A week after the competition deadline, the public exhibition hosted by the International Fashion Association finally opened. As soon as Emily stepped into the art hall, a faint woody scent greeted her, blending perfectly with the warm, earthy tones of the decor.
After passing the security checkpoint, the first thing she saw was a large projection screen suspended overhead, cycling through the top ten shortlisted entries. The designers' names were all hidden—only entry numbers were shown. Visitors could cast a vote for their favorite, and the audience vote would count for 20% of the final score.
Emily paused, her eyes fixed on the screen. She stood still for a few seconds until her own design appeared among the entries—her eyes lit up. She’d made the shortlist!
Excited, she pulled out he
