Here’s one for the boys. Is this the weekend that you finally give yourself a good two hours to go out and sort your wardrobe for autumn? Depending on where you happen to be today, this might be easier said than done. In fact, unless you’re reading this in Japan or Italy, finding a great independent men’s wear shop that’s not stuffed with predictable brands, displayed in predictable looking shops, is more than a challenge. The same might be said of women’s wear but I always get the sense that the female shopper is better served by buyers prepared to spend that extra day in Paris or Florence checking out a new knitwear label they hope they’ll be the first to stock.

There are many reasons why shopping for a well-designed, sharp yet sensible wardrobe is so challenging but two of the driving factors are that there’s a global shortage of competent men’s wear buyers and an absence of likeable sales people. I also have strong evidence that men are desperate for good garments because this column receives at least 10 letters a week from men and women eager to find a retail oasis that will solve all their sartorial needs.