Cabaret is a jewel of a vintage boutique in the heart of Shibuya that along with Hypnotique and Rosy Baroque has been something of a trinity of destination vintage shops for over a decade. Like Rosy Baroque it is a place of absolute quality with a cult following who are bored of having to sift through sub-standard stock and demand shop staff with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of fashion. Don’t let that put you off a visit and a rummage though, like the rest of Tokyo, fashion and elitism rarely go hand in hand (and it is a shame on the rare occasions that they do) and you are assured a warm welcome.
The Cabaret look is as you would expect, strong and feminine, an extravert, but always a classy one. The stock is scattered over the last 100 years with a pretty broad remit, but with particular attention paid to bringing in items from out of their original context – whether that is re-interpreting curtain tassels as necklaces, bringing in men’s military items into a female wardrobe and even the occasional converted wedding veil into a shawl.
It is a style that is quite hard to pin down to any particular subculture as such, like many of the Tokyo vintage boutiques it is a cult in and of itself, Tokyo being as it is always capable of summoning up the handful of fanatical fans that act as brand ambassadors with each and every step that they take on the street.
This is our Cabaret guide for the day in a typically very elegant ensemble standing in the midst of a wardrobe that we can only dream of.
The space is as small as you would expect in Shibuya, but there is no space wasted and the stock is rotated very frequently.
There are plenty of accesible entry options to the look by my eye, and you couldn’t go far wrong with one of their detachable collars or vintage ribbons if you wanted to get the ball rolling.
Their theme at the time we went in there was vintage nautical, something that is actually a touch rare in Tokyo.
Stunning collars that could easily be the focus of any outfit.
A beautiful bridal selection.
They also do a great line in women’s tailoring for those after the classic cabaret suit.
For more on Cabaret and access you can visit their homepage here and as ever our thanks go the Cabaret team for accommodating us.
I love this store, definitely a treasure! I really got a 1920s vibe out of it when I visited. I feel like this one gets overlooked for some reason, and have wondered why I’m not seeing more of a 1920s influenced group of fashion people in Tokyo. I love your coverage, I think this is a really great shop!
@ Lactose Intoler-Art
I have seen more 1920′s people over in Daikanyama who frequent the really high-end Tokyo vintage shops. We will have to show you around when you are over!