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ExploreIt’s Friday so it’s time for another interview. But this time we’ve done something a little different. We sit down and had a little chat with Jonathan, owner of one of our oldest featured brands, Sleep Terror Clothing. Here is what we talked about.
1. Hi Jonathan. First of all tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Jonathan Chau and I run Sleep Terror Clothing. I live and operate my brand in NYC. By day I work for a tech company and at night I draw and illustrate designs for my brand as well as for clients.
2. When and where was the concept for Sleep Terror born?
I started my brand by combining my love for horror movies and transforming monsters from my nightmares into t-shirt designs. The name Sleep Terror stems from a sleeping condition I have from called sleep paralysis. It’s when you have full consciousness while the rest of my body is paralyzed and asleep.
3. The t-shirt business is really competitive. How do you differentiate yourself from others and move away from the pack?
The independent clothing market is growing more and more competitive. I’ve seen some of my favorite brands come and go, it’s quite upsetting. As for differentiating Sleep Terror from the competition, I put a heavy focus on the t-shirt artwork and make sure that each design fits the Sleep Terror message. I stay true to the brand’s focus on horror and always strive to go above and beyond to ensure the customer is always happy and blown away by the product.
4. Do you design the T-Shirts yourself? / Who are the designers behind the shirts offered on Sleep Terror?
I design a good chunk of the tees. But I do occasionally commission designs. I’ve had the pleasure of working with amazing artists like Nils Vogeding (NVASION) Jared Moraitis of BeastPop, and recently Corey Thomas and DROP for the upcoming season.
5. What’s been the best part about running the brand?
Getting to meet fans of the brand. When customer or fans or my brand message me and tell me about their dreams or share their art, it makes me immensely happy! I’ve also had the opportunity to meet a lot of great bands and artists through Sleep Terror. But by far the best part is being able to share my dreams and nightmares with everyone.
6. What does the future hold for Sleep Terror?
Continuing to put out gruesomely awesome horror t-shirts. I will be releasing a new line of shirts next month as well as couple exclusive tees as here and there. I will be possibly making some accessories and collaborations. Here are some of the T-Shirts we’re gonna release this fall.
