Task number: 8.
Realise your childhood dream.
Date: 4th July 2007.
Location: Hilversum, Netherlands.
Attendees: Unfortunately this was something I had to do
on my own at first!
From the age of 7 I have wanted
to design football kits. In fact the very first time I was introduced to the
sport.
My mum thought it would be a
good idea to take me along to the local football team & I ended up playing
for the local town as a lot of boys of that age do. My dad would regale tales
of when he used to play for the Chelsea youth team & I think he secretly
hoped that I might pick up where he left off. He soon forgot that hope when he
saw me play! But to be perfectly honest, becoming a professional footballer was
not the reason why I had developed such a passion for the game. I had another
fascination.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed
& still enjoy a kick about, but I remember stepping on to a pitch &
being more interested in what the other team were wearing than how we were
going to approach tactics. The colours, the fit, the fabrics, my eyes would
light up.
I spent much of my childhood,
either playing football or drawing football kits. I started by just copying the kits that teams
were already wearing. My Primary school teacher would let me have the last half
an hour on a Thursday afternoon to show the class my latest creations &
they would have to guess what team it was.
By Secondary school I was
designing kits & in 1994 I produced my first collection. A mock catalogue
for the World Cup. I was determined & at 14 I went to see the school
careers adviser. With slightly raised eye bows, she explained what I had to do,
but advised that I should look at other careers in case this didn’t work out.
 |
| My first mock catalogue. Created for the 1994 World Cup |
It was a long, hard road. 2
years at college, 3 years at university & a 5 year Design career, working
in fashion & other sports. But on the 4th July 2007 I finally achieved
my dream. I was a Gameday Designer for Nike. People often say that it’s amazing
that I knew what I wanted to do from some a young age & that I was so
determined. I would say there was a certain determination, but also a lot of
luck involved.
No comments:
Post a Comment