Then he slowly raised his eyes.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Excellent. In that case, I think it is time we discuss something that has not yet been made clear to everyone in this room."
The woman in black suddenly appeared nervous.
The elderly gentleman placed the folder on the table and turned toward the audience.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "There is a reason I requested the names of these designers before the final results were announced. And there is a very important detail concerning one of the creations that I believe everyone deserves to know."
The audience fell silent.
The two contestants exchanged a brief glance.
The woman in green leaned forward.
The woman in black gripped the edge of the table.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "What happened here tonight is not simply a question of which dress is more beautiful. It is a question of whether this competition is prepared to recognize talent fairly, regardless of someone's reputation, background, or personal connections."
He paused.
Then he looked directly at the woman in black.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "And before we announce the winner, I believe we need to address the comments that were made earlier this evening."
The ballroom became completely silent.
The woman in black tried to maintain her composure, but her expression had changed.
She knew the conversation was no longer about an ordinary fashion presentation.
Something much bigger was about to be revealed.
And the most important part of the evening had not even begun.
The silence inside the ballroom became almost unbearable.
Hundreds of guests were now watching the judges' table, waiting for the elderly gentleman to explain what he had discovered. The cameras continued recording, capturing every movement and every change in expression.
The woman in black tried to maintain her confident appearance, but her fingers were visibly tightening around the edge of the table.
WOMAN IN BLACK: "Sir, I think there may be a misunderstanding. I have always acted in the best interests of this competition."
The elderly gentleman looked at her calmly.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "I certainly hope so. That is why I want everyone to understand what happened here tonight."
He opened the folder and removed several documents.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "This competition was established to recognize creativity, technical ability, originality, and professional integrity. Every contestant was given the same opportunity to present their work. Every designer was required to submit documentation explaining the concept, the materials, and the construction process."
He paused before continuing.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "However, I have received information suggesting that not every contestant was evaluated according to those standards."
The woman in green immediately looked toward her colleague.
WOMAN IN GREEN: "Are you referring to the earlier presentation?"
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "I am referring to the way certain comments were made before the work had even been properly examined."
The woman in black quickly interrupted.
WOMAN IN BLACK: "With respect, judges are entitled to express their professional opinions. We cannot be expected to praise every design simply because someone has worked hard on it."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Nobody is asking you to praise every design. Constructive criticism is part of this profession. But there is a considerable difference between evaluating a creation and humiliating the person who made it."
His words echoed through the ballroom.
Several guests nodded.
The young woman in the blue gown stood quietly, looking down at the floor. She had not expected anyone to defend her so openly.
For the first time since arriving at the competition, she felt that someone was willing to listen.
The elderly gentleman turned toward her.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Miss, I want you to understand something. You have every right to present your work here without being made to feel inferior because of your background or financial circumstances."
BLUE-GOWN CONTESTANT: "Thank you, sir. I appreciate that."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "You should never confuse criticism of your work with an attack on your dignity. And nobody sitting at this table should ever forget that distinction."
The woman in green lowered her eyes briefly.
WOMAN IN GREEN: "I agree with you, sir. We should have given her more time to explain the design."
The woman in black looked increasingly irritated.
WOMAN IN BLACK: "I think everyone is exaggerating what happened. I made a comment about the dress. That is all."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Then perhaps you will have no difficulty explaining why you dismissed the design before reviewing its technical documentation."
The woman in black opened her mouth, but no immediate answer came.
The gentleman placed another sheet of paper on the table.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "According to the records, the blue gown received particularly strong preliminary assessments from the technical team. Its construction, material selection, and finishing details were all rated highly."
The woman in green looked surprised.
WOMAN IN GREEN: "I was not aware that the technical assessment had already been completed."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "It was completed before the final presentation. The results were submitted to the organizing committee."
He turned toward the woman in black.
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "Did you review those results?"
WOMAN IN BLACK: "I reviewed the information that was made available to me."
OLDER GENTLEMAN: "That was not my question."
The room became quiet again.
WOMAN IN BLACK: "I did not consider the preliminary technical score decisive."