Buki Shiff was born in Israel and studied at Tel-Aviv University. Since 1984 she has worked as a stage and costume designer in theatre, film, television and opera throughout Israel, Europe and the USA, regularly collaborating with Harry Kupfer, David Alden and Richard Jones.

Her opera designs include Les contes des Hoffmann, Faust, Sweeney Todd, Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci, Boris Godunov, Madam Butterfly, Don Giovanni in Tel-Aviv; Tannhäuser, The Coronation of Poppea, Rinaldo, Rodelinda in Munich; Lohengrin, Die Meistersinger, Tannhäuser, Tristan und Isolde, Der Fliegende Holländer for Staatsoper, Berlin; Boris Godunov for Volksoper Vienna; The Coronation of Poppea for WNO; Lulu for ENO; Tristan und Isolde for Teatro Real, Madrid; Wozzeck for Komische Oper, Berlin.