With every word Daphne spoke, the color drained a little more from Hailey's face.
Her heart seethed with indignation.
So what if her drawings weren't perfect?
As long as the design itself was good, that's all that mattered, right?
Jewelry was about the design, not the sketch.
Why were they nitpicking her preliminary sketches so much?
Could it be that Ms. Rainsford was jealous? Perhaps she saw a design that was too stunning, one that was getting hyped up online, with people even saying Hailey's work could surpass the master's...
Was that why she was so intent on tearing her down, afraid Hailey would actually eclipse her?
No wonder Daphne had been so cold and distant from the very beginning.
It was even possible that this sudden change in the rules for the second round was Daphne's doing.
She was deliberately trying to ruin her in this competition to protect her own status as a master designer!
How selfish!
And how vicious!
The more Hailey thought about it, the more convinced she became that her theory was correct.
She bit her lip, her expression a mixture of anger and stubborn defiance. "Ms. Rainsford, I admit that my drafting and technical skills are lacking. But the most important thing in jewelry design is creativity and vision. As long as I can create a piece that satisfies everyone, that proves my value!”
"Once I produce a design, there are plenty of professionals who can turn it into a finished product. It's best to leave specialized work to the specialists."
"I'm a designer, not a craftsman. Why should I have to be good at so many things?"
"Your rules for the second round are completely unfair! They go against the core principles of a design competition!"
The more Hailey spoke, the more she believed her own words, casting herself as a defiant heroine, standing up to the powerful.
The entire hall fell silent.
No one had expected this so-called genius jewelry designer, who had been trending online, to be so confrontational.
She was challenging Daphne head-on, in front of everyone.
Angela's brow furrowed. The sweet smile she wore earlier was gone, replaced by a cold expression. "Contestant Number Four, by choosing to participate in this
vel
competition That
agreed to its rules
and accepted us as judges.
means you are obligated to follow all the rules."
“The competition format was established a month ago, after a vote by all the associated jewelry guilds. Are you questioning the fairness and validity of rules that were unanimously agreed upon by the entire professional community?"
A rule decided a month ago...
And she had only been invited to participate a week ago.
How could the competition format have been changed specifically to target her?
Realization dawned on Hailey, and the color drained from her face, all traces of her defiant posture vanishing.
Angela continued, "Creative ideas
are certainly important, but it's even more crucial for a designer to have a comprehensive understanding
their own hands on
Frankly, your drafting skills and
abilities are both very amateurish. You lack the fundamental skills expected of a professional jeweler."
Mr. Linwood's expression also turned grim. He slowly rose to his feet, adopting the stern demeanor of a professor at a lectern. "Contestant Number Four, you claim that creativity and ideas are what matter most in gesign But design is not some abstract, empty notion! If your so-called creativity cannot be clearly expressed through professional techniques or presented with a
logical structure..."
"Then your 'creativity and ideas' are nothing more than useless, incomprehensible
talk."