MASAMI HOSONO IN CONVERSATION
Photography COBEY ARNER | Styling TERUMI MURAO | Hair & Makeup MASAMI HOSONO | Photo Assistant JEREMY PHILIP | Fashion Assistant FELICE HERNANDEZ
Story and Creative Direction BEN OWENS
Suit VICTORIA BECKHAM, shirt vintage, shoes vintage, hat STETSON
Masami Hosono is a Japanese hairstylist living and working in New York City. Their salon, Vacancy Project, opened in 2015 and has quietly become an essential destination for discerning New York creatives. Hosono’s distinctive hairstyling and eclectic personal style is an amalgamation of their influences, from ‘90s Japanese pop culture to Americana. Their work has captured the attention of artists and tastemakers worldwide.
Ben Owens sat down with Masami at their studio to discuss why their haircuts last longer, why they don’t like sneakers, and why they keep a baseball bat behind the front door.
Shirt, boots and frames vintage, vest Masami’s own, Jeans LEVI'S
BEN OWENS: You’ve gained a loyal following since you opened Vacancy Project nearly eight years ago. How has your taste in hairstyling evolved since then, and what interests you most right now?
MASAMI HOSONO: For me, doing haircuts is kind of a collaboration with my clients. I think I’m good at, you know, making it look good, but the best part of my job is my clients having such good taste. When people come to me with great ideas and great taste, everything kind of makes sense to me. It's very specific, what I do. I don't think anybody can do the same.
BO: What you do is pretty niche, but your clientele is broad — you’ve cut hair for fashion editors, artists and athletes, all of whom seem to trust your instincts. What about your sensibilities as a hairstylist makes your work so accessible?
MH: I don’t really think about what my clients do specifically or who they are. I'm trying to understand everyone's taste, whether they're stylish or they’re not. I want to make sure we’re on the same eye level. Even if people think I'm cool, I never do overly stylish things if they don't fit. But at the same time, when, you know, famous artists or musicians come, I'm confident that yeah, I know what they do, and I know what's good. It's not really about my taste — I think it’s most important that I understand what exactly is the best for them.
BO: People who know or follow you are often drawn to your personal style. How would you describe the kind of clothing that inspires you, and how does it relate to your taste in hairstyling?
MH: I love clothes. I’ve never really thought about what kind of style I have, but I definitely dress up every day, when I work, because I don't want to go to a hair salon where they don’t dress well and wonder if they understand my taste. I don’t think I'm following trends much, or new designers or new collections or anything. I want my personal style to be very personal and different from everybody else’s. And I never wear sneakers. Sneakers are cool and some people look good in them. I tried some Wales Bonner Adidas sneakers, but they didn't look good on me. They’re just too casual.
BO: A few years ago I read an interview with Tom Ford where someone asked him why he never wears sneakers. And he said, Well, if I'm not wearing boots, or a suit, I feel like I'm not wearing armor. That's kind of how I feel.
MH: Exactly. I want my clients to feel like, you know, this a formal, stylish salon. But still very calm. That's the kind of energy that my salon has; the interior too. I think my style is like that — stylish, but not too casual. And it’s very… people know my personal style. It's not everywhere.
BO: Japan has a well-known history of fascination with Americana culture and fashion. Do you feel like your personal style interacts with that history?
MH: I liked clothes when I lived in Japan too, but I think a lot of things there are inspired by western culture. I think New York is the most stylish city in the world. Maybe I was stylish in Tokyo, but I definitely stepped up here. It's a different point of view. Japan has cool style too, but when I lived there, I didn't know that. New York style is more eclectic. I definitely feel much more relaxed about fashion.
BO: In New York?
MH: Yeah. People care more about designers, and people don’t really wear secondhand. One thing I like about New York is that secondhand designer is not, like, “used clothes” — it’s “archive”. It’s a different mindset. I think that’s probably where I feel the biggest difference.
BO: Japanese clothing brands like Visvim and Kapital have found this natural nostalgic intersection between traditional Japanese garments and twentieth century American styling. Your work as a hairstylist seems to have found a similar intersection where, say, Takuya Kamura meets River Phoenix. What about that crossroads do you find so endearing?
MH: It’s definitely because I grew up in Japan and worked at Japanese hair salons before coming to New York. When it comes to my basic skills, I really appreciate that I studied in Japan. I think a lot of hairstylists in New York, or in the States, feel more like “artists”, but I never really thought of myself as an artist, because I think hairstyling is much more about skills and communication. If you don’t have basic skill, you can’t be a creative, but a lot of people skip the basic part. Clients don’t know, but I really care, and the haircut lasts longer.
Jacket JEAN PAUL GAULTIER, pants and frames vintage, hat AILEYAN
