Knife-sharp bone structure, jutting collar bones, legs for days, sculpted muscles. They're called male models, and at Milan Men's Fashion Week, they're everywhere . So we made a couple calls, threatened a handful of publicists, and all of a sudden, found ourselves backstage at John Richmond’s Milan show. The clothes were Savile Road meets rock 'n' roll at the Ace Café. The models were young and attractive, and we asked a bunch of them a few candid questions about their experience, primarily, “What do you like most about Milan Fashion Week?” Here is what they had to say. 

It's all about the perfect suit in Milan. On day three of Men’s Fashion week in the Italian sartorial mecca, with empires such as Canal, Etro, Gucci, Brioni and the hip Z Zegna (pictured top) presenting, men's fashion editors, stylists and buyers had plenty to keep them busy.

At day two of Milan’s men’s fashion week, Tomas Meier showed off his knack for constructing that perfectly tailored leather jacket at Bottega Veneta's early morning show. Black and midnight blue reigned supreme at Emporio Armani's modern cool event, where models sauntered down the runway in luxury cloaks with fedoras, sleek modern leather coats, and impeccable silk suits. Ermanno Scervino was all about argyle, intricate and chunky knitwear, paired with simple gray and blue blazers.

It all kicked off Friday night at Santa Tecla with Natasha Slater's rambunctious pre-fashion week bash, Punks Wear Prada. Models and pretty young things guzzled toxic cocktails and danced to the beat into the wee hours. But hangover aside, the following morning it was all business as the fashion glitterati stormed the streets of Milan for the first day of the men's Autumn/Winter 2012-13 collections.

You may have dreamed of the Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas windows or longed to feel posh carrying around a shiny Harrods bag, but these days, the retail outposts that stand for imagination and quality aren’t huge department stores—they’re legendary concept stores around the world that truly embody both their home cities and a certain international sophistication that’s common to all. We’ve showed you our favorite online showcases, but when you’re out on the road here are five that have long been on our hit list—and one we can’t wait to visit.

● If you’re planning on being in New York City during the holiday season and want to participate in the city’s iconic winter activities, Cassa Hotel and Residences has partnered with Citi Pond at Bryant Park in a special offer that includes VIP admission (skip to the head of the line to pick up your skates and get on the ice), free hot chocolate, and a 10% discount on all food and beverage purchases. Starting at $329 for reservations made in October, November, and December, and $269 for reservations made in January and February. [Cassa Hotel]

True, there are some style signatures that are internationally chic, but if you want to get a sense of what’s on the ground where you’re going (or what may be coming to your city next) check out these international style influencers.

While we nursed seasonal allergies and dusted off our sweater collection last weekend, fashion's top globetrotters took to the streets of sunny Milan to catch the latest and greatest SS12 collections. Within 48 hours, an army of iconic fashion houses hit the runway to debut a range of ready-to-wear looks that transported spectators to exotic – and sometimes otherworldly – locales, like Emilio Pucci (shown here). Although this racy lace number has already been christened by Gwyneth Paltrow, we still love its intricate crochet work and subtle nod to the '90s. Read on for a few more favorites.

With New York and London fashion weeks behind us, it's time to head over to Milan. Prada and Fendi kicked off the festivities with luxurious looks fit for a European jetsetter, but the most progressive collection we've seen thus far comes from MaxMara. Focusing on the season's strong sportswear trend, the Italian fashion house debuted a series of minimalist looks with a splash of eye-catching turquoise in a sea of neutrals. Read on for the highlights.

After half a decade of Ozark-woodsman-chic, now's a great time to be reminded of just how much more fun it was when everyone you knew had Lilliput salt & pepper shakers and Anna G. corkscrews. Alessi's unfailingly groovy, bright plastic household accessories jived particularly well with a pre-Milliennial positivity, eventually brought down by war and financial apocalypse.