Sebastian Tarek's Dandyish Derby Shoes

On the one hand, the fact that Sebastian Tarek ran his bespoke shoemaking business in his native Sydney for two years, making one-offs for catwalk shows and Sydney Opera House productions, is some accomplishment. "It's an incredibly hard thing to do simply because there is no footwear industry in Australia at all," he says, only half-joking. On the other hand, style was in his blood: Tarek himself was once asked to model for Another Magazine, his mother was the founding fashion editor of Cleo, Australia's first fashion magazine, and his dad was fashion editor of Australian Playboy during the '80s, "which was literally the only place writing about men's style in Australia back then".

Now, after spells as mixologist for various swanky London venues, the 33-year-old is back to his first love: working for George Cleverley and launching his own, eponymous bespoke line, whose colourful second season offerings have just been unveiled. With months between first meeting and getting properly shod, and at prices from £1,000 per pair, the process of going bespoke is not painless. But Tarek 's style is not something you can approximate on the cheap anywhere else. "I'd rather offer a particular look than make what's already available," says Tarek. "I still think Cleverley makes the most beautiful brogues in the world and if a client wanted brogues I'd send them there. If they want something different, they can come to me."

"Something different" means Tarek's signature architectural silhouette, textured materials, and waxed and burnished leathers. The brand new two-holed, closed-weave Derby seen here has just been unveiled for spring 2012. (Though seasons are a bit superfluous in bespoke shoemaking circles, the 3-6 month waiting time Tarek's approach necessitates means that now is the perfect time to order for the new year.) Made of ecru leather from a tannery in Northampton that still uses centuries-old techniques, then polished in two shades of burgundy by Tarek's hand before he weaves strips into the style you see here, the idea is that a pair of these are for life, not just for Christmas.

Bag - Smythson

There have been a good number of lovely, luxurious holdalls, briefcases and shoppers for men in recent seasons. Luxury brands have been elevating practical luggage into beautiful design for some time now, but this season the refinement process has moved from finish to structure, with a new level of architectural ambition in evidence even in supposedly standard shapes. These bags are for those boys who are proud of carrying a style statement.

Smythson's seriousness about making bags for men is evident everywhere in their new range, which includes an amazing croc-nubuck tote that's been hand-tanned over 40 processes, and this Grosvenor computer bag. The Grosvenor range's signature materials and details are all present and correct: grained leather, suede tonal linings and slimline gold hardware that totally sidesteps any danger of Medallion Man bling.

Other, more sculptural solutions include Bottega Veneta's woven leather soft structure briefcase, in the image of the label's modern women's classic, which is made in butter-soft leather and may yet generate bag envy among the boys. Then there's Valextra's hard cream padded leather bag, which has metal feet and three internal sleeves. Louis Vuitton's new standalone men's bag line, called Damier Infini, is some statement all on its own, with intricate structures and superbold colours.

If that's much too much too soon, Mulberry and Gucci have nice new takes on the briefcase, while the suede lining of Bill Amberg's leather holdall is a striking red. Other notables: Maison Martin Margiela's messenger bag, Simon Spurr's deerskin travel bag, and Yves Saint Laurent's chocolate leather bag.

This slightly unlikely new era of executive dandyism and luxuriously re-wrought classics doesn't come cheap, of course. If you settle for watching on from the sidelines, the biggest game out there this season is Ralph Lauren Purple Label's black alligator weekend bag, a big-ticket purchase for all but the Gulf Stream Jet set - a fact which probably just makes it even more likely to become "It".

Trainers - Yves Saint Laurent

Remember when people used to lament the ascent of the trainer in the modern world? How it was a symbol of all that had become juvenile and scruffy about the British male's style? We don't either. Perhaps the past few seasons of heavy boots and brogues have battered our senses, because it really wasn't long ago at all that sneakers seemed unassailable as our default daywear.

That's what made natty neo-tailors like Tom Ford, Adrien Sauvage and Patrick Grant so radical when they first started spreading their 21st century style gospel. They talked up and reworked all the elegant gent touches and nuances we'd all but forgotten.

The art of fashion is, of course, in the clever ways that it finds ways to make desirable things we think we've outgrown. A few seasons back, the pocket square re-emerged with a flash of defiant colour to prove smart didn't mean square and now a host of bright, but not brash, trainers are bouncing into buyers' and fashion plates' estimation. And that's despite autumn/winter normally focusing on heavier, more weatherproof wares.

Between Prada's golf-inspired collection and Nike and New Balance's latest retro-renaissances, trainers are getting back on track. This season, Lacoste, K-Swiss, Supra and Puma by Hussein Chalayan have played blinders with refreshingly straightforward styles. Established directional designers including Givenchy, Yohji Yamamoto, Rick Owens, Marc Jacobs, Dior Homme, Gucci, Versace and Lanvin focused on that sportswear staple, the high-top.

Yves Saint Laurent's clever cranberry red trainers are made from patent leather with a nubuck trim, the upper given an especially pleasing aspect by the white leather soles below. No, we do not recommend going mountaineering in them. But in a British winter and an economic ice age, menswear seems to have wisely divined that bright tones beat dour pragmatism. When nothing else is going to help much, it's surely right that our wardrobes colour us glad.