International Women's Day 2024

This International Women's Day, we are celebrating the talented female designers at Clever Ghost.

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This International Women’s Day, we join the world in celebrating the achievements of women globally. We are celebrating the talented female designers that currently make up two thirds of our team. Read on to find out more about the women at Clever Ghost. 



Danni 

Danni has been our Graphic Designer since 2021, with 7 years industry experience, ranging from in-house brand management to fast-paced ad agencies. Outside of work, if she’s not reading, you can probably find her practising yoga, at a gig, or in another country taking in the sights.

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Where do you find inspiration?

I tend to find inspiration from passionate people – whether that’s a designer talking about their latest branding project or a local chef speaking about their endeavour to make their restaurant more sustainable – it’s difficult not to feel inspired by someone talking about something that they truly believe in; their passion really translates even if it’s not necessarily a creative venture. 

Outside of that, travel really inspires me. There’s something about immersing yourself into another country and culture far from your own that makes you look at things differently. Keeping your eyes open to how different cultures use graphic design can really expand and influence your own creative ideas. It’s also hard not to feel awe being in the presence of gorgeous historical architecture or peaceful rolling countryside – the world is full of inspiration if you just stop and look. 


What is your career highlight so far and why?

Being given the opportunity to create a new brand identity for the Women’s Resource and Development Agency (WRDA) is by far the highlight of my design career so far. Being able to help such a worthwhile and women-focused organisation communicate with other women is something that was very close to my heart and made this project one that I could thoroughly enjoy and pour myself into. Seeing a logo that I designed heading up rallies for women’s rights is something I will always be proud of. 


Who are some of your favourite women designers and why? 


I really admire the work of Shanti Sparrow, an Australian designer and illustrator. She has a vibrant and bold approach to design, and a love of animals and nature that I can relate to. Some of my favourite projects of hers include her work for the Women’s Surf Film Festivals, Oh Hey! Magazine and her Women in War poster series. 

I also love Jessica Hische’s beautiful lettering work, especially her subtle tweaks to established logos that are a true example of how important typography is within design. 


What would you like to see change in the design industry?

Two things – first, I’d like to see the percentage of women in senior creative roles more closely match the percentage of women who graduate from design courses. And second, I’d like to see a shift in the widely accepted attitude of working late and working for free within our industry. 


If you weren’t a designer, where would we find you? 

I would more than likely be doing something creative – I’ve always loved tattoos and how they complement and flow on the body, so perhaps a tattoo artist. Failing that, I’ve always wanted to run my own alternative bar in a really cool gothic style building, hosting local bands at the weekends. 



Emma 

Emma was Clever Ghost's first placement student and returned as our Junior Designer after graduating from the University of Leeds in 2023. Outside work, Emma likes to crochet, collect zines, and make cups of tea and forget about them.

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Where do you find inspiration?

I find the best inspiration in books. There's something about holding printed work that's more engaging than scrolling through insta. I also love zines (my current favourites being To Have and To Hold, and Pleasant Place) and find it inspiring when people share things they're passionate about even if it's niche or not design related. 

 

What is your career highlight so far and why?

My career has only really started as a junior designer but despite that, a highlight for me has been how valued I feel at Clever Ghost and how much I can contribute to the studio work and culture. 

 

Who are some of your favourite women designers and why?

Tina Touli has been a long favourite designer of mine. She blends the physical and digital world in such a joyful and imaginative way. I also love Abbey Lossing's illustrations, she captures beauty in the everyday moments. 


What would you like to see change in the design industry?

The change I would like to see is more collaboration and celebration of the design industry in Northern Ireland. We recently went to RENDR Fest and even though it wasn't closely graphic design related, it was still great to be part of an event with international speakers and attended by so many people. More of that would be awesome, but even contributing to smaller, local hubs and growing together would be cool. 


If you weren’t a designer, where would we find you?

That's a tricky one, now that I know graphic design is the job for me it's hard to see what else would be as satisfying. If money was no object, I'd probably be in a sunnier country working in a cute bookshop and setting up a craft stall on the side. 



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