Snowflake Designs Employee Spotlight: LaDonna Snow
In honor of Snowflake Designs' 40th anniversary in 2025, we will be doing special spotlight features throughout the year to honor and celebrate those who have made this amazing accomplishment possible. We have a lot of people and things to be thankful for as we look back on the past 40 years. None of it would have been possible without our amazing employees and customers. We are so incredibly thankful for the past 40 years and we are so excited for the amazing things that the future holds for Snowflake.
We are kicking off our 40th celebration with a stroll down memory lane on how the business got started and how we got where we are today. We have an incredibly talented, smart, caring, and hard-working lady to thank for it all, LaDonna Snow!
How it all Started
LaDonna Snow is the founder and CEO of Snowflake Designs. She has a degree in Criminology but she and her husband, Rick Snow, decided that having two cops in one family was not conducive to raising children, so she quit her job. Shortly after, she started taking her then-2-year-old daughter, Kindra, to gymnastics classes but didn’t have anything cute to dress her in. All she could find in stores were pink and black ballet leotards. So, she started making gymnastics leotards for her. The first leotard she ever made was turquoise with pink stripes and puffy sleeves. LaDonna was a baton twirler herself, so sewing was nothing new to her. Other gymnastics moms would ask her where she got her daughter’s leotards from, and when they found out that LaDonna made them herself, they asked if she would make them for their daughters as well. And just like that, in a bedroom of her family home, a business was born and LaDonna didn’t even realize it!
Naming the Business
After she dabbled at it for a few years, she realized she had a business on her hands and made it official in 1985. The name, “Snowflake Designs”, is a play on her last name. One of her friends joked that when she had kids one day, she would have little snowflakes running around. And since her daughters were the reason she started making leotards, the name fit!
LaDonna and Rick would make regular trips to the textile district of Los Angeles for fabric and leotards began to take over their home. Although Snowflake was growing, no one thought that it would become anything more than a hobby. Then one night Rick had just gotten off work and returned home and the phone rang. It was about 3 am and the voice on the line was a woman from Tel Aviv, Israel, calling to place an order. LaDonna says she still remembers the name of the customer to this day because it was the moment she realized Snowflake could be something big.
Snowflake Continues to Grow
The business really took off around 1995 when it hit the internet and started selling nationally and internationally. We also published our first catalog around 1995. LaDonna’s two daughters, Kaylene and Kindra, modeled the leotards for this catalog. This is still one of LaDonna’s favorite memories of the business!
LaDonna eventually moved the business into a warehouse in Clovis, California. From there, the business just continued to grow. LaDonna’s daughter, Kindra Snow-Walker, started working at Snowflake Designs in 2002. Kindra’s husband, Ryan Walker, soon started working alongside LaDonna and Kindra as well. LaDonna slowly started hiring other employees as needed over the years as well. As the team continued to grow, so did our product offerings and capabilities. We went from just making gymnastics leotards to making cheer and dance attire, gymnastics clothing and accessories, and so more! In 2017, we began using dye sublimation which expanded the capabilities of our designs immensely. In 2019, we purchased the original gymnastics pin company, Designs by Margarita. So, we now have the largest gymnastics pin selection in the world! LaDonna wanted to create a one-stop-shop for gymnasts and she did just that!
Even though the business continued to grow and expand, LaDonna stayed committed to keeping a small, family business feel through our stellar customer service while offering distinctive high-quality products at a great value. As we embark on our 40th year, this remains our top priority. We pride ourselves on making a positive impact on the gymnastics community while providing athletes with one-of-a-kind gymnastics wear that is made in the USA.
And although we are still a small business today, we accomplish big things! We now outfit teams all around the world, college gymnastics teams, and elite athletes. We helped raise over $15,000 to help Maui recover from wildfire devastation, helped raise $8,000 for a gym that burnt down in Florida, and we are currently doing a fundraiser leotard to help Los Angeles wildfire relief. This past year, we accomplished one of LaDonna’s biggest goals and dreams, having a Snowflake Designs leotard worn at the Olympics!
Thankful for LaDonna
None of this would have been possible without our amazing customers or hard-working employees, but especially without LaDonna. LaDonna is a fearless leader and a caring employer. She strives to be the best she can be at everything she does and continues to lead Snowflake to great success. She ensures that her employees are cared for and values their feedback and input. We could not be more thankful for LaDonna and all that she does!
“Growing up I remember my mom sewing in the extra bedroom of our house. My sister and I would sneak in there and try to hide in the fabric rolls and attempt to scare my mom. I was amazed at everything she would get done while still making time to shuttle us around to all our activities, volunteer in our classrooms, and be present in our lives. I don’t know when she slept because we would go to bed at night and leotards would appear in the morning. More than anything, she wanted to make sure everyone was taken care of, and she still operates with the same core value of caring for others and aiming to make sure that they have the best experience when working with Snowflake Designs,” said Kindra Snow-Walker, President of Snowflake Designs.
“I am very thankful to LaDonna for taking a chance on me, a mom who hadn’t worked in over 8 years, due to being a stay-at-home mom. She is always looking out for her employees, and makes sure everyone is taken care of, especially if you are in need. During COVID she sent home care packages to employees that were in need of Lysol wipes, toilet paper, etc.” said Shelley, Internet Sales Manager.
“LaDonna has always had a passion for Snowflake Designs, leotards, the gymnastics community, and her family, both home and work. She is a very giving person with a big heart and does what she can to help those in need. My favorite memories have been being able to work meets alongside LaDonna, we always have a lot of fun and enjoy spending time together. I am thankful that she gave me the opportunity to be part of Snowflake and be able to grow here. I know I have learned a lot from LaDonna and appreciate the time she has given,” said Kim Brooks, Office Manager & Team Sales.
“I am thankful to LaDonna for the opportunity to be able to work at Snowflake for 18 years. I came from Thailand and working at Snowflake has allowed me to be able to provide for my family and buy a house. LaDonna allowed me to be able to work and take care of my family, which I am very thankful for,” said Mai Neng, Seamstress.
“LaDonna is a really good boss, and it makes me happy to work at Snowflake for 18 years. I appreciate all that she does for me. She makes me want to come to work and do my job of sewing,” said Mao, Seamstress.
Snowflake Designs has seen great success in the past 40 years thanks to LaDonna. But she isn’t done yet, LaDonna is still leading Snowflake to greatness and we could not be more excited to see what the future holds! Thank you for all you do, LaDonna!
Celebrating 40 Years of Snowflake
The party is just getting started! We have BIG things in store to celebrate 40 years of Snowflake Designs. You are not going to want to miss it! Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook and sign up for our email newsletters to stay up on all things Snowflake!
