The Akeru Origin Story
The neon-soaked streets of Sakinaka had a way of playing tricks on your mind. Mumbai's industrial heart beat to its own rhythm here – a symphony of machinery and mankind that never quite settled into silence. But it wasn't the endless whir of textile machines that kept me awake those nights in 2008. It was the dreams.
They started innocently enough. A shadow here, a silhouette there. But soon, he emerged from the darkness of my subconscious – a figure that straddled centuries like they were mere stepping stones across a stream of time. Rane, I called him. A name that came to me as naturally as breathing.
Illustration from 2012, first published in the @yangyanje blog
I'd see him in 1182 AD, moving through the smoke of ancient Indian battlefields like a ghost, saving those others had abandoned. Then he'd be in the halls of Shaolin, mastering arts that would make modern fighters weep. The dreams were vivid enough to taste – the iron of blood, the cotton of merchant silks, the leather of a mysterious suit maker's workshop. Every night, a new chapter. Every morning, another piece of the puzzle.
The funny thing about Sakinaka – its name comes from the Japanese word for "bloom." And bloom it did, this vision of mine, until it consumed every waking moment. I started sketching obsessively, turning dreams into designs, visions into vestments. The character of Rane became more than just a nocturnal visitor; he became a blueprint for something bigger.
My repeated journeys back to India only deepened the mystery. The dreams evolved, revealing new layers of this ancient tale. That's when he appeared – Yang, like a flash of brilliant light cutting through centuries of darkness. In my visions, I saw him as the one who walked the path before Rane, studying under the same Shaolin master, but choosing a different destiny. While Rane was still learning to fight, Yang had already learned to transcend fighting altogether.
Yang's story haunted me as much as Rane's. I watched him leave the temple, venture into solitude, and achieve something rare and precious through years of meditation – true samadhi, that state of profound enlightenment that monks spend lifetimes pursuing. He became something more than human, an ascended master whose wisdom echoed across time itself.
In my dreams, I would watch their paths intersect – Yang appearing to Rane after his departure from Shaolin, speaking in riddles that seemed to bend reality itself. "A focused mind," he would say, "is the source of all power." Their conversations were like cosmic poetry, each word carrying the weight of centuries.
Then came October 31, 2019. The night everything changed. In a dream more real than reality itself, Rane – master of lucid dreaming across all parallel universes – merged with my consciousness. When I opened my eyes that morning, the boundary between dreamer and dream had dissolved. Like Leonardo da Vinci sketching helicopters centuries before their time, I found myself possessed by ideas that transcended the present.
But this isn't just another story about dreams becoming reality. This is about reality itself being rewoven, thread by thread, code by code. You see, while I was chasing visions of ancient warriors and timeless wisdom, the world was changing. Blockchain technology was emerging from its chrysalis, and I saw a way to bridge worlds – the tangible and the digital, the ancient and the modern.
That's how Akeru was born. Not just as a clothing brand, but as a revolution in fabric and function. Each piece we create carries a piece of that original vision – the adaptability of a warrior, the wisdom of centuries, and the innovation of tomorrow. Our hoodies aren't just garments; they're artifacts from a future that's finally catching up to my dreams.
The Technical Reality
What started in dreams has materialized into something groundbreaking. Akeru represents the convergence of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology. Our approach is unprecedented:
Every garment is tokenized through NFTs, allowing buyers to invest in products before production.
Digital designs are created in Clo 3D, bridging the physical and virtual worlds
Production begins only when community-driven MOQs are met, eliminating waste
Smart contracts ensure transparency and authenticity.
Each piece features innovative design elements inspired by ancient wisdom and modern functionality
Our first collection showcases this vision perfectly. Take our signature hoodie – it transforms from a seemingly simple garment into a 30-liter carrying system, complete with hidden pockets and adaptive features. It's manufactured using 100% organic cotton, powered by wind energy, and limited to just 500 numbered pieces.
This isn't just fashion. This isn't just technology. This is the future I saw in those dreams, finally taking shape in a world ready to embrace it.
Want to be part of this revolution? The presale begins soon. The future is unfolding, and like those dreams in Sakinaka, it's more real than you could imagine.
Here's a little post with @vincentnijman and a trip to the Netherlands where I showcase the build in mask of one of my Hoody models from 2009. In this post we are with @exyle in Downtown Amsterdam in August 2019, before Corona. LINK
Welcome to Akeru. Welcome to the future of fashion.
🔥 EXCLUSIVE HIVE-ONLY DROP:
10 Legendary Akeru Hoodies at Special Community Pricing
⚡️ FLASH OFFER: 10 SPOTS ONLY ⚡️
For the first time ever, we're releasing 10 numbered Akeru Hoodies exclusively to our Hive community at an unprecedented price point. This is not just a purchase – it's your entry into a limited collector's circle.
🌟 THE EXCLUSIVE DEAL
Regular Price: CHF 129 + USD 46 (International Swiss Shipping)
YOUR SPECIAL PRICE: 155 HBD (All-Inclusive)
YOU SAVE: USD 46 on international shipping
🎯 WHY THIS IS UNMISSABLE
Numbered Edition: Receive a guaranteed number between 22-35
Collector's Item: Only 500 pieces will ever exist worldwide
Instant Crypto Payment: No currency conversion hassles
Free Priority Shipping: Usually costs USD 46
Community Priority: Hive members get first access
🎁 WHAT YOU'RE GETTING
A technical masterpiece that transforms from a hoody into a 30L carrying system
Hidden tactical pockets engineered for the modern urban warrior
100% organic cotton, wind-energy manufactured
Built-in mask/scarf feature
A piece of wearable art numbered for authenticity
⚡️ HOW TO CLAIM YOURS (Before They're Gone)
Comment on this post to signal your interest
Send 155 HBD to @akeru
In the memo, include:
Size (S/M/L/XL/XXL)
Color (Red-Black/Yellow-Black/Black)
Your complete postal address
Add a # at the end for encryption
⏰ ACT FAST
Once these 10 pieces are claimed, this offer vanishes forever. No exceptions, no waiting list.
This is more than a hoody. It's your entry ticket into the future of fashion technology.
🎯 Ready to own a piece of history? Comment now and secure your numbered edition.
Here's a post from @thelogicaldude on how to encrypt memo's
