This biannual festival of clothing is a gathering of the good, the bad and the ugly from the clothing and fashion worlds. Pitti Immagine Uomo encompasses a broad spectrum - from the bland wannabe casual lifestyle brands, up to those that do genuinely have a fascinating take on true craft and fashion design.

It is a trade show, so purely for those who work in the ‘rag trade’, and their tenuous entourages. It has endured many decades here, mainly because some wise bod decided to locate it in a Fortezza in Florence, Italy and nobody ever tires of visiting urban Tuscany.

It is a show, and that’s exactly what people do….they show. They show their wares, but most importantly they ‘show off themselves’, and their personal style with all of its’ semantic detailing. Captured in a vintage denim wash, a double-buckle monk shoe - one buckle consciously left undone, or a particularly beautiful cocktail cuff.

Most importantly, the objective is to meet with like-minded people and discuss details that excite us (oh and, of course, to sell to other like-minded stores and people around the world). It’s what all sub-cultures do, and this is no different. What there is, is a huge amount of passion and a fair amount of talent. You can’t, however, help playing the game of whether the wandering peacock is actually a worthy muse …or just a clown. As always it depends on which beholder is doing the viewing.

Until January…