THE EUROPEAN BRANDS TO KNOW

Copenhagen is to menswear aficionados what Disneyland is to kids – an absolute jaw-dropping heaven that’ll have you frantically skipping from must-hit spot to must-hit spot until you’re sleepy. So, to cram it all in, you’re going to need a strategy. We say, ease your way into Copenhagen shop-ageddon by warming up at Alis – the indie skate brand from the uber-cool Christiana district of the city – before tacking on the big boys like Norse Projects, Soulland and Han Kjøbenhavn. Your tasty dessert? A session at Wood Wood to indulge in the brand's classic logo T-shirts, slick denim pieces and graphic long-sleeved tees.

OK, so Germany’s big cities are where to head if you’re looking to bag some local, yet globally sought-after, brand brilliance: you’ll get a load of A Kind Of Guise and WeMoto in Berlin and emerging hip-hop and basketball-influenced streetwear label Beastin in Munich and Hamburg. But for a historic pilgrimage to one of fashion’s most historically important locations, head 20 minutes northwest of Nuremberg to Herzogenaurach – ground zero for the bitter sibling rivalry that spawned adidas and PUMA. Tread through the town that was divided over a question of loyalty by the shoe-making Dassler brothers, then decide which sneaker legend to pledge your allegiance to...

You’re not getting into that swanky little Las Ramblas tapas bar wearing those soggy swim shorts, sliders and SPF 30-stained tee. But don't stress, you’re in the home of high-quality high-street menswear. Start by switching those sliders out for a set of iconic white El Ganso pumps, that tee for a nice floral-print short-sleeved shirt from Pull&Bear and those swimmers for Massimo Dutti slim-fit cotton chinos for a gloriously affordable emergency dinner ‘fit. Let the patatas bravas and calamari consumption begin.

Unless you’re checking in a suitcase full of euros to afford a few pieces from the god-league fashion houses, there are two key choices for your stylish Italian souvenirs. Either sharpen your elbows and beat the hypebeast hordes to cop a piece from Francesco Ragazzi’s upscale skate-inspired brand, Palm Angels. Or, embrace the resurgence of the historic Paninaro look – a Milanese youth movement born in the 80s – and nab yourself some Superga shoes, a Fila tee and lashings of Stone Island finery.