Next up to partake in our The Hot Seat series is the man behind
the sleep-themed brand, Sleepy Dan. Based in Dallas, Texas, he is not only
running his brand while working a day job, but he is also always willing to
help others who have questions running their own brand. We now sit down with
Sleepy Dan, who tells us his future projects, his dream collaboration, and why
Dallas is a great city to start a brand.
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Hello there! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Why don't we start off with the basics - when was the brand founded and who is the brainpower behind it?
The nickname, Sleepy Dan, was
established in 1999 while at Ringling College of Art & Design; it was
started by a group of friends that I still live near in the Dallas area. I started working on the branding about three years ago, and then it
was organized and sent for federal trademarking. After
approval and working on my first line, the launch party was this past year in
Deep Ellum at the Public Trust gallery. So the
brand is 100% based in Dallas and not going anywhere.
I am designing and producing
everything but I would not be able to run this business without the help of my
wife. She is the business mind
behind the man. I would love for her to help create more of a women's line. Hopefully
we will work on that for the future. We started
out working on a little sewing and relabeling for the apparel, but she has
become a sewing wonder. Just proves that with the
drive to succeed, you can do anything. The money you don't spend is money you
make.
There are a number of brands out there, established and just starting out. Do you feel your 'sleep theme' is different and something that's never really been done before?
Ha! Guess you're really
putting me in the hot seat, making me think there is someone out there using a
similar theme. Yea, after trademarking the
branding and researching U.S. streetwear brands, I do my best to keep Sleepy
Dan an original concept. The nickname was given to me
while in college, being up late nights designing never getting sleep. I am just creating art from the youthful memories we all have, and
the uncomfortable bond we have in common when we lack sleep.
Who inspires you? Where
do you draw your inspiration?
I love Dallas and taking part
in all of its arts culture... so everyone and everything around me inspires
me. But sometimes it's more like
Christmas - it's more special when you give rather than get!
The greatest perk to
running Sleepy Dan?
So far the greatest perk is
helping to nurture the Dallas streetwear culture. I have a
very strong drive to help brands starting out, find their foothold for the
climb. This past year I helped a
great friend with his vision to start Texas Teezilla, an all streetwear apparel
convention. It's become another
outstanding Dallas event for apparel brands to showcase what we are working
hard for.
The strength of everyone as a
whole is what makes this town so amazing; we feed off our own success.
If there was one thing
outsiders should know about the Dallas street culture scene what would it be?
Dallas is the most welcoming
town across the country for brands starting out. There are
so many events all year long that help bring attention to even the smallest
project. I pride myself on my ability
to help anyone looking for answers with what they should do, and I know other
established Dallas brands do the same. We want to compete with other
brands creative nature, not their ability to create a product! I am always happy to help
talk to someone starting out and point them in the right direction; their
project should have bigger obstacles than knowing contacts for production.
How has the support from
Dallas been?
Support has been amazing from
Dallas, but you only get as much back, as you are willing to put in. Don’t ever limit your willingness to help out a friend in need; this
town is small enough that they will be helping you in the near future.
Your favorite spots to
visit in Dallas would be where?
Definitely got to visit
Centre and We Are 1976 to shop. I always love to hang in Deep Ellum and Oak
Cliff for galleries. I keep in touch with friends’
events on Facebook all the time, so there are gallery events all over Dallas on
a weekly basis.
Finishing up talking
about Dallas, in your mind, what can/what should Dallas do to elevate its scene
and compete with other cities?
Not sure... Dallas is doing
such a great job already. The success of the sports
teams in the past couple years has been helping drive the town to success. We
just got to get those Cowboys in the playoffs. There are
so many streetwear events in the DFW area; the rest of Texas is going to have
to try to keep up with Dallas in years to come.
Do you believe location
can help or hurt a brand? For example, is it a little harder to start a brand
in Dallas versus a bigger place like New York City?
Ohhh yea, location of the
brand is just like real estate: Location makes all the difference! Like I said, Dallas has got to be the best city to create a clothing
brand. If I were still living in New
York, Sleepy Dan never would have started. I am proud
to start and maintain Sleepy Dan in Dallas, that's why I made the Big D design!
Switching back to you,
you currently work a day job correct? Does working there somehow help the
brand?
This is funny; you already
know so much about me. Yea, I've been an apparel designer since I graduated
college in 2001. Working as a
headwear/accessory/apparel designer for years, I have tons of experience
sourcing fabrics and creating branded designs. Finally I
get to design for my own brand. So the creative experience definitely helps as
well as the production experience.
Best advice received? Any
advice for others out there starting a line?
The best advice I received was from a local artist and now great friend of mine. He helped teach me how to screen print, which brought Sleepy Dan to a whole other level. Most people printing shirts will create a design then bring it to a printer to create the printed design for them. Understanding the printing process enables you to cut the printing costs to less than half of what you would normally pay. This helps me print double the amount normally possible for a brand starting out.
Best advice, which I would
give to family... is learn how to screen print!
You have invested in your
own home setup for screen-printing. Does that benefit you and the brand? Would
you suggest others who are serious about running a brand invest in something
similar?
Understanding the printing
process has been a huge benefit to the growth of Sleepy Dan. I have suggested others to learn the process by either investing in
the hardware themselves, or by going to work for a
screen printing company and learning the process from people willing to teach
you. It's a very complex and
detailed process, but when you can print from start to finish on your own, it
brings a whole new level of enthusiasm to your brand!
Speaking of new
enthusiasm, The Sleepy Dan vinyl toys that were made were pretty awesome. Any
chance we’ll see more in the future?
Thanks! Definitely a new
direction for Sleepy Dan and I am so glad I got involved with the Vinyl
Thoughts event for the first year. I love to
paint but painting on a 3D surface was a whole new challenge!
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Hell yea there will be lots
more vinyl toy direction coming from Sleepy Dan. I just picked up the two blank
vinyl toys for Vinyl Thoughts 2 today. I don't
want to spoil the surprise but I will be releasing a great new project for
Sleepy Dan at that show. This is a new project and
type of production for Sleepy Dan and very proud to get the help from local
friends to make it happen. The first Vinyl Thoughts
show, I made and printed the event shirts and I will be designing the second
event shirts too. I am so proud to be contributing to the vinyl toy scene.
Thanks! I had a lot of fun
with that project. I just had to get one cut-n-sew design in for 2011 so people
can understand that direction when I bring more to the line for 2012. My vision is to create more of a balance between the cut-n-sew
product and the graphic apparel product line.
In the eyes of the retail
shopper, there is a big difference between a clothing brand and a graphic
t-shirt brand. So if your fans don't know
what to expect for the upcoming seasonal line release, they will be drooling to
check it out at the release. Diversity means success!
Any big plans or goals
you want to accomplish in 2012?
Having so much fun being
creative with the branding, I don't like to set goals. It feels more like a job when I am working harder than my day job. But I am working towards bringing Sleepy Dan to more conventions and
retail shops.
Where do you see Sleepy
Dan moving towards in the coming years?
Truthfully, I have no idea.
Since high school, I have worked on the best-laid plans concept. Planning out is strictly a guideline; I always have to allow space
to improve on the fly! I might see myself having one
plan, but on the advice of friends that have come before me, I might need to
change it up.
Any big dreams/goals
you're working towards? Something many years out?
Eventually I would like to
open a studio/retail space. I very much admire what Benny Gold has done with
his vision. Creating a perfect blend of
my family life and work life is definitely a direction I am aiming for.
What has been (if any)
your biggest mistake made so far and what did you learn from it?
Passion to
succeed for Sleepy Dan means remembering I don't know everything, so I've
learned to take creative criticism like a duck to water! I have yet to make any big mistakes but I do make little ones, so I
just have to learn from them and move on.
What’s your greatest
achievement thus far?
So far my greatest triumph
was the launch party week. The launch party was a great combination of gallery
display / live screen-printing / and pop up shop. Less than a
week after launching Sleepy Dan, I set up at Kixpo, which was an amazing event
and huge springboard for the brand!
I believe starting off on the
right foot sets the tone for the whole project. I tell
everyone starting out to take his or her time and do it right from the start.
There is no need to rush your vision.
Let’s talk about the
Internet because it’s continuing to play a even large role for those with
brands. Has the Internet played a substantial role for you? Easier? Harder?
Wow, huge role! All of the
networking for the brand and advertising for upcoming and past events is done
with the blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. Not sure where I would be without the innovative drive of Facebook
and Twitter.
Your blog has information
about the behind the scenes process. Do you think that’s a nice added benefit
for your blog readers?
I use the behind the scenes
process postings to show the work you are paying others to do, is really not
that hard. You just have to know how it's done. Hopefully
people are learning about the process from my efforts to share, and then they
can make more educated decisions about their own projects because of it.
“We should not be competing to sell better apparel, locals should be challenging each other to create stronger design.”Above is a great quote from your blog about clothing brands not competing against each other but helping to create better designs. How do you plan on continuing to help those who want help this year?
I've already been helping
many fans looking for advice. I get emails from across the country on a regular
basis. Emails are easy to respond
to, but I've been meeting fans in Deep Ellum at events to talk one on one.
The best help for their
project is better given when I can see what they are working on. Some need printing advice, some need marketing advice, and some need
design advice. Working as a Creative
Director for so long, I prefer not to candy coat any advice. I will give you my
opinion and thoughts of your next best move straight up.
Any brands you would love
to collaborate with? Your dream collab?
Recently when I was in NYC at
Kid Robot, by chance I was there the same day CNN was doing an interview with
Tristan Eaton, one of the founding designers for the Dunny and Munny toys. After I got home, I checked out designs from several of his projects
and realized what an amazing creative drive he has. Recently I saw the new Everlast song "I Get By" which was
shot all in the NY area, with the help of Trusto Corp., one of Tristan's
projects.
It would be a dream collab to
work with him, but there are several clothing brands I just want to meet and
hang with, like Benny Gold!
If you weren’t running
Sleepy Dan, what else do you think you’d be doing?
Wow, I've always wondered. I
am sure it would still be something creative and business driven. My first direction would definitely be a chef, then if not a chef I
would have been a barber. Growing up in New York, I
took lots for granted. I love Dallas, but since I moved here, I still have yet
to find a good place to get a haircut.
Any hobbies outside of
running Sleepy Dan?
Lately Sleepy Dan has been a
dominator of my time, even vacation time is taken to travel to new events
around the country. Learning how to screen print
has become a constant go to project with new friends like Alexa Machine. Printing creative projects for testing process after hours during
the week and on the weekends has been so much fun. But I have fun doing almost anything with friends. As long as I'm
with friends, I am happy.
What would be your dream
city to visit?
Dream city to visit this year
is San Francisco. I have never been outside of the Cali airports, so I am
aiming to set up a vacation/business trip to visit a bunch of brands there.
Outside of Cali, I would love
to visit Portland. People tell us it's a beautiful city with a thriving arts
culture. But we don't have any friends to visit up there...yet!
Any last words?
I'm so proud to be a
contributing part of this city and looking forward to many more years of
success for the brand. Hopefully in the next couple
years we will be opening a Sleepy Dan shop! So keep in
touch, the first few years of design are always looked back on as the most
precious.
WORDS: Dominica Stewart
ORIGINAL IMAGES: Sleepy Dan