“Oh, it’s meant to be over the top,” we reassure our friends when they look upon a catwalk with bewilderment. So much of the fashion that hits catwalks is described as ‘wearable art’, made only to fill the wardrobes of the likes of Anna Dello Russo. But what happens when a piece really is wearable art? What happens when the echo of Helmut Newton’s voyeuristic…

Dutch beauty Elza Luijendijk – with her blonde hair and blue eyes – was a perfect match for the classic red-lipped beauty look at the Ermanno Scervino show at Pitti Uomo in Florence. I took this shot backstage after the show where, even rugged up in a winter jacket and scarf, Luijendijk was looking so stunning she could have just stepped out of the pages…

You’d be hard pressed to find mention of Ermanno Scervino’s Pitti Uomo show without finding mention of the venue it was housed in. The impressive interior of Palazzo Vecchio’s 15th century Salone dei Cinquecento made sure of that. It was a perfect choice: the clothes didn’t attempt to compete with the ornateness of the surroundings, instead they were humbled by it, revelling in their own…

Spring is the season of espadrilles, loafers and a rainbow selection of canvas kicks. But winter calls for something a little more weather-appropriate. Around the grounds of Pitti Uomo an autumn/winter footwear manifest becomes clear: lace-up boots are the men’s go to for 2013. What we’ve seen thus far of the fall 2013 menswear runways and their penchant for physical adventurism, you can expect lace-up…

A man with straight, fine hair will often gravitate to an ultra-short cut. But just as the power of a women’s look can reside in her hair, so too can a man’s. A dishevelled men’s hairstyle that brushes the eyes will always carry a certain youthful mischief. Much like this gent’s, as snapped at Pitti Uomo.

If F. Scott Fitzgerald had penned Jay Gatsby to be Italian, he might have been a literary version of Luca Rubinacci. At least, that’s what sprang to mind when we snapped him yesterday wearing a navy blue baker-boy cap.

A camel coat is an undeniable classic, but if worn with a muted palette of neutrals or browns, it has the potential to wash you out. A strong colour combination to try with camel that will do just the opposite: navy blue and a rich maroon.

It’s not all clashing colours and patchworks of prints at Pitti Uomo. Some men can pull off looking quirky and gentlemanly while still sticking to a single, coherent colour palette. A red beard matches perfectly to earthy brown hues in both three-piece suit, tie, piercing brown eyes, and hat.

I first photographed Filippo at Pitti last season, sitting on the sidelines blowing a white cloud of smoke into the summer air. He has the look of someone stranded in the wrong time. When your eyes land upon an older version of him, separately wandering the grounds, at first glance seeming to be identically dressed, the mind tangles. Side by side though it’s obvious there’s…

Prominently placed in the central hub of this season’s Pitti Uomo is an installation with a chess board (usually flanked by two stylish gentleman, each with one hand on beard and one on the board as they concentrate on both playing the game and looking stylish at the same time) and around it a series of objects. The objects are those of men’s fashion, designed…

Pitti brings many tailored menswear looks out into the open… But that’s not to say you can’t spot casual, off-duty outfits in abundance too. This one features skinny jeans, boots, a simple black tee and oversized parka. A floral scarf adds boldness and flamboyance, but you could just as easily do without for a more toned-down look.

Lino Ieluzzi is one of those men who you know won’t disappoint when Pitti Uomo rolls around. With a penchant for double-breasted suits and ties embroidered with the number ’7′, the owner of Milanese haberdashery Al Bazar never looks anything short of the bold and yet traditional Italian gentleman.

Being the menswear tradeshow of the European calendar, Pitti Uomo is filled with impressive stalls, stands and installations. But of all, you’d be hard pressed to find one with a better view than the Ben Sherman space at the very top of the Fortezza Da Basso. Ascend a tight, stone, spiral staircase to where the brand is celebrating ‘A Heritage of Modernism: 50 years of…

Wearing three pieces doesn’t mean they all have to be matching pieces. This look photographed at Pitti Uomo demonstrates, the wearer throwing a bright blue jacket over a houndstooth print vest and pants.

Street style photographers are doing their thing. Men are daring to step out in floral ties, brightly coloured beanies, varsity jackets and turtleneck sweaters. Turn your collar up against the cold, it’s day 2 of menswear extravaganza Pitti Uomo. Stay tuned for more photos coming soon.

Birds of a feather flock together, as the saying goes. So it’s not surprising that one immaculately-dressed gentleman should be in the company of another. These two happen to be oft-photographed, highly regarded gents of the men’s fashion world: on the left, Antonio Rossi who heads up a business designing quirky cufflinks (iltravasodelleidee.it); on the right Ignatious Joseph, purveyor of fine men’s shirts (ign-joseph.com). Between…

Many men are daunted by the prospect of wearing florals, such is their feminine connotation. But for anyone wanting an example of how to wear them in a way that’s styling without being girlish, look no further than this street style look from Pitti Uomo.

If there’s any place that camo print for men can be spotted with reliable regularity, it’s at Pitti Uomo. That’s particularly true when the print is really very much on-trend – as it has proven to be for both fall and spring 2013. This is just one of the examples we spotted today, pairing a camo-print jacket with a denim shirt and blue checkered bow-tie.

Dapper looks are not hard to come by at Pitti Uomo, but each holds its own unique appeal. This look mixed refinement and ruggedness in equal volumes: a smart pair of spectacles, side-parted hair, and felt grey tie giving refinement to a plaid shirt, cargos and a suit jacket with raw edged detailing.

There’s a particular style code that permeates much of Pitti Uomo, and breaking it – even just a little – can make one truly stand out. Forgoing the suit jacket and coat in favour of a tough leather bomber jacket is one way to do it. The bomber itself may be fairly understated in plain black, but when paired with a popping bright red v-neck…