Neil Patrick Collins is not your average footballer with a stereotypical day job. The proud Roscommon man has an incredible natural flare for style which is recognised promptly upon introduction. The charcoal coloured tartan trousers caught immediate attention. Teamed with a classic black high neck jumper and a metallic blue bomber jacket, he looked confident in his chosen attire. One could only imagine the double looks he would receive back home while sporting the outfit. “I always liked having a nice outfit on when I was doing things”. Fashion is his means of self-expression.
Off the pitch, the competitive mindset relaxes and his creative mind wanders. Designing clothes and mixing materials are his forte. Taking inspiration from artists like Wiz Khalifa and G-Eazy, who are an impeccably dressed duo, he puts his own twist on his street-style appearance. After spending some time working in Dublin’s Brown Thomas and further expanding his knowledge in the workplace, Collins established ‘The Style Surgeon’ which came about after a housemate was in need of a wardrobe update and he was at hand. ‘The Style Surgeon’ may be referred to as a personal shopper, sounds like a dream job!
Early into his Sport Science and Health degree, Collins realised it wasn’t a career path for him. Instead of spending hours in lecture halls, he invested his time into the clubs and societies DCU had to offer. “I had a great time in DCU between playing football, studying sports science, playing a bit of music, being involved with style and apart of the SU, I got a lot of different angles of the college life”. Some favourable memories he reflected on included running the DCU Fashion Show in his final year alongside gaining victory in two Sigerson Cup finals.
With a science degree in hand it was time for Neil to follow his gut. Following the completion of a Masters in Fashion, he continued on his style streak and collaborated with a friend to create an urban, street style brand, ‘Cryptic Clique’. “It was challenging; I haven’t produced clothes now in the last few months because I feel I need to learn a lot more about the industry before I can fully commit to having a full time brand. Cryptic Clique was me experimenting. I think it really sets me up for the future, I learned a lot about starting a brand”.
With three relatively simple goals in life, Neil Collins is on his path to completion. Captaining and playing football for his county were ticked off from a young age and with the dedication and love of football he has done so for over ten years. Number two was ticked off after several months of travelling around some of the most architecturally renowned, picturesque countries in the world. Moscow, Berlin and South America were some of the highlights. The final goal will be completed in the future with intentions of living abroad becoming a reality after taking a break from sporting the primrose and royal blue jersey. “I hope to spend my extra time doing two things I’ve always wanted to do, one was to live in a different country and two is to work more in different areas of fashion.”
The moral of Neil’s story is to do what your gut tells you. You know that feeling when something doesn’t feel right? That’s probably because it’s not. Do what your conscience tells you and make changes happen for yourself. A career in fashion can be classed as far-fetched, but with determination it is absolutely possible. However, if you find yourself sitting in college still contemplating what you’re going to do with yourself, it’s completely normal because we’re all victims of doubting our choices. What’s for you, won’t pass you!
All of us at Her Campus wish Neil all the very best on his future endeavors!