Biography
Kubo is the owner, creative director and head buyer of GR8, an incubator for trends in Tokyo and an important gateway for young international brands looking to break into the Japanese market.
GR8, nestled in the Laforet department store in Tokyo’s Harajaku district, is one of the city’s cutting-edge concept stores and a space beloved by streetwear aficionados. It is known for stocking well-known designers in both the luxury and sportswear realms alongside lesser known brands that Kubo personally selects.
Kubo got his start in the fashion industry at the age of 18, working at the now shuttered Laforet department store in Matsuyama. He opened GR8 in 2005, infusing the concept store with a distinctive DNA.
Today, GR8 features designers including Astrid Andersen and Nasir Mazhar, and hosts a range of popular designer collaborations, such as the Adidas Yeezy collection, as well as Rihanna’s Fenty x Puma line.