FROM PROGRAM TO ECOSYSTEM
Transforming a declining fashion program into a more relevant, connected and future-facing educational platform.
Business Transformation · Creative Leadership · Education Innovation`
Monterrey Mexico · 2020-2022
+61%
ENROLLMENT GROWTH
one semester during COVID
01
THE PROBLEM
Enrollment was declining. But enrollment wasn't the real problem.
For three years, enrollment had been decreasing. The program had a weak reputation, students misunderstood what fashion education really was, and the industry did not recognize the value of CEDIM graduates. Then COVID accelerated everything.
FASHION PERCEPTION
Glamour/easy/not a real career
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Students not well prepared
INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
Low visibility/ weak connection
EXPECTATIONS
Wrong audience/high dropouts
ENROLLMENT
Declining for 3 years
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02
THE DIAGNOSIS
The problem was upstream.
The root cause was not marketing. It was the educational product. The industry connection and the perception around the program.
WEAK
EDUCATIONAL
PRODUCT
POOR
STUDENT
OUTCOMES
WEAK
INDUSTRY
PERCEPTION
WRONG
EXPECTATIONS
DECLINING
ENROLLMENT
COVID AMPLIFIED THE PROBLEM
No campus access, no physical projects, no exchanges, no runway. The value proposition was a risk
03
FIX THE PRODUCT
I started by
rebuilding
the program.
CURRICULUM
REDESIGN
New structure by
semester with balance of creativity, technique and business.
FACULTY
Recruited and developed stronger faculty.
+30 teachers under program direction
INDUSTRY TOOLS
CLO3D, WGSN, Adobe suite, Final Cut,after effects, cinema 4d, Digital fashion
MULTIDISCIPLINARY LEARNING
Connected fashion with other disciplines though collaborative projects.
04
BUILD THE ECOSYSTEM
Education became an ecosystem.
05
REINVENT THE RUNWAY
When the physical runway disappeared, we rebuilt it virtually.
I proposed the idea, presented it to the CEO
and led the creative direction and development
of the first fully virtual fashion runway at CEDIM.
-
Cross-disciplinary team
-
External 3D production team
-
Students from fashion, architecture,
graphic design, animation and
industrial design -
I made the final creative decisions
06
EXPAND THE TALENT PIPELINE
Not every fashion student wants to become a designer.
I created fashion films to showcase multiple creative paths to open the door to new careers.
STYLING
COSTUME
PRODUCTION
FILM/IMAGE
CREATIVE DIRECTION
Including MTV, Pierre Cardin, Arts of Fashion, Diseña Mexico and more.
12+
FASHION COMPETITIONS
7-8
Per Fashion Week show
STUDENTS SELECTED
COMPETITIONS & AWARDS
First places and finalist in national and international competitions.
07
BUILD GLOBAL RELEVANCE
From local reputation to international visibility.
NEW YORK
MILAN
MEXICO
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS & REAL PROJECTS
+ many more
08
REPOSITION THE PROGRAM
If people didn't understand the program, I went directly to them.
-
Webinars
-
School visits
-
Workshops
-
Media
-
Social
-
Admissions
The message was clear:
Fashion is not just glamour.
It is a professional discipline
with real career opportunities.
09
BUSINESS IMPACT
+61%
ENROLLMENT RECOVERY
from the semester before my appointment to the first semere under my direction.
After three years of declining enrollment, the program grew by 61% in the first semester under my leadership, followed by continued enrollment growth throughout my tenure.
10
MY ROLE
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
STRATEGY
Program transformation
Curriculum & academic vision
Market analysis
BUSINESS
Enrollment growth
Partnerships
Budget proposals
Admissions
LEADERSHIP
CREATIVE DIRECTION
Virtual runway
Fashion films
Digital initiatives
Brand positioning
INDUSTRY & GLOBAL
International schools
Industry partnerships
Fashion weeks
Competitions
Faculty team (~30)
Students
Multidisciplinary teams
External collaborators
I owned the strategic direction of the program, from diagnosis and curriculum redesign to partnerships, creative initiatives, team leadership and external representation.
11
CLOSING
The goal wasn't to make the program look different.
It was to make it better.
BETTER EDUCATION
Stronger curriculum and faculty
BETTER CONNECTIONS
Industry, global network and real opportunities
BETTER EXPERIENCE
Innovative, relevant and future-facing
BETTER PERCEPTION
From local reputation to global relevance