Profile

Stylist Dario Presupto got his start in the hair business at age 13. Shortly after making the move to the U.S. a decade later, the native Italian scored a gig doing hair on the set of Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America. Stints at city salons followed soon thereafter. But eventually, Presupto struck out on his own by opening this namesake salon in a no-frills, one-room space in midtown. Specializing in classic styling methods like foil highlights and single-process rinses, the salon still retains the neighborhood vibe it had when it opened in 1988; indeed, Presupto takes pride in the fact that he still styles the salon’s first client. (Many customers have been with him for more than 15 years.) In addition to performing trims or wash-and-sets using tried-and-true products from Pureology and Biolage, Presupto supervises a small staff of international stylists. Don’t be surprised to overhear Italian, Hebrew, and German chatter on the floor—Presupto credits 20% of his business to visitors from nearby hotels like the London and the Ritz-Carlton Central Park. — Carolyn Murnick