Savannah Keenan: Balancing Boards
For Savannah Keenan, skateboarding was never just a hobby—it was the beginning of a journey that would eventually lead her into the world of professional modelling and partnerships with brands like Nike and Palace. At just 13, Savannah picked up her first real skateboard, not knowing that years later she'd be balancing her love for skating with a blossoming career in fashion.
In this interview, I explore how Savannah navigates the pressures of managing her career, challenges and finding a balance. For Savannah, it's about letting things flow naturally—whether skating or modelling, staying grounded in what she loves keeps her moving forward.
Tilly: When did you get your first skateboard and how did it feel starting out?
Savannah: I got my first proper board at 13. I think I always just kind of grew up with a skateboard. When I was younger, I had like a crappy board from Argos or something. Then I got my first real setup from a proper skate shop and stuff, which I guess was exciting.
Tilly: What influenced you to start skating and who are your early inspirations?
Savannah: It was like a number of things, my Great-Grandma used to take me to watch the skaters at South Bank. There were also shows on TV, like ‘Life Of Ryan’ on MTV. So I guess there were a few different influences, but these were the things that personally influenced me. I actually grew up watching people like Helena Long who's a little bit older than me; Kyron Davis; and, of course, the American pros and stuff, yeah.
Tilly: How did it feel transitioning from your previous roles and internships to being a professional skateboarder?
Savannah: I was doing different internships before, I did event planning and I also worked at a PR agency. I did consumer research. From the pandemic, I was just fully skating, so I just had free time, and I was at home, and it just all kind of built up from there.
Tilly: How has it been navigating this skateboarding space since there's no manual to it all?
Savannah: I think it’s been quite natural. I was just, like, a little bit younger before, and I wasn't really overthinking it. It was just whatever flowed naturally.
Tilly: Has working with Nike and Palace influenced your skateboarding career and personal brand, and if so, how?
Savannah: Yes. Skating for both has been sick. I grew up wearing Nike’s. I was never really wearing any other sports brands. It's amazing to be able to be working with them, and they've supported me for a long time since I was quite young.
Tilly: How did your sponsorship with Nike and Palace come about?
Savannah: They were both at very different times. The first time that Nike started gifting me shoes was when I was 18. After some time they wanted to get me involved with their skateboarding team. We went to Paris for a skating trip. Novelist also joined the trip and we were all teaching him how to skate and stuff. Then we had a big dinner at the end of the trip. I guess they decided that I kind of vibed with the team, and they wanted to carry it on. I didn't officially get signed to them until, like, years later, but they were always hooking me up. As for Palace that was kind of during Covid, in 2021. They first sent me a box. Then, a couple of months later, they said they wanted me to be in a shoot, but I was being offered stuff from another similar brand, so I said “No, I can't”. Then they wanted it to be a bit more serious, and it kind of went from there.