ORIGINS
The Lion and Sun — Shir o Khorshid in Persian — is one of the oldest symbols in the world. It appears in Persian art and architecture as far back as the 5th century BCE: on ancient coins, on royal seals, on Safavid-era mosques, on Qajar banknotes, on the imperial standard of Iran.
The lion stands for earthly strength — courage, kingship, the refusal to yield. The sun stands for divine light — hope, the cosmos, the radiance of culture itself. Together, they form a symbol that has outlasted empires, conquests, revolutions, and exile.
It belongs to no single political era. It belongs to the Persian people.
OUR PRINCIPLES
Three principles behind every Lion & Sun piece.
Persian art, calligraphy, and symbolism — present, not preserved. The Lion & Sun has lived on royal seals, Safavid art, and Qajar banknotes for centuries. Today it lives on what you wear.
For those who carry two countries — born or raised in Europe and beyond, with Iran in the bloodline. Made for the diaspora who refuses to choose between belonging here and remembering there.
Premium fabrics, durable prints, considered silhouettes. Each piece is made to order and built to be worn for years — not seasons.
THE COLLECTION
Three product lines, three ways to carry Persian heritage into everyday life.
LINE 01 · LION & SUN
The cornerstone of Lion and Sun. A single, hand-crafted artwork by Iranian artist Javid Shah, built around the Shir o Khorshid — the lion at the centre, the sun radiating behind it in the classical Persian style.
Clean lines. Strong contrast. Streetwear-ready. The piece where it all began.
LINE 02 · ARYAMEHR
Aryamehr — "Light of the Aryans" — was the title borne by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. For millions of Iranians in the diaspora, his era represents a version of the country that lives on in the memory of parents and grandparents — modern, ambitious, and rooted in Persian antiquity.
Javid Shah has taken the Shah's personal signature and elevated it into a graphic artwork. Pre-revolutionary Iran, carried on the chest.
LINE 03 · JAVID NAM
On the night of January 8, 2026, in the streets of Mashhad, a 38-year-old Iranian firefighter named Hamid Mahdavi was filmed carrying a wounded protester on his back through live gunfire. He was shot in the throat and killed.
Javid Nam — "Long Live the Name" — is what Iranians say when a sacrifice is too great to be reduced to statistics. The Javid Nam line is a memorial you can wear every day.
WHO IT'S FOR
Heritage doesn't belong in a museum. It belongs on your body, in your wardrobe, on the streets of the city you live in.
Lion and Sun is for the Iranian diaspora in Stockholm, London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, Los Angeles — and every city in between where someone grew up carrying two countries at once. For those who never got to live in Iran but feel its pull every day. For those who left and have not been able to return.
The clothing is the answer to a quiet question: how do I carry where I come from into where I am?
WHY IT EXISTS
We exist so Persian identity can be carried with pride into ordinary days — not just special occasions.
The artwork comes from an Iranian artist who lives the heritage he draws. The materials are chosen for longevity. Each garment is made to order — designed in Europe, printed when you buy it, shipped across Europe and to the USA. We don't produce in bulk, and we don't overproduce.
This is heritage you can hold in your hands, fold into your wardrobe, and wear on a Tuesday morning. Not nostalgia. Identity.
ANSWERED
Symbolism, shipping, and the stories behind each design.
The Lion & Sun — Shir o Khorshid in Persian — is one of the oldest symbols in Iranian civilization, dating back over 2,500 years. The lion represents earthly strength, courage, and kingship; the sun represents divine light, hope, and the cosmos. Together they appear across Persian history: on ancient coins, royal seals, Safavid-era art, Qajar banknotes, and the imperial standard of Iran. For the Iranian diaspora today, it is a cultural symbol that belongs to no single political era — it belongs to the Persian people.
Our core artworks are created by Iranian artist Javid Shah. Each piece is built around deep familiarity with Persian art, calligraphy, and the visual language of Iranian history — then reimagined for contemporary streetwear. The designs are exclusive to Lion and Sun.
Javid Nam (جاوید نام) means "Long Live the Name" or "Eternal Name." It is what Iranians say for those whose sacrifice is too great to be reduced to statistics — a phrase that refuses to let a name disappear. Our Javid Nam line carries that meaning into clothing you can wear every day.
Hamid Mahdavi was a 38-year-old Iranian firefighter from Mashhad. On the night of January 8, 2026, he was filmed carrying a wounded protester on his back through live gunfire in the streets of Mashhad. He was shot in the throat while doing so and did not survive. His name became one of the most recognized of the January 2026 uprising — not because he sought it, but because his final act was so purely human that it could not be forgotten. The Javid Nam line is in his memory.
Aryamehr (آریامهر) means "Light of the Aryans" or "Sun of the Aryans." It was the honorary title granted to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. For millions of Iranians in the diaspora, the name evokes pre-revolutionary Iran — a chapter of history they carry with them. Our Aryamehr line takes the Shah's personal signature and turns it into a contemporary graphic.
We ship across Europe and to the United States. Shipping times and rates appear at checkout based on your location.
Yes. Each piece is made especially for you as soon as you place an order. This is why orders take a little longer to ship than mass-market clothing — but it means we don't overproduce, and your piece is genuinely yours from the moment it's made.
Yes — many of our customers buy Lion & Sun pieces as gifts for parents, siblings, partners, and friends in the diaspora. The designs carry shared cultural meaning that doesn't need explaining: someone who knows the Shir o Khorshid, the Aryamehr signature, or the name Javid Nam will understand exactly what they've received.
