At The Masters, we know how important it is for our students to get real-world experience through internships. Internships and work experience expand on the foundation that is built through in-class learning; they help students get a taste of what it’s like working in their chosen field and help them build their portfolios for future employers. We chatted to Jess Prasad, one of our awesome fashion students who landed an incredible internship!
Image via Instagram @jess_jaya
Tell us about yourself and your internship.
My name is Jessica Prasad. I'm currently studying Fashion Business at The Masters. I interned as a wardrobe assistant at Marie Claire.
How did you find your internship? What kinds of responsibilities did you have there?
I found the internship through Agency T.M. When I saw a post about it on our Facebook page, I immediately expressed my interest and the school reached out to Marie Claire on my behalf. I interviewed with the Marketing Director, Ella Blinco, which went great—I got a trial run the next week. I was offered the position at the end of my trial.
I was responsible for keeping the wardrobe at Marie Claire organised. This meant unpacking fashion products from designers, PR agencies, and brands, and sending them back when we no longer required them. I would also filter through garments and select pieces for whatever particular story the team was working on at that time. In addition to all of this, I would also prepare their luggage for shoots and overseas trips. The most fun job I had there was venturing out into the city to do in-store returns. I went to places like Tiffany and Co., TopShop, and Myer to return products we had borrowed. I absolutely loved getting to see all these beautiful, luxurious garments. It made me feel so inspired—I would literally get goosebumps every time I opened a Louis Vuitton box!
How has your internship helped you learn more about yourself?
The internship made me realise that I’m capable of more than I thought. It was definitely nerve wracking walking into a company that holds such a high prestige. Even still, I sometimes sit and think, “Wow—I really interned at Marie Claire”. A few years ago I never would have thought I could do something like that.
In what ways have your internship and course shared similarities?
At Marie Claire, I could see similarities with creating visual stories. Countless times within my course I have had to develop mood boards, capsule collections, brand manuals, and more. The same thing applies to magazines—every spread is its own little story. It has to be cohesive and visually pleasing.
What have you loved about your course?
Working in fashion has been my dream since childhood, and this course has been equipping me with the right knowledge, skills, connections and experience to manifest that. I genuinely love learning about something I’m deeply passionate about. I really get a thrill out of completing industry-related assignments! The Masters has opened up a lot of working opportunities. Before studying fashion, that was something I was quite worried about—I didn’t know how I would get my foot in the door of the industry. However, I now have an amazing internship up my sleeve, volunteering experiences, and the opportunity to write for the school newspaper, T.M. Edit. The Masters has really helped me achieve my goals of gaining exposure and experience within the fashion industry.
What is your advice to people who are considering studying fashion business?
Fashion is more complex than a lot of people think. It’s so much more than having a pretty face and wearing pretty outfits. It takes hard work to be in the fashion industry, but it’s so worth it!
