Friends of BEGG & CO Bruce Pask

How are you feeling today?

I’m doing okay, thanks. Adjusting as best as I can to this new life during lockdown. Working from home and trying to stay connected as best as I can with family and friends.

You are living in New York, how is everything over there at the moment?

I do live in NYC but have been staying out at my little cottage a bit out east. It’s quite quiet here with fewer people. I follow the safety guidelines, staying at home, other than for a neighborhood walk or bike ride when the weather is nice.

What are you doing to stay positive in this current climate?

Like many, we are cooking a lot more than we used to and I’m enjoying the time and thought that goes into that process. We’ve also been baking a good amount. I have a small herb garden out back so I am enjoying tending to that now that the weather is getting a bit warmer. I’m also reading at night to help balance my screen time. I’m immersed right now in ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, a fascinating thousand paged tome that will take me some time to get through. I look forward to a daily walk when the weather’s nice to keep my fresh air intake up and to maintain some relativity to nature which is a nice grounding force.

As Fashion Director for Bergdorf Goodman & Neiman Marcus, we know that fashion must play a comforting role in your life, have you found your style has changed now that you’re working from home?

Yes, Fashion is definitely a comfort. I have always been a big fan of the traditional French chore jacket and wear them often, as a relaxed sportjacket/outerwear hybrid. I’ve been pairing the jacket with denim work shirts and these very comfy, fuller cut khaki pants that I have in heavy rotation.  Not a surprise, but all are signature items in my B. shop at Bergdorf Goodman (BG.com/bshop). So I would say that I am staying true to my style but with a bigger emphasis on the casual component.

We know you are a keen traveller, we often see you in Florence at Pitti – are you missing your travels at the moment?

Travel has always been a big component of my work and it is an aspect that I am incredibly grateful for, to be able to experience and absorb other cultures regularly is something I have never taken for granted. It is necessary inspiration for me and for my work and something I deeply love. I am missing traveling for sure, and look forward to when we can return in a thoughtful, safe way. For now, I am choosing to appreciate the time I am having here, and enjoying remembering the places I will look forward to visiting again. I have a small bathroom here that I have papered over the years with postcards I’ve collected while traveling, tacking them up and covering the walls. They’re a nice reminder of trips taken and times well spent.

Working from home is new to a lot of people, do you have any tips or advice on how you are dealing with this new routine?

I enjoy the structure of the workplace so I very much try to recreate that here. I wake up as usual, at the same time, and get ready in the way that I did when going to the office. I then take my place at the table with my necessary electronics and commence my work day, take a lunch break, and then restart work. I enjoy my regular group work calls as a way of remaining connected to my coworkers who I don’t get to see regularly these days. I think there is an aspect to having a routine that I appreciate.

Are there any positive books or podcasts that you’re reading / listening to?

Ah! Yes. For sure. As I mentioned above, for fiction I am reading ducks, Newburyport. I enjoy listening to Blamo, an insightful menswear focused podcast created and hosted by Jeremy Kirkland. I also listen regularly to The New York Times’ “The Daily” podcast for news focused pieces and to Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert for entertainment. He did a very amusing episode with David Sedaris a while back that still makes me laugh.

Do you have any upbeat albums/playlist recommendations? 

I have loved rediscovering some artists that I haven’t listened to in quite a while, and then delving into their catalogues on Spotify. K.D. Lang has been a big one, remembering how amazing all of her work is, especially Ingenue. Annie Lennox is another one, and her Instagram feed is amazing and inspiring, with numerous videos of her at her piano while at home. Also Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs and I have to mention Dolly Parton. Clearly, I’m enjoying female vocalists.

• A trellis I made from discarded bamboo for the peas I started to grow in my small vegetable SL and herb garden.

Any favourite recipes/ comfort food dishes you can recommend?

We have been making bread using the The New York Times no knead bread recipe which has been new for me and fun to explore. Alison Roman, also at The Times is a great chef with great, accessible, dishes that are inventive and relatively easy to execute. She does an amazing pasta dish using tomatoes and a lot of shallots which is terrific and delicious.

Have you discovered anything new about yourself during this period of isolation?

It is not a revelation for me, but I have worked on being patient. Taking time. Trying to allow for the natural progression of things, and trusting in that.

A salted caramel apple pie I baked.

Follow Bruce via Instagram here: @brucepask and also check out @goodmans and @neimansman