The word, “Tanoshinde” in Japanese means “Enjoyment” – and it’s a recurring theme when you speak with the owner/designer Shoichi Amemiya of the NYC /Japanese street-style apparel brand, Sabit. He presides over his Manhattan Fashion District showroom like a fashionable, Obi Wan Kenobi, and every Zen-infused word from his mouth shows his true love and gratitude for the 5-year brand he’s built from the ground up.
“My brand is based on a Japanese fashion style called Amecaji ,” he begins. “Ame- stands for American, and –Caji means casual. It basically means American Casual or American Heritage. For example, there might be a brand that decides to make A2-Flight Jackets based exactly on the ones used by American pilots in World War II. Or another Japanese brand might decide to make denim based on Levi’s 501 jeans styles from 1950. It might not be the same thing but it’s an exact replica – so Sabit takes inspiration from this style of clothing with different spins and twists.”
