“I still can’t believe this is what I do for a living”: Falmouth graduate on designing for household brands
20 June 2025
Annabelle Johnson has gone from studying Graphic Design BA(Hons) at Falmouth to contributing to the design of popular products we see on supermarket shelves every day.
With clients including Penguin chocolate, Inch’s Cider, Robinsons and Virgin Atlantic, Bloom London is a design agency that brings a fresh and creative perspective to the look of established, well-known brands. After completing an internship with the agency soon after finishing her third year, Annabelle is now working at the agency as a Junior Designer.
We caught up with Annabelle to hear more about some of the projects she’s been working on, learning more about how her degree has proved invaluable for a career working in a fast-paced, collaborative and creative environment.
Can you tell us more about securing your role as Junior Designer at Bloom London?
My journey from graduate to intern was shaped by the projects I chose in my final year at Falmouth and by choosing to take part in Bulletproof’s 100 Proof competition. Industry-set briefs gave me focus and feedback from working professionals, and this motivated me to push my designs further than a self-set brief would have. Winning the competition earned me an internship at Bulletproof, and through it I connected with people like Maddie Thomas and Maddy Travers (both Falmouth graduates), who helped guide my project.
After my third-year final deadline, I took my work to Falmouth’s workshops and started experimenting with screen printing. Sharing that process on LinkedIn is what caught the attention of Lottie Petersen, design director at Bloom London, an independent brand agency, which led to another internship opportunity. This in turn led to me gaining the position as Junior Designer. Posting my work online—no matter how small—proved to be the most valuable way to get noticed and make my dream job a reality.
What skills did you learn at Falmouth that you have taken with you into your career?
Falmouth really taught me to think bigger and ask, “what if?” There were no limits to what we could create which helped me explore ideas beyond just branding, packaging, or posters. That freedom encouraged a broader, more experimental approach to design. While I gained practical skills in Adobe and typography, the most valuable lesson was learning to think in a unique and open-ended way. I still use creative methods like the ‘Scottish Plumber’ technique from Andy Neal, a process that helps me make unexpected connections between ideas when I’m stuck.
A selection of the public release images Annabelle contributed to the design of.
What exciting projects have you been working on, and what does your role involve?
Although many of the projects I’ve worked on haven’t launched yet, I’ve been involved in a wide range of exciting work—from packaging to full rebrands. I love the variety of projects; some days I’m working on clean, typographic labels, and other days I’m creating playful characters or developing ideas for experiential brand pop-ups. Every project is different, and that makes this job so much fun—I still can’t believe this is what I do for a living.
At the moment, I have had one of my designs released on a product. As an intern, I created a small skateboard ‘WIN’ icon for a Robinsons squash competition that you can find on the back of the bottle. Even though it’s small, I’m so proud that something I created as an intern can be seen in shops. Hopefully there will be a few bigger projects of mine on shelves soon.
What would you say to a student who dreams of becoming a designer?
My advice to aspiring designers is to be as bold and creative as possible—don’t hold back. Show all your ideas, no matter how wild or how small they may seem, because someone will always see the value in them. Try to experience as many things as possible—whether it's visiting galleries, trying a new hobby, or just exploring new places. These moments can spark ideas and bring a fresh perspective to your work.
In terms of landing an internship, share everything you create. Challenge yourself with competition briefs and experiment with hands-on processes like printmaking. Interning taught me how important curiosity is: ask questions, explore every part of the studio, and don’t be afraid to add your point of view to the discussion. They want to hear the point of view of the ‘fresh new creative’. Creativity, initiative, and passion are always noticed. Take every opportunity that comes your way. I secured a summer internship in my second year by staying in touch with the people I met during London studio visits—those small interactions can lead to big opportunities.
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