Charlie Pickering

WE chose Charlie Pickering to front our Best Dressed issue because he only looks good in a suit and tie, he knows that he does.

WE chose Charlie Pickering to front our Best Dressed issue this year because he's a man who not only looks good in a suit and tie, he knows that he does.

It was his decision, he says, and not his employer's, that he co-host Network Ten's The Project dressed for business. He also says he didn't want to look like someone in a suit and tie who was only wearing it because he had to.

For men such as Pickering, the clothes don't make the man, the man makes the clothes (for our fashion shoot with Pickering, styled by Ken Thompson and shot by Max Doyle, and our interview, see page 23). Anyone who has been to Milan - or any city in Italy, really - will know exactly what that means. The Milanese like to dress well. They take pride in being well turned out for even the most mundane events. And yet, while Milan might be the centre of the Italian fashion industry, being well dressed there is not necessarily about wearing the season's latest looks. That doesn't mean you won't see some serious followers of fashion but the attitude is more about good quality items and a proper fit than being relentlessly on trend.

The Milanese, and the men in particular, have a knack for wearing clothes well. That means their suit will have the right sleeve and trouser length, the jacket will fit nicely around the waist and shoulders, they will accessorise with a superbly knotted tie and the perfect pocket square - and they do it all without actually seeming to care or even notice. The effort they put into their appearance is impressive, to say the least.

Over the past few years we've visited Milan a few times for fashion week and so for this Best Dressed issue we've compiled our guide to where to stay, and perhaps more importantly, where to shop in one of the world's true fashion capitals. The story starts on page 74. For even more Milan fashion see our fashion shoot, which was photographed on the streets of the city just after fashion week in January with looks straight off the runway.

Apart from someone's attire, I'm always impressed by good handwriting. It's one skill where the right instrument makes all the difference. Writer Jonathan Lobban visited Bassano del Grappa in Italy to meet the people behind famed pen brand Montegrappa. Check out his story on page 38 and find out why the fine art of handwriting is far from dying.

This issue also contains a feature on how Singapore is fast becoming one of the world's hotspots for innovative architecture plus a look into the private world of British artist Tracey Emin and the incredible studio she's built for herself in London.