Queer Cuts: The East Village’s Hairrari Barber Salon

dapperQ sent Charlotte (aka CB) Glasser for a barber salon experience at New York City’s Hairrari. CB is known for her versatile, fashion-forward queer cut and sassy hair flips. So, we were excited to see if Hairrari could deliver a style that would effortlessly take this communication strategist, speaker, community leader, and event producer from day to play while maintaining CB’s unique look.

Magda Ryczko (left), CB Glasser (right)

About: Hairrari Barber Salon was founded by Magda Ryczko, a queer immigrant woman from Poland, who has personally trained most of the Hairrari staff. Hairrari specializes in queer cuts curates a welcoming, relaxing, and fun experience for all genders and gender presentations. Owner Magda Rydzko states, “It feels good to create a space where everyone is treated as a unique canvas and we try to accommodate the best we can. Our clientele is very mixed and anyone that comes in knows that everyone and anyone are welcome.”  Many of Hairrari’s staff members and artists are part of the LGBTQ+ communities and their personal experiences help separate Hairrari from mainstream, hyper-masculine barber shops. Some of Hairrari’s celebrity clientele includes Kiyomi McCloskey of Hunter Valentine and Camille Perri, author of The Assistants, among other high profile LGBTQ community members.

Locations:

Manetamed Williamsburg
41 Havemeyer St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Btwn N 7th St and N 8th St

P: 347.799.1849

Monday-Friday 12pm – 8pm
Saturday-Sunday 12pm – 8pm

HAIRRARI BUSHWICK

Hairrari Bushwick
206 Bushwick Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Btwn Scholes St and Meserole St
P: 347.689.3363

Monday-Friday 12pm – 8pm
Saturday-Sunday 12pm – 8pm

HAIRRARI EAST VILLAGE

Hairrari East Village
34 E 1st St
New York, NY 10003
Btwn 1st Ave and 2nd Ave

P: 917.388.2114

Monday-Friday 12pm – 8pm
Saturday-Sunday 12pm – 8pm

CB’s East Village Experience:

The vibe was East Village chic, yet welcoming. Upon entering, Magda immediately offered me a choice of a cocktail, beer, or water. After getting settled in, Magda began my consultation. Unlike traditional “men’s” barbers, Magda understood the aesthetic I was trying to achieve, but without judgement. I was anxious not to lose the length of my top bun, and it was an absolute must that my side shave be even, high, and TIGHT. I was in good hands. For the consultation, Magda recommends, “Bring photos! It’s the fastest and most thorough way to explain what you’re looking for.”

Magda and I had an opportunity to chat about her background while she was cutting my hair. I was incredibly impressed that she is self-taught.  She stated, “I self-trained after having my license for a few years. In that time, I was assisting at salons but not really learning much since we got to do a haircut a week, if that, and sweep and shampoo in the meantime. It was difficult to get a job that trains well, that is why my process of training [Hairarri staff] has a different model.” Magda uses YouTube videos to train her staff, which now includes a team of 15 at all three locations.

Ultimately, I loved my haircut from Magda and would absolutely recommend the shop and their staff to anyone seeking a welcoming styling experience and also wanting a quality queer cut that reflects their identity.

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