turns the pad around again. "Hmmm, I could work with that…" she mutters, herself smelling more of Aloe Vera, as she uses it in her shampoo. "Oh…. You might want to try to grow your hair longer to that dress I guess. Let me try something…" She does start to do a new rough figure, adding onto it the cloth sketch Cindy has added in a more reproportioned way.
"Oooh. I like that. Can I give you my sponsor's number and you call her?" Cindy asks, moving to write her number on the sheet of paper with a smile and brushes some of her hair back. "If that's okay?" she asks with a smile before stepping back. "That way you can discuss the price with her." In the paper is Gwen's number and address.