A LETTERKENNY woman has secured her dream job as a colour and materials designer with international brand Nike.
Shannon Crawford will learn this week when she will take up her full-time appointment with the top brand in the Netherlands.
The 26-year-old has been living in Amsterdam for the last year and a half, where, while working a variety of jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic, she spent her evenings re-designing footwear in her bedroom. Shannon is a former student of Gaelscoil Letterkenny and Colaiste Ailigh. She went on to complete a four-year degree in arts and design in IADT in Dublin.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Shannon’s proud mum Maureen Gallagher, of Crawford Gallagher Solicitors, said she was “over the moon” for her daughter who has worked so hard to achieve her goals.
“I’m delighted for her. She has secured a job as colour and materials designer of footwear and clothes with top brand Nike International in the Netherlands.
“I am so proud of her. She was working in all kinds of jobs throughout the pandemic, like cycling from restaurant to restaurant in Amsterdam to deliver food.”
Following her graduation, Shannon spent some time in London. She returned home during the pandemic but then later moved to Amsterdam where she set up her own studio.
“She first began by getting Nike shoes and upstyling them. She might have started out with a white sneaker and she redesigned the colour. She bought the paints and all of the kit online, and started it all off from her own bedroom. She can now make a sneaker from scratch and has done for family members. She’s developed her own sneakers called the New York Yankies.
“Shannon thought she wanted to be a designer of clothes, but she has actually found her niche in designing sneakers.”
Shannon made an application to Nike when she saw they were advertising.
“She made an application to the designers a few weeks ago. She had to submit her portfolio and undergo three interviews. Two positions were available, one for menswear and one for womenswear. Shannon has been accepted on to the womenswear position.”
Although Shannon will be based in the Netherlands, Nike’s head office is America and travelling to the United States in the future has not been ruled out.
“She would love to have her own business one day but this is such a prestigious job and a fantastic opportunity working with an international company. We’re all very proud of her.
“Shannon’s dad Declan Crawford passed away when she was two-and-a-half years old. I am remarried to Sean Gallagher.
“Shannon will be home this weekend as her sister Saoirse makes her Confirmation. She is also a sibling to Sean, in Australia, and her sister Ailisha.”
Maureen said she is very much looking forward to visiting Shannon in Amsterdam.
“I was over in Amsterdam last October. I love it there, all the bikes and cycling and Shannon loves living there too.”
Shannon has her own Instagram, ‘Shannon Crawford Designs’.
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