His assistant waited for further instructions.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Do not interrupt the presentation. Let them finish. I want to see how the judges handle this."
Downstairs, the young contestant in the blue gown had returned to the waiting area.
She stood near the entrance, watching the remaining presentations on a monitor.
Although she had received applause, the criticism from the woman in black continued to trouble her.
She was not afraid of receiving a low score. She understood that competitions involved different opinions.
What hurt was the way the judge had dismissed her work without even attempting to understand the effort behind it.
A fellow contestant approached her.
CONTESTANT: "You did wonderfully out there. Everyone was talking about your dress."
BLUE-GOWN CONTESTANT: "Thank you. I just wish the judges had looked at it more carefully."
CONTESTANT: "Don't let one person's opinion ruin your evening."
BLUE-GOWN CONTESTANT: "I'm trying not to. I know what I created, and I know how much work went into it."
The other contestant smiled encouragingly.
CONTESTANT: "Then remember that. You don't need everyone to approve of you to know your work has value."
The young woman nodded.
She looked back toward the runway.
The black gown was still receiving attention, and the audience seemed more excited with every passing moment.
She felt a strange sense of anticipation.
Something was happening beyond the ordinary competition.
The organizers were speaking quietly among themselves, the judges were reviewing documents, and the elderly gentleman on the balcony had not taken his eyes away from the stage.
Then a member of the production team hurried toward the judges' table.
ORGANIZER: "Ladies, we need your attention for a moment."
The woman in green turned toward him.
WOMAN IN GREEN: "Is there a problem?"
ORGANIZER: "The senior representative has requested that the final evaluation be conducted in accordance with the original judging criteria. He also wishes to speak with the panel before the results are announced."
The woman in black immediately frowned.
WOMAN IN BLACK: "Why does he need to speak with us?"
ORGANIZER: "I was only asked to deliver the message."
WOMAN IN GREEN: "Very well. We will be ready."
The organizer nodded and walked away.
The woman in black leaned toward her colleague.
WOMAN IN BLACK: "This is becoming ridiculous. We have been judging competitions for years. We do not need someone upstairs telling us how to do our jobs."
WOMAN IN GREEN: "Perhaps he simply wants to make sure everything is handled fairly."
WOMAN IN BLACK: "Fairly? I know exactly how to judge a fashion competition."
WOMAN IN GREEN: "Then you should have nothing to worry about."
The woman in black stared at her without responding.
On the balcony, the elderly gentleman was preparing to descend.
He adjusted his jacket, looked once more toward the runway, and gave his assistant a small nod.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Let's go downstairs."
ASSISTANT: "Certainly, sir."
As he walked toward the staircase, several guests began noticing his movement.
A few people recognized him and immediately stood up.
Others whispered to one another, wondering why such an important figure was leaving his private viewing area.
The atmosphere inside the ballroom changed almost instantly.
The woman in green noticed the movement and looked toward the entrance.
WOMAN IN GREEN: "I believe he is coming down."
The woman in black straightened in her chair.
For the first time that evening, her confident expression seemed uncertain.
She looked at the folder in front of her.
Then she glanced toward the runway, where the young model was still standing beneath the lights.
The elderly gentleman reached the main floor.
People moved aside respectfully as he approached the judges' table.
The organizer hurried forward to greet him.
ORGANIZER: "Good evening, sir. We are honored to have you with us."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Thank you. I have been watching the presentations carefully."
ORGANIZER: "We hope you have enjoyed the competition."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Some presentations have certainly been more interesting than others."
He turned toward the judges.
The woman in green immediately stood up.
WOMAN IN GREEN: "Good evening. It is a pleasure to see you."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "The pleasure is mine."
The woman in black also stood, although she seemed uncomfortable.
WOMAN IN BLACK: "Good evening, sir."
The gentleman acknowledged her politely.
Then he placed a hand on the evaluation folder.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "I understand that there has been some disagreement regarding tonight's presentations."
The woman in black looked toward the organizer.
WOMAN IN BLACK: "We are simply maintaining professional standards. That is part of our responsibility."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Naturally. Professional standards are important. But so are fairness, experience, and the ability to recognize genuine talent."
The woman in green remained silent, listening carefully.
The elderly gentleman continued.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "I would like to ask each of you something. When you look at a dress, do you judge only the material and the appearance? Or do you also consider the creativity, the craftsmanship, and the person responsible for bringing the idea to life?"
WOMAN IN GREEN: "All of those elements should be considered, sir."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "I agree."
He turned toward the woman in black.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "And you?"
WOMAN IN BLACK: "Of course. However, I believe a competition must maintain a certain level of excellence."