‘I Scream’ t-shirt from Sloth, a lifestyle brand launched in 2010 featuring surreal art by Anil Mistry
From Puma to Sloth: Lessons from Launching My First Fashion Brand
Back in 2010, I launched my own lifestyle brand called Sloth. This t-shirt design, titled I Scream, was created by the brilliant Anil Mistry (aka @anilmistryshots). It captured the creative energy and surreal personality we poured into the brand.
Leaving Puma and Starting Fresh
At the time, I had just wrapped up five years as a Senior Fashion Designer at Puma. I moved back to Brighton, set up my own design agency, and decided to launch a streetwear brand of my own. It was a huge change—exciting, unpredictable, and a massive learning curve.
Balancing Freelance Work and Sloth
In those early days, I freelanced for Adidas and Goose London, where I designed for Timberland. Sloth was a passion project running alongside. I built the brand identity, developed products, and launched the line—learning on the job as I went. The brand didn’t take off commercially, but it gave me deep insight into every part of launching a label.
Creative Lessons from Running a Brand
- Design alone doesn’t sell a product—you need a customer-first strategy
- Understanding your sales channels is just as important as strong design
- Wearing multiple hats—marketing, production, e-commerce—is great for growth
- You learn more from what doesn’t work than what does
After Sloth: Full-Time Work and a Bigger Perspective
After a few years, freelance work slowed down. I took a year to travel, then returned to London to work full time at Next Sourcing. But by then, I’d picked up skills in marketing, sales, finance and web design. Going back to a single design role felt too narrow. I knew I could offer more.
Returning to Freelance with New Purpose
In 2017, I stepped back into freelancing, now with a clearer plan. I built a sustainable business, drawing on my experience at Sloth and previous corporate roles. Since then, I’ve worked with global clients like Umbro, Regatta, Ellesse, and start-up brands around the world. I now use those hard-earned lessons to help others bring their ideas to life the right way.
Sloth Gallery
Playful streetwear campaign for Sloth Clothing featuring masks, retro tech, and bold graphic pieces – part of the early brand identity developed by Jonathan Mitchell.
Monster Hoody from Sloth Clothing’s 2011 collection – designed by Jonathan Mitchell and featuring a bold graphic front print with tonal branding.
Sloth Clothing “Soulboy” t-shirt tech pack, featuring 5-colour screen print artwork by Starchild (Anil Mistry) and product specs from Collection 2011.
FAQs
What is Sloth?
Sloth is an independent streetwear and lifestyle brand launched in 2010 by fashion designer Jonathan Mitchell. It featured surreal, hand-drawn graphics and expressive storytelling.
Who designed the ‘I Scream’ t-shirt?
The artwork was created by Anil Mistry, known for his playful, surreal style and creative direction across brands and media.
How did launching Sloth help your freelance business?
It gave me insight into how to actually run a brand—beyond design. From costing and marketing to product launches and sales, I learnt by doing. I now share this experience with my clients to help them avoid common pitfalls.
Want Help Launching Your Fashion Brand?
I’m Jonathan Mitchell, a freelance fashion designer with over 20 years of experience in sportswear, activewear, outerwear and streetwear. I help fashion brands develop collections, create detailed CADs and tech packs, and get ready for manufacturing—offering real insight drawn from my own journey.
Or read more at www.jmitchelldesign.co.uk/blog
