Six months later, the converted Blackwood Innovation Hub gleamed under midday sun. Floor‑to‑ceiling windows overlooked a rooftop garden brimming with native pollinators; inside, light filtered through living‑wall panels of climbing ivy. The vast industrial space had been reborn—workstations arranged in clusters, prototypes displayed on sculpted pedestals, and a translucent runway weaving through interactive exhibits.
Lena Rivers stood at the head of the space, adjusting her microphone pinned to a fox‑embroidered lapel. Around her, a carefully curated audience of international press, NGO partners, and emerging designers waited in hushed anticipation. Behind them, the marquee read:
> **“RIVERS | WORLD: Adaptive Couture for Every Body"**
Next to her, Damien Blackwood—now Executive Chair
