Norfolk designer tries her hand at rugby national shirts

Chloe Snelling, 23, front row centre, who has designed shirts for the Kenyan 7s and the Portuguese 7s teams at Samurai at Long Stratton. Her colleagues are from left, front, Emily Watts, and Thomas Pawley. Back, Victoria Hogan, Michelle Sands-Oliver, Natasha Currie, Jemma Brown, Ben Davey, and Nick Smith. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

And for Chloe Snelling, her first year working as a designer has already seen her create garments which have been featured on television – on international rugby players.

The 23-year-old, a junior creative designer at Long Stratton-based Samurai Sportswear, was tasked with designing the Portugal and Kenya shirts ahead of the World Rugby Sevens Series tournament later this year. And now, having been at the company just a year, she has spotted her red, green and white creations on Sky Sports, something she described as 'crazy'.

'It has been really exciting,' she said. 'I thought when I got into this that I would be making clothes that people would wear down the street, rather than sportswear.

'But there were so many elements to these shirts – it's about showing the country's colours, the players' strength, performance and how hard they work.

'It's very exciting and there is a different level to designing it, which is why I love it.'

Miss Snelling went to Thorpe St Andrew High School, and still lives in the area, having studied at Leeds University.

Samurai Sportswear also designs hockey, netball and cricket kits. Visit www.samurai-sports.com for information.

Do you have an unusual story for us? Email reporter Lauren Cope on lauren.cope@archant.co.uk