Meet our Alumni of the Month – Tanja Sredojevic, Master in Fashion and Luxury Business Management. Born and raised in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Tanja earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Relations in her home country while participating in two Erasmus programs, one in Portugal and the other in Turkey. Tanja was very modest when she said she could communicate in nine different languages. She is fluent in Slovenian, Serbian, English, and Italian. She also has a working vocabulary in Portuguese, Spanish, French and Turkish; quite a testament to this young woman’s ambitious nature.
Some may think international relations is far different from the fashion and luxury industry, but Tanja would beg to differ. Here is why. Politics is important in everything you do. Studying international relations gave Tanja a better understanding of globalization, insight into various industries across the world, and how these businesses are all interconnected. When deciding on her next course of study, Tanja wanted to combine her background with her passion, which is helping women. Her mission is to combine her backgrounds, international relations and fashion, in the pursuit to create a better, more beautiful world for women.
Why GBSB Global Business School in Barcelona?
Recognizing this amalgamation of interests set the tone when it came time for Tanja to decide on where she would study. Spain offered a space to grow and a place where she could find opportunities around every corner to engage in professional activities both locally and on the international stage. In particular, GBSB Global Business School in Barcelona offered the exact program Tanja was looking for. It was a specific program, the MA in Fashion and Luxury Business Management, that fit a niche other schools did not offer. The location and opportunities available to students were also factors that determined her decision.
During Tanja’s final term at GBSB, she participated in an internship with Céline, a French ready-to-wear and leather luxury goods fashion house that has been owned by LVMH group since 1996. It was founded in 1945 by Céline Vipiana and her husband, Richard, who together created one of the first luxury brands in the industry. The headquarters are in Paris, and stores are located around the globe, in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Tanja works with the local store on Paseo de Gracia. In this position, Tanja is learning about creating the luxury experience and working to develop and maintain relationships with high-end clients.
GBSB opened the door for Tanja to enter the world of fashion and supported her in finding the internship with Céline.
One of the most valuable experiences Tanja gained from her time at GBSB Global Business School in Barcelona was being involved in orchestrating the BIT in Fashion Conference. An event that looks at business, innovation, and technology in the fashion industry. Her greatest takeaway was the irreplaceable experience organizing the logistics of executing an event of this caliber. A concept that was started one year prior to Tanja’s involvement, Tanja and two other classmates could build upon previous relations and foster new ones with professionals in the industry. The primary objective Tanja had for the event was to create a bridge between students and professionals in the fashion and luxury industry and to minimize the gap between the two.
From Tanja’s experience, she says, “When you have a vision, you can do what you set your sight on.”
What’s Next?
When asked about her future after earning her MA in Fashion and Luxury Business Management at GBSB, Tanja was quite anxious. Of course it has been on her mind, but she has not made any specific plans. Thinking five or ten years from now, Tanja would like to honor her mission to be inspired and to inspire women to be better and take care of themselves on every single level.
By Emily Dawn Szajda, GBSB Content Manager
