I’ve had my eye on that black AMI T-shirt with the red heart for ages. The price of the authentic version is absolutely outrageous—how can a T-shirt cost that much? Are they out of their minds? Last month, I came across a replica version on Litbuy for just a quarter of the price of the authentic one, so I ordered it without hesitation.

My first impression when I received it was, “Wow, this feels substantial.” The official spec says it’s 220gsm, and when I weighed it, it was spot on. The fabric is heavyweight cotton—it feels thick and substantial, not flimsy or cheap. It shouldn’t be see-through in the summer, which is pretty important.

The red heart logo is the key feature. On the genuine article, the red heart is perfectly round with smooth edges. On this replica, it looks fine from a distance, but up close you can see that the bottom-left corner isn’t quite round. However, unless you look at it with a magnifying glass, you wouldn’t even notice.

I measured the spacing between the letters with a ruler. On the authentic version, the spacing between each letter is uniform, but on the replica, the “A” and “M” are just a tiny bit closer together—about 0.5 millimeters. Who measures clothes with a ruler for no reason? I guess I was just bored.

Stitch density—I specifically studied this. The genuine version has very dense stitching, about 6–7 stitches per centimeter. The replica has about 5–6 stitches, so it’s slightly sparser. But the stitching is neat; there are no skipped stitches or anything like that.

The collar ribbing: the authentic version has that sturdy, high-quality ribbing with great elasticity that doesn’t lose its shape. The replica’s is pretty good too—it hasn’t loosened up even after three washes. The embroidered logo at the back of the neck: the authentic version features delicate embroidery with all the threads neatly tucked away. The replica’s is a bit rougher, but you can’t see it from the front anyway—who’s going to be looking at the back of your neck, seriously?

As for the fit, I bought a size M. The original had an oversized cut, and this replica is pretty much the same—the length and shoulder width are spot on. When I put it on, it has that laid-back vibe and looks great with jeans or shorts.

Honestly, the quality of this replica is quite high. If I weren’t such a perfectionist, I wouldn’t have even noticed the minor flaws. It’s perfectly fine for everyday wear, and you definitely can’t tell the difference in photos posted on social media.

I’ve worn it twice already, and my coworkers even asked if I’d bought a new shirt. I told them yes, it’s from AMI, and they actually believed me. Haha, the price of the authentic version could buy me four of these—I totally scored big on this one.

I’ve washed it three times—no shrinkage, no fading, and the neckline hasn’t lost its shape. For the price, it’s a real bargain. I’m planning to pick up a white one this summer so I can rotate them.