This Japanese Hair Stylist Pairs His Vintage Skirts with Telfar Hoodies and Balenciaga Platform Boots

Hair stylist Shingo Shibata has a very distinct beauty “uniform”: a shaved head and no eyebrows. In his closet, there’s no semblance of that regimented routine. How does he organize this amalgamation of tangerine puffer jackets, Yohji Yamamoto outerwear, and platform boots? “I don’t,” he says. Within his Tokyo apartment, a confluence of color beckons from a silver hanging rack. Perfectly warped denim contrasts the traditionally blanched walls and wood beams. Footwear ranging from Balenciaga kitten heels to distressed cowboy boots click with potential energy.

Heavily gelled comb overs, space age blunt bobs, perfectly coiffed French twists. His work has graced covers and spreads of a number of international Vogues, Interview, W, and the runways of major designers. Born and raised in Japan, Shabato worked in New York for several years after graduating from Vantan Design Institute, cutting his teeth and cultivating relationships with major photographers and stylists before returning to Tokyo, where he lives with his wife, makeup artist and Global Creative Director of Addiction Tokyo, Kanako Takase.

“I’m not afraid of making mistakes,” he says of his method of concocting new hairstyles and outfits. Shibata has been a collector from a young age, scouring flea markets for unique finds. “I was super skinny [as a kid],” he says. “So the clothes I picked weren’t only for men. It didn't matter. Whatever catches my eye, I put that on and mix it in. I guess that is how I developed my style.” That unbothered shopping experience manifests today in outfits composed of long vintage skirts, Telfar hoodies, and platform boots—“they make me tall and cute,” he explains.

When Shibata gets dressed, it's in a nonlinear fashion; he starts in the middle. Typically, that means with a skirt. Then, he builds outward, his choices varying based less on locale or utility than on who he has plans with that day. “If I'm seeing someone who loves fashion, I would choose something surprising as an icebreaker for our conversation because I'm super shy.”

“I don’t [organize my closet].”

“I started wearing skirts because I wanted to try something new, and I fell in love. I think I’m cute with skirts and high heels. I like having more options.”

“For shoes, I’m always looking for something special and simply beautiful.”

“These days, I have been picking out my bottoms first when getting dressed—that has been skirts for the past six years. Then, I decide what I mix on top, depending on who I’m meeting with that day. If I'm seeing someone who loves fashion, I would choose something surprising as an icebreaker for our conversation because I'm super shy.”

“I loved and still love finding good clothes at flea markets and second-hand stores. I was super skinny [as a kid]. So the clothes I picked weren’t only for men. It didn't matter. Whatever catches my eye, I put that on and mix it in. I guess that is how I developed my style.”

“Usually, I end up picking perfume that has cypress, teak, amber, and cedar. Wearing perfume is like brushing your teeth. You don’t go outside without doing, no?”

“It says Tokyo in Japanese on the arm.”

“I like collecting unique styles of denim—so classic and timeless. The more you wear it, the more its unique character develops which I love.”

“I actually did the hairstyling for the model on the T-shirt. Some of these pieces Telfar gave to me when he came to Tokyo for the Olympics. I think his clothes are sexy.”

"The big rings are our wedding bands. Moldavite in 22k gold, made by our dear friend who is super talented.”

“Ice Milk Tea Studio is by a Taiwanese girl based in Brooklyn—my wife’s friend. She herself is super stylish.”

“In Tokyo, I usually shop at Shimokitazawa. However, most of the time, I shop online or check out the brands that my friends create.”

“The reason I like platforms is super simple: they make me tall and cute. My favorite brands are Sylo, Balenciaga, and Kozabro. What else do you need?”

“The way I do hair is not traditional. I’m not afraid of making mistakes. I love mixing, deforming, and putting things together again. I enjoy the process.”

“In my early teen years, I went through different types of styles such as hip hop, punk, and vintage clothes. Plus, sometimes I wore stuff that my mom and grandfather gave me.”

Art Director: Smiley Stevens/ Managing Editor: Hilary George-Parkin/ Casting Director: Yasmin Coutinho/ Executive Producer: Marc Duron

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