Clemente Dimonda climbed into the barber chair, explaining how he came to operate a barbershop in Manhattan, and to cut the hair of a generation of men’s wear executives, including Ralph Lauren. “I used to work on Jamaica Avenue,” in Queens, Mr. Dimonda said. “One of the old men, Sicilian guy, he used to work in the shop where I used to work.”

In the stories of Mr. Dimonda, who is from Naples, barbering is filled with moments of high drama. In his Italian-accented English, he went on: “One day, this man grab me by the jacket like this” — Mr. Dimonda seized his suit vest with both hands — “and he say, ‘Look at me!’ I say, ‘I look at you!’ He say, ‘You’re too qualified for this area. You got to go to New York. You make a lot of money.’”