Restir is exclusive. Very exclusive.
Entry to this Tokyo boutique is by appointment and the Westfield World Retail Study Tour group's visit was followed a few hours later by none other than Somdet Phra Boromma-orasathirat Chao Fa Maha Vajiralongkorn Sayammakutratchakuman. That's the son of Thailand's king, and heir to the throne. And his wife.
Kings, Queens, movie stars, wealthy businessmen and their mistresses have been the core clientele of this super luxury store, a dark, nightclub-like sanctuary for retail therapy hidden behind mirror glass at the edge of the five star Midtown shopping centre.
Walk through the darkened doors and the first thing to confront the visitor is a fully-functional Formula One race car simulator. Clearly this is no ordinary luxury couture nest.
The boutique comprises about 1000sqm over two floors.
Upstairs is a main floor of exotic - and the occasional erotic - fashion - along with private mens and womens viewing rooms. Make an appointment at Restir and recline with a glass of Champagne as immaculately coiffured sales assistants with impossibly perfect skin and radiant smiles will show you a selection of highly priced, one-off clothing designs. Partners, family or friends are welcome - it's private and incredibly discreet.
As the accompanying photographs show, the main floor is a treasure trove of the inventive - and the bizarre. From the matching his and hers bed linen with the four letter expletive and the French lace underwear and riding crop through to designer t-shirts and exotic evening dresses. There's menswear, womenswear and inbetween wear...
Restir's creative director is Eddie Van Narc whose attitude to the recession hitting Japanese retail spending hard is as amusing as it is refreshing:
"Its no secret that there is an economic crisis, its not the most proper time to be going on shopping sprees...," he begins in the store's latest catalogue - 53 A3-sized pages of colourful temptation.
"Let's be honest, we all need to feel and express ourselves, we are only human... Don't feel guilty if you are tempted by the products which lie inside this newsletter. Just for once let go, forget those troubles at the office, or that big business deal coming up next week, and treat yourself to something special. It's time to feel fashion again..."
The following catalogue pages - and the store's shelves - are laden with indulgences like Jimmy Choo Panama Rainbow Snake shoes at a mere 129,150 yen (about A$1614), a yellow Zagliani bag at $2841, a long tank shirt featuring a 1967 photo of UK model Twiggy for $432, a set of six plastic fruit-coloured Tendence watches for $772 or a white men's T-shirt bearing in block capitals "Stolen Girlfriends Club Says Relax" (Sorry, but Frankie Goes to Hollywood beat you to it!) for a much more affordable $144.
CEO Hiroaki Takashita describes Restir as "the type of select shop I have always hoped for and wanted to visit myself".
"In recent years, we have collected a wide variety of information regarding true luxury items and how to select them, which we use to respond to individual requests from busy customers who do not have time to think about what to buy. We also provide comprehensive lifestyle-related information as part of our stylist and concierge services."
The concept is all a bout "self-centred selection," he explains.
"Restir is not the kind of shop that suits everyone. More importantly, we want our customers to have a wonderful life of 'work and play' driven by fashion. Restir aims to impassion customers that share these very same values as we continually evolve and strive to satisfy our customers."
According to Wikipedia, in Autumn 2008 The Observer Magazine published its list of the The 10 Best Boutiques in the World. Restir was ranked right alongside Paris' Colette, London's Dover Street Market, New York's Opening Ceremony and Cara&Co in Moscow.
Fit for a king, thus. Or a prince...
Click here to see more photos.