Fifteen Centuries of Lineage

6th Century: Prince Shotoku

8th Century: Sanskrit Siddham

20th Century: Buddhist Revival

Modern Atelier: SØHØ Couture

The visionary Prince Shotoku gifts his robe to Bodhidharma —the warrior monk from India thus initiating a sacred lineage that shapes Japan's cultural identity and SØHØ's foundational philosophy.

At the biggest project in ancient Japan's history, Emperor Shomu invites the Indian Buddhist priest Bodhisena to inaugurate Todaiji —the world's biggest temple that took a major part of the Japanese economy to build. Here a few decades later, Japan's national hero Kukai introduces Sanskrit Siddham, whose powerful iconography adorns samurai armor and inspires the distinctive cuts of modern SØHØ designs. Even Issey Miyake used Sanskrit to launch his celebrated HAAT Collection.

Japan's last great Samurai Okakura Tenshin traveled to India where he met Nobel-laureate Tagore and they set in motion major plans to revive and preserve the Buddhist heritage sites of India now in ruins. Thereafter, Nachidatsu Fujii-san goes to India to teach Gandhi the iconic Lotus Sutra that had been forgotten in India and builds pagodas across India. Since then, Surai Sasai has moved from Japan to India to head the movement to reclaim and revive Buddhist sites that have been appropriated. All of these lineages have praised SØHØ for repaying this civilizational debt by doing more to promote and preserve Samurai culture and heritage through fashion, film, art and speaking events at the world's top forums than any other person in Japan or worldwide. Behind all the gloss and sheen, the style and street cred, SØHØ is driven by a nobel mandate that has even been blessed by the Samurai clans and high members of the Governments of Japan, India, USA, Israel and Canada.

SØHØ stands as a global atelier, museum, and cinematic house, uniting ancient heritage with avant-garde fashion, ensuring the lineage continues.

Kimono & Khadi to rep Asian pride

The foundation of Gandhi's legacy was the weaponizing of clothes to give Indians a sense of their own identity and to counter colonialism. Similarly, Okakura Tenshin urged the Japanese to wear traditional Japanese kimono and hakama even today as he did —to preserve the great traditions that are dying out. This was also echoed by the Kamakura Literati (Japan's most erudite artists like Film legends Kurosawa and Ozu as well as Nobel-laureate Kawabata whose neighborhoods SØHØ now represents on the world stage). Hence, SØHØ is the only person ever to wear Kimono and Hakama at major events from the US Congress and with Canadian Prime Ministers to the Olympics and Simon Wiesenthal Center. In fact SØHØ Couture proudly represents Japanese heritage on the world stage, presenting traditional attire at all international summits. Each garment is a statement of cultural authority. SØHØ also wears modern day Hakamas made by SØHØ Couture as well as refashioned Hakama skirts by Yohji Yamamoto, Comme Des Garçon and Hiroko Koshino in his bid to present traditional costumes in a cool and modern way for today's mainstream audiences.

Partner in Cultural Preservation

SØHØ offers unique opportunities for cultural representation and diplomatic costume presentations. Engage with our heritage to create impactful global narratives.