Designers seem to have finally figured out how to make men's shorts that feel like your favourite trousers: in other words, they're now coming up with new designs that actually fit and flatter your shape. These tailored, clean-lined silk taffeta shorts by Omar Kashoura are a first class specimen of the trend, and a splendid antidote to all those premium cargo shorts of the past couple of summers. Kashoura, who was raised in Leeds by Turkish parents and educated at Central St Martins in London, is a perfect emblem of modern British menswear, as well as proven master of the well-turned-out summer wardrobe piece. It's the talent of designers such as Kashoura that inspired the fashion authorities to announce that, from this summer, British menswear will get its own "week", rather than just a day tagged onto the ends of the women's ones. He and his contemporaries' recent contributions led to January's announcement by the the British Fashion Council of something called "London Collections: Men." This summer, from June 15-17, British menswear designers, tailors and heritage houses will all be given a new showcase aimed at promoting both the creative and commercial importance of Britain's menswear brands and merging talents.

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".