"The main raw material of our sector is the illusion of the people."

"You culminate a stage of intense training, knowledge, experiences and challenges that will surely mark your lives. You have dedicated a full year to training in the fashion business, with great effort, weekends, little social life... all to follow your dream of becoming the best professionals in this sector". This is how Teresa Sádaba, dean of ISEM, began her speech to the students, family and friends of the 20th graduating class of the Master in Fashion Business Administration (FBA). She was joined by Professor Silvia Pérez Bou, academic director of the program, and Raúl Estradera, director of Communication and Institutional Relations at Inditex.

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What is it about fashion that arouses so much passion, so much interest and so much attraction," Professor Sádaba asked the audience. "I think the attraction of fashion is that it is one of the total social phenomena of which the sociologist Marcel Mauss spoke: there is no social dimension, and therefore no human dimension, that escapes fashion".

Beauty, passion and effort. Creativity and business. A truly attractive mix that comes together in an industry - fashion - which, in Europe alone, produces more than 5 million direct jobs throughout the value chain, 850,000 companies and an annual turnover of 525 billion euros. That is why it requires professionals with enthusiasm and responsibility for a job well done, like those we try to train at ISEM Fashion Business School. "Do not stop feeding that passion to continue growing professionally, reminded the dean of the school. Fashion requires people who understand the importance and depth of their work, the implications of their decisions and their ability to transform".

Raúl Estradera was the keynote speaker at the academic event. "At Inditex we are convinced of the transforming power of the fashion world when it comes to expressing ourselves. We believe that the main raw material of our sector is the illusion of people (...) We are also convinced of the importance of a transformative and quality education such as the one offered by this house and the value it brings to companies (...) It is excellent news that there is a new group of highly prepared young people joining the fashion industry. Over time, at Inditex we have received groups of students from this school every year who have been joining our group, and for us ISEM is a name of reference," said the executive.

On behalf of the students, Ana María García Novo and María Pérez Gorria thanked the teachers, relatives, etc. The opportunity that the FBA has meant for them and the illusion with which they face their professional career from now on. "We will try to be, first, good people and, later, better professionals", they concluded.

The speeches gave way to the most emotional moment of the event: the presentation of diplomas. With nerves and smiles from ear to ear, each of the students collected the diploma that certifies their passage through ISEM during this academic year. Now they become part of the alumni community of this school, from which they can contribute and benefit from a network of professionals in the fashion industry worldwide.