Stijn De Sutter, Master barber from Prorazo, Italy
Stijn’s Quest for Master Barber: From Scapicchio to Proraso
After Stijn from ROMAIN received his first master barber title from the Scapicchio family—making him one of only 16 barbers worldwide to achieve this honor—he set off this year to Florence to earn the prestigious master title from Proraso.
This was no easy feat, as the selection and evaluation process are stringent. First, Proraso selects a maximum of six barbers from candidates worldwide. Only 50 master barbers globally are authorized to bestow the Proraso master title on others.
Six chosen barbers arrived in Florence to undergo the seven-day procedure. During this intensive week, the barbers were immersed in every aspect of their craft. They honed the art of sharpening and restoring straight razors, perfected the technique of shaving with an open blade, refined their towel handling skills, dived into shop management, expanded their product knowledge, improved their understanding of skin care, and brainstormed creative and original ways to elevate their customer service. This was far from basic training; those selected were already experts in their field.
The Barber is Back
The first days began in Pisa, where Stijn returned to BISB, The Barber is Back, in Lucca. There, master barber Andrea Cottone was assigned to immerse the barbers in the world of straight razors and refine their skills with this formidable tool over three days. According to Stijn, it was an intense yet delightful deep dive into razor mastery.
The sessions were designed to make them think critically and question their knowledge continuously. If you don’t constantly challenge your understanding, you won’t stay up-to-date. On the second day, the group received a pleasant surprise: a visit to Scarperia, the city of knifemakers in Tuscany. They toured the impressive forge and factory of Fontani, one of the few places that still manufacture new straight razors. The craftsmanship, precision, and attention to detail were unparalleled, and the numerous steps involved left such an impression that Stijn plans to write a separate blog post about it. The purpose of this visit was to familiarize the barbers with crafts linked to their profession. After all, every craftsman is directly or indirectly connected to other artisans—like the passionate roasters perfecting our daily coffee blend.
Out of the Comfort Zone
After the factory visit, the group headed to Florence for the second part of the training. This wasn’t a course in learning how to shave or trim a beard; everyone here was already at the top of their game globally in these skills. Proraso’s goal was to push top barbers out of their comfort zones by questioning every aspect of their craft. Why do you do this? Why do you do that? Could it be done differently? The group was warmly welcomed by Stefano Lippi, Proraso’s manager, and Anthony Berriola, the second Proraso master barber who runs a barbershop in Boston.
To test Stijn’s shaving skills, he was asked to shave the owner of Blues Barber Shop in Florence using his straight razors. The man has highly sensitive skin that usually gets irritated during shaving, and they wanted to see if this would also happen with a straight razor. Valerio Imperiale, the shop owner, doesn’t even dare to shave himself at home; he only trusts barbershop professionals. Stijn managed to bring a smile to Valerio’s face, leaving him completely relaxed. The training could now begin. Before the shave, the team was given a warm welcome by Stefano Lippi, and Anthony Berriola, the second Proraso master barber from Boston, also joined.
The Hat of Johnny Depp
Each training day began with a theory session covering topics like the history and anatomy of the skin, the correct use of towels, how best to shave sensitive skin, and why towel temperatures should be carefully controlled—not too hot, not too cold, and so on. The information was highly specialized and detailed, giving Stijn much to think about regarding how he could integrate this valuable knowledge back at ROMAIN.
Proraso’s management had another surprise in store: a workshop led by Matteo Gioli of SuperDuper, the personal hat maker for celebrities like Johnny Depp. He taught the group how to craft a cap in an artisanal way—a craft filled with passion, much like barbering, and delightful to see in each unique hat.
Put to the Test**
Finally, it was time for the exam, the moment to demonstrate how well the barbers could incorporate all their knowledge into cutting and shaving clients. After the service, the clients were asked to give honest feedback, and Stijn was filmed during his work to assess his elegance, efficiency, and practical knowledge—how he interacted with, touched, and spoke to the customer.
Following this intense practical test, a theoretical exam was also conducted, with 50 questions to be answered within 30 minutes. The final decision on whether each barber was worthy of the Proraso master barber title was made in this last phase—nerve-wracking, as some were indeed rejected at this stage.
However, confident in their craftsmanship, whispers of excellent service were already circulating! And yes, Stijn earned the title once again. This knowledge would be brought back to ROMAIN to further refine the care for clients and operate at a world-class level.
Stijn is proud and honored to have experienced this, grateful for the unique opportunity that few receive. He also confirms that the organization of the seven-day event was fantastic.
Are you a regular at ROMAIN? Then you, too, will benefit from all this new knowledge and skill. Amazing, right?
Congratulations, Stijn!
