How studying at Falmouth helped this graduate land her dream job in fashion

Alice Kasinather-Jones has travelled across the world to create campaigns for the likes of Gucci and Prada.
 

Since starting her role as a Junior Producer with Partner Films in February, BA(Hons) Fashion Photography graduate Alice Kasinather-Jones has collaborated with some of the best photographers in the world to create campaigns for iconic fashion brands.

Alice has been at the heart of compelling campaigns for the likes of Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. Her exploits have taken her to Los Angeles, Rome, Milan, Mallorca and France – and she’s only been in the job for nine months.

It’s no surprise to see Alice finding her feet so quickly given the way she approached her time at university. Reflecting on her studies at Falmouth, Alice told us that finding opportunities for herself whilst at university gave her the best possible chance of receiving a job offer after graduation. 

“From the second I started the course I was looking for activities to boost my prospects”, Alice reflects. “Sadly, there’s a good chance you won’t get paid for a fashion placement, so you want to be doing that while you have your student loan for support. Once you’ve graduated and have zero income, you don’t want to be working for free!”

Alice’s career aspirations were at the forefront of her mind when considering which universities to apply for, and she admits that she had reservations about coming to Cornwall to study Fashion Photography. As Alice explains, “Initially I was looking at universities in London and Southampton. My first thought was that being in a city would be best for something fashion-based.

“But when I was making my choices, I went on a bunch of Open Days and the Falmouth Fashion Photography course was by far the most impressive. The facilities, the lecturers, the curriculum – it was an absolute no-brainer. 

“I was struck by how industry-focused the Fashion Photography course was; nowadays so many people have a degree, so you need to be able to set yourself out from the crowd. The course really helps you achieve that.

“I also realised that the location was a huge benefit. I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a city, where you can’t have access to nature like you do down here. Falmouth is such a creative environment – going there was 100% the right decision.”

Alice is also quick to compliment her lecturers, who give their students the flexibility to pursue placements in the industry. “They’re really accommodating”, Alice tells us. “They recognise the value of a placement, so if you get offered one during term time you can still make it work, so long as you catch up with your studies.”

In Alice’s case, the value of her work experience couldn’t be clearer. “I did work experience in the second year at Big Sky Studios and then in the summer break, I did an internship with them. Following those experiences, I felt pretty confident of getting a job there after university finished, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Alice has since moved on from Big Sky Studios to work with Partner Films. Her role as a Junior Producer has taken her all over the world, and she has had the surreal experience of working with some of the photographers she studied at university. 

“It’s bizarre! I’ve worked with Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, David Sims, Alasdair McLellan and Lachlan Bailey – all big names in the industry. I’ve loved every second of the job.”

Having worked in her dream job for nearly a year, Alice has some parting advice for Falmouth’s current crop of Fashion Photography students. “LinkedIn is actually important! Just keep it updated – any time you do some more work experience, make a note of it on LinkedIn.

“I got recruited by Partner Films through my LinkedIn profile – they thought I had good experiences and asked if I’d like to interview. I thought it was a scam at first because this is my dream job! A lot of people have a negative opinion of LinkedIn, but this shows that it can be useful.”

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