Italy's Cutting Edge

When it comes to wielding a pair of scissors — as tailors or barbers — Italians rank among the world's finest.

And there's no more elegant setting for a haircut than Genoa's Barbieria Giacalone, a tiny, three-chair gem squeezed into the city's oldest quarter near St. Lorenzo cathedral. Its eponymous founder, Archimede Giacalone, established his 10-sq-m premises in 1882 to serve sailors traveling through the city's busy port.

The key to the shop's longevity — apart from its quality trims — was the decision by Giacalone's son, Italo, in 1922 to refit his dad's shop in glorious Art Deco stained glass, glittering mirrorwork

and traditional white tiles. Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano, an organization dedicated to preserving heritage sites in Italy, bought the building 13 years ago and now leases the business to Emanuele Giugno, a hairdresser whose patrons include former prime ministers Romano Prodi and Massimo D'Alema.

He's an artist of the locks, but the real masterpiece is Italo's perfectly preserved interior. Vicolo Caprettari, Genoa; tel: (39-010) 256 791; www.fondoambiente.it