Derry’s new Pop Up Shops: Shannon McCafferty’s Connie Ann

Shannon McCafferty’s Connie Ann is one of six new Pop Up shops across Derry & Strabane and is based at Foyleside Shopping Centre.
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The Connie Ann brand showcases beautiful Indian embroidery and embellishments, but has its roots firmly in Derry.

After studying fashion design in Liverpool, Shannon McCafferty returned to her hometown and began creating her range of clothing, hairbands, bags and earrings. Connie Ann celebrates 1970s fashion and Indian fabrics, and is named after her grandmothers and one-year-old daughter.

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Making clothes runs in the family for Shannon, whose great-grandfather was a manager in a local shirt factory. “My Granny would often sneak into her father’s work to make her own clothes for the weekend, and my mother would have saved up most of her lunch money to buy herself clothes, which she then passed on to me,” says Shannon, who is already saving pieces for her little girl.

Shannon McCafferty’s Connie Ann is one of six new Pop Up shops across Derry & Strabane and is based at Foyleside Shopping Centre.Shannon McCafferty’s Connie Ann is one of six new Pop Up shops across Derry & Strabane and is based at Foyleside Shopping Centre.
Shannon McCafferty’s Connie Ann is one of six new Pop Up shops across Derry & Strabane and is based at Foyleside Shopping Centre.

“I want my designs to be passed down generations, to be timeless beautiful pieces that never go out of fashion.”

The pop up is a major milestone for Shannon.

“I’ll be able to chat to people who come in, find out what would they like to see more of, and all the designers can also bounce ideas off each other.”

One day, she also hopes to travel to India to meet suppliers and get inspiration from bright and bustling markets. “I’d probably need about 10 suitcases!” she says.