Tokyo-based W. David Marx, author of the recent book “Ametora,” has just posted an English translation of an extensive 2013 interview with Yoshio Sadasue, founder of Kamakura Shirts, as part of his research for the book. Much of the interview centers around Sadasue’s years at VAN and the early days of Ivy in Japan. Sadasue is pictured above on the left, with VAN founder Kensuke Ishizu on right. Head over here for the full story. — CC
6 Comments on "David Marx Interview With Kamakura’s Yoshio Sadasue"
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Great article, thanks for the share CC. It’s amazing that even after such a devastating war and defeat, the attrited Japanese still yearned to experience the American Way of Life.
I hope I’ll not cease to envisage popping over one fine day and breezing into Sadasue-san’s Madison Avenue establishment, for as I discovered in Tokyo, my Limey frame is/was of the wrong proportions. Woe is/was indeed me.
Some of the best looking (and certainly most reliable) stuff sold in America is engineered and/or manufactured by Japanese businessmen. By best looking I mean classic styling. The old Toyota Land Cruiser was, IMO, the best looking SUV of all time. I’d take a restored FJ40 over a Jeep Willys any day of the week. The FJ60 was great, as well. Their eye for detail cannot be matched, can it?
“…By the way Menswear goods sell extremely slowly, so if you expand too quickly, you’ll go bust.”
so true.
Interesting article. Thank you for sharing. It is pretty incredible, indeed, and fascinating, to see ivy league style embraced so enthusiastically in Japan. Among the young students on campus, I see a lot of what I would call an ’80s preppy look as well–they are much better dressed than their tech-gear and yoga-pants clad American peers!
WFBjr, I think it is precisely because the Americans defeated the Japanese, and because the Americans were so magnanimous in victory, that the Japanese admired the Americans so.