You might have seen Masami Hosono’s face on billboards advertising Hinge’s Not So Frequently Asked Questions series last fall. Or read about their wedding to ceramicist Laura Chautin last summer in Vogue. With or without knowing it—depending on your level of immersion in downtown New York’s creative landscape—you’ve likely crossed paths with a Masami haircut. The Kyoto, Japan-born hairstylist opened Vacancy Project, their East Village salon, seven years ago, and since then their effortless, gender-neutral cuts have graced the likes of King Princess, Pierce Abernathy, and Ella Emhoff. They took a moment between two appointments to chat with CULTURED about Instagram’s filter era, their (embarrassing) love of baseball, and breakup haircuts.
CULTURED: What was the first haircut you ever gave someone?
Masami Hosono: Ohh! That was for my mum when I was in hair school. She went to a salon to fix it right after.
CULTURED: Nooooo. What kind of cut was it?
Hosono: A bob. I thought I could do it because I was a hair school student haha.
CULTURED: Deceivingly easy! Do you remember your first Instagram post?
Hosono: Yes! Before I started a "hair Instagram," it was just my personal account so my first post was a photo of ramen. It was with a filter. You know, 2010 Instagram era.
CULTURED: What's a Masami haircut in three words?
Hosono: Messy, queer, edgy.
CULTURED: Hot! Whose hair do you most want to cut?
Hosono: Hmmm, Shane McCutcheon from The L Word maybe.
CULTURED: A forever hair icon. Best playlist for cutting hair?
Hosono: I actually started a radio from this song today, and it has been pretty good.
CULTURED: Who do you stalk on Instagram?
Hosono: Friends’ baby photos and gay wedding photos are my favorite.
CULTURED: What does your Instagram explore page look like?
Hosono: OK this is embarrassing because now you know that I am a baseball fan.
CULTURED: Ahahaha. Why is baseball embarrassing?
Hosono: Because it's kind of a bro thing?
CULTURED: I get that … What's the most niche account you follow?
Hosono: This fermented soy beans account.
CULTURED: What's a YouTube video you watch again and again?
Hosono: Honestly baseball. The best moments of Shohei Ohtani again and again.
CULTURED: You post the best archival hair photos. Where do you find them? And who's your hair icon right now?
Hosono: Pinterest! I love '90s Takeshi Kaneshiro hair.
CULTURED: Tell me about your OOTD page. When did you start taking fit pics?
Hosono: Since I got a phone with camera lol.
CULTURED: Ha. What's today's outfit?
CULTURED: Best thing about the Internet?
Hosono: I love connections with people, music, clients … memes?
CULTURED: Favorite meme account?
Hosono: @notallgeminis. Geminis love to talk about our own sign lol.
CULTURED: Any astrological haircut predictions for Spring/Summer 2023?
Hosono: I actually made a meme with Co-Star a couple years ago! Let me find it. It’s not specifically for this year, but isn't it so accurate?
CULTURED: Aww!
Hosono: l asked on the Internet, "What's your sign? What's the haircut for you?" Then we collaborated with Co-Star.
CULTURED: Good predictions!
Hosono: But these days, a lot of breakup haircuts actually … The big chop is a very popular order right now.
CULTURED: Breakup season?!?
Hosono: Totally. Post-pandemic relationships. I am a therapist sometimes, you know?
