Decorativism, the artistic expression created through the use of visible signs on surfaces, has threaded through the twentieth century like a glitch in the system, an error modernism, rationalism, and minimalism have tried to eliminate or minimize. But the habit of recognizing objects through their surfaces remains strong, even if often removed from an academic theory that is considering it superficial by its very nature.

Sōdai’s world is culturally aligned with decorativism and instead of toning it down, the brand highlights it, filling it with historical references, memories, life fragrances and emotional depth.

Inspired by the work of Italian design geniuses who embed deep, sometimes disturbing stories onto smooth surfaces, Sōdai reinvents elements of bourgeois good taste with an irreverent, Buñuelian, subtly nihilistic spirit, using the technique of artifice. The environments Sōdai delves into are elegant and sophisticated, yet strongly retro without any hint of nostalgia.