Maiko Shibata
Creative Director & Head Buyer, Restir
The merchant behind the iconic Japanese concept store is admired in wholesale circles for her sharp eye for trends and distinctive styling ideas.
Maiko Shibata is the creative director and head buyer at Japanese multi-brand boutique Restir. She is the driving force behind the iconic luxury store that made a successful pivot to e-commerce in the early 2020s. Under her stewardship, Restir stocks a winning mix of international brands at its Tokyo flagship location. By 2023, its portfolio included Balenciaga, Valentino, Raf Simons , Marine Serre and Simone Rocha . Restir has also grown online sales to international customers thanks to her edit of in-demand Japanese brands such as Sacai and Maison Mihara Yasuhiro.
Shibata is the powerful merchant and creative force behind chief executive Hiroyuki Shimizu. Both customers and brand partners alike have long appreciated Shibata’s sharp eye for trends and her distinctive styling ideas. As one of the most influential and longest-running multi-brand boutiques in Japan (founded by Hiroaki Takashita in 1987), Restir has been a go-to destination for Japanese celebrities, fashion insiders, affluent locals and international tourists for decades. As seen by its early partnership with Farfetch and its ability to help make Tokyo’s Midtown district cool when it first moved there from Ginza, Restir is often ahead of the retail curve.
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The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
