April 17, 2008

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This Handsome Man

The new line Bureau puts the Camelot back in men's clothes. By Valery Joseph

For designer Cory Gomberg, describing his clothes as "effortless" is the ultimate praise. His nascent menswear line, Bureau, is made up of beautifully crafted basics, each piece as functional as it is refined. This is no accident, as Gomberg has long been inspired by a time when mass production in clothing was still a ways off: His first label, the now-defunct Greige, gave a nod to 1930s migrant farm workers, and Bureau delivers similar references to eras past. In the eyes of Gomberg, these were the halcyon days of menswear, when "integrity and craftsmanship were the norm."

His spring collection, an homage to Camelot-era Kennedys (think off-duty at Hyannis Port) is a tightly edited grouping of classic Americana pieces: canvas shorts, oxford shirts, sweatshirts, anoraks, cotton blazers—all approached in a strikingly modern context. Says Gomberg, "My muse is a creative type who doesn't need a label to define him—it's a bit more stealth."

And stealth would be a perfect way to describe the quiet details with which Gomberg suffuses his line: sweaters cut on a bias, creatively embellished collars, playfully placed pockets. Yet, despite all the fun he's clearly having, Gomberg never fails to forget his customer. "I love the experience of getting dressed, the change one can experience when wearing a well-made garment," he says. "This is why I design—it comes down to making people feel good in their own skin."

Bureau is available in New York at Odin, 199 Lafayette Street, 212-966-0026. For more information go to www.bureau-usa.com.

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