Bespoke Haircuts by Master Barbers
photo @deutschphoto
My interest in personal care began at an early age. I have fond memories of the Sundays I spent waiting for my grandfather at the barber’s shop after mass and then returning home with him after he finished running some errands in town.
When I was eight, I worked for two hours doing small jobs in the shop, which my grandfather probably suggested to Augusto, the owner, just to keep me busy. Sundays, the town, the mass, the shop were all connected, everything was precious and special. Sundays turned into weekends and summer holidays until I was 13, when school took me away from the world I loved.
But at 19 that passion became irrepressible, after apprenticeship at a salon for men and women I went to Rome where I attended the Accademia and worked at Enzo Belfiore’s Afrodite salon just a stone’s throw away from the Vatican. Subsequently, I flew to London to take a course proposed by Steiner, the company that manages spas on cruise ships all over the world. With my specialization completed, I had a signed contract and a ticket for Dubai, where the ship that would take me to 36 countries during just one year awaited me.
An exciting professional and educational experience. Different places but, above all, contact with people from all corners of the world. It was during that experience that I decided to focus on the art of barbering.
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
— Eleanor Roosevelt
When I returned I went to Milan, a beautiful city I had fallen in love with, where I read an intriguing anonymous advertisement for a barber, which I answered without taking it too seriously. However, in February 2011 I was working at the Dolce & Gabbana barber’s shop in a highly stimulating atmosphere of weekly shaves for Domenico Dolce and styling for the fashion show models.
The wide open spaces of cruises were replaced by the hectic rhythm of fashion. Timescales, alertness and team work were a new and challenging workout for over a year.
Some head hunters had noticed me and in February 2012 I was asked to be master barber worldwide for Acqua di Parma. This was an extremely gratifying experience because as well as working in the barber’s shop in Via Gesù, I attended various events in international capitals:
London, Paris, Zurich, Moscow, Kiev, Toronto, New York. I also trained the shaving staff and was a consultant on the development of new products. In addition to this, I worked at the company’s SPA in Porto Cervo during the summer. The travel dimension was back in my life.
After more than three years as master barber at Acqua di Parma and an all-around experience in the art of barbering, I felt an increasingly strong need to follow the entrepreneurial path; so much so that in August 2015 I opened my new salon in Via Montenapoleone 17.
A new concept in barbers’ shops that combines tradition with a modern offer extended to include facial care. A place to escape to, to spend some precious time on yourself, sipping a whisky, listening to good music, savouring the ancient tradition of being shaved.
A barber’s shop isn’t just about the barber, it’s also about the place.
A place that creates a protective cocoon where customers feel at home. A pause, a feeling of peace and relaxation, a place where you can slow down the rhythm of life for a moment and spend time on yourself.
A place where everything is designed to create harmony. Colours and materials, music chosen by the customer, and, if he wants, a glass of whisky or champagne while chatting with the barber.
For me it is essential to know how to listen, to talk, perhaps even to offer advice. I want to build a one-to-one relationship that is both human and professional. A relationship in which I do not impose a certain style or a current trend, where choices are made in the interests of my guest by always understanding what my eyes tell me, which have been, and still are, my most invaluable skill.
55 Wall Street @ Cipriani Club Lounge level
New York / NY 10005
| Monday | 09:30 am - 07:30 pm | (continued schedule) |
| Tuesday | 10:30 am - 07:30 pm | (continued schedule) |
| Wednesday | 10:30 am - 07:30 pm | (continued schedule) |
| Thursday | 10:30 am - 07:30 pm | (continued schedule) |
| Friday | 09:30 am - 07:30 pm | (continued schedule) |
| Saturday | CLOSED | |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
By appointment only
