Pitti Uomo in Florence is where you find the new stuff. A few years ago, when the big Italian houses started to leave Pitti for their big, permanent showrooms in Milan, Pitti morphed into a hotbed of independent and artisanal brands from England, Italy, Japan and other countries. Each hall has its own vibe—from tailored to dress shoes to artisanal American/Japanese to Euroclub wear—so it’s worth spending the time and checking out all the booths. You might find something interesting from a brand you know, or something you’ve never heard of that knocks your socks off. Well, unless you’re going sockless like most of the men around here.

That ribbed wall that The Sartorialist takes everyone’s picture in front of? That’s the side of the main tailored clothing pavilion.

When in Florence, make sure you eat steak once—and only once if you intend to fit into those clothes come next week. When the Italians do steak, they don’t mess around.

Santa Maria Novella. Sure, there’s an outlet in Manhattan, but this one smells and looks like Renaissance Heaven. Stained glass, marble floors, and everything they make. It’s the place to pick up something for your loved one at home.

There’s a lot of buzz around Andrea Pompilio’s show at Pitti this season. He’s an immensely talented young designer and well deserving of the “Who’s Up Next” award. We’re happy to sell his collection on Park & Bond.

Pitti may be a heady mix of old and new, but Milan is still the most important. It’s the seat of business in fashion and where the orders are written, the trends gestated, the ad campaigns secured, and the clothing produced. 

Different brands own different days. Day One is almost always Jil Sander; Day Two starts with Bottega Veneta. They serve the best espresso at BV—which is nice because the show is early and on the outskirts of town. Other pillars of the week include Burberry Prorsum, Salvatore Ferragamo, Calvin Klein, Mr. Armani’s two shows, Zegna’s two shows, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, and of course, Prada.

There are five or so “Fashion Approved” restaurants in Milan. The food is fantastic at all of them, as is the crowd, but it’s the same people you’ve been with all day, so it’s nice to get a little break.

Besides, you’ll see those folks back at the Principe Di Savoia bar for a nightcap.

Milan is all about dinner, and in the melee to see everything, lunch gets tossed by the wayside. Panino Giusto is there for you. I recommend the tuna with pickled orange slices and arugula.

Every place you go will serve you ham.

Dolce & Gabbana always throw a party. So does GQ. They are good ones.

There is absolutely nothing about the layout of the city that makes sense to a New Yorker, and hailing a taxi in Milan is impossible. They have to call one for you.

You don’t have to wear a suit in Milan, but the Milanese men all do, so it’s not a bad idea. If you get asked for directions in Italian, you’re doing something right.

Paris is the most fun. I love Italy, but for the sheer variety of ideas and concepts in dressing, Paris is the place. The individuality of the talents that choose to show in Paris makes virtually every show a must-see.

If the guy sitting next to you suggests you check something out (a showroom, a show, a store, whatever), go.

There are a lot more spectators in Paris than in Milan. And I literally mean spectators: people who come to a designer’s show because they love the designer. They may not work in the industry, and they may or may not get seats, but they’ll be there, in head-to-toe Rick Owens or Raf Simons.

Black is the official color here. Don’t wear black. Unless you always wear black, then wear black. 

Have lunch at Café Castiglione; you never know who you might run into. Salmon cooked on one side with parsley potatoes is a good choice.

There is absolutely nothing about the layout of the city that makes sense to a New Yorker. But it’s okay in Paris, whereas in Milan it’s frustrating.

Old England in Paris used to be my favorite store in the world. Now I have a new favorite.

I spend most of my flight home trying to reconcile the concrete themes of Milan and the whimsy of Paris into something cohesive.