It all began with the fine details of a vinyl packaging. In July 2023, John was on a scouting mission to find the perfect retro barbershop backdrop—not for the front cover, but for the back cover and inside booklet art of Topstar Collection, a special album project by his band, White Shoes & The Couples Company.
Now, John is no stranger to vintage barbershops. He is an absolute regular at the iconic Kotang Barber in Glodok, mostly drawn there by a deep obsession with heavy, time-honored vintage barber chairs. But on this particular day, he wanted a change of scenery. He wanted somewhere fresh, yet properly old-school.
This curiosity led him to wind through the streets of Lokasari, Jakarta, where he stumbled upon Kurnia Baru Barber Shop.
When he walked in, the timing was immaculate. The afternoon rush hadn't hit yet. The veteran barbers were in a state of peak relaxation, casually lounging and waiting for the next head of hair. It was the perfect atmosphere to shoot—quiet, slow, and completely suspended in time.
John noticed an interesting dynamic inside. While vintage joints like this are traditionally a fierce, all-male territory, Kurnia Baru had a lady on the team. She was holding down the fort, taking charge of the hair washing and making sure the operations ran like clockwork.
You see, John’s hair is a matter of strict technical precision. It cannot be tamed by a standard barber’s electric clippers. It requires the hyper-specific touch of exactly one trusted hairstylist in Jakarta, located at a proper salon, not a barbershop.
So there he was: a man who loves vintage barbershops, standing inside a beautiful time capsule of a barbershop, completely incapable of actually getting his hair cut by the very machines around him. But what he lacked in a fresh trim, he more than made up for in capturing the soul of Kurnia Baru.
Before John packed up his gear to leave, the crew had one final request. Breaking their relaxed afternoon composure, they asked for a group photo. They stood proudly together against the backdrop of their timeless sanctuary—a perfect, unscripted ending to a very successful barber survey.
Camera : Sony A7
Vintage Lenses : Nikon 28mm F2 Pre Ai, Canon 50mm F1.4 LTM
