Week in Review | Rebekka Bay at Gap, Poland, Public School, Intel's Fashion Collaborations, LC:M, Pitti, Bloggers

LONDON, United Kingdom — Welcome back everybody! The next seven weeks will be chock-a-block with fashion shows and events on both sides of the Atlantic and the team at BoF is re-energised after some well-deserved rest.

With the advent of London Collections: Men (LC:M), the fashion calendar begins earlier than ever each January, creating an overlap between the upstart London menswear showcase and the mammoth veteran trade show Pitti Uomo, held in Florence. Tensions have been brewing over the past few seasons, but they hit fever pitch this time around as the overlap lasted not one but two days, forcing buyers and press to choose where to start their season — and to miss key events and opportunities in one of the two cities.

With Burberry (a major advertiser and important draw for buyers and press) showing on the last day of LC:M, Pitti upped the ante this season, chartering a private plane to ferry the fashion flock directly from London to the Diesel Black Gold show being held in Florence.

This week we spoke to parties on both sides of the Pitti and LC:M debate, canvassing the good and great of the menswear industry to hear their thoughts on the growing brouhaha.

Our findings? With the intersection of heritage and creativity, there were some very high quality collections and strong ideas in London, while Pitti remains a critically important destination for buyers to seek out new menswear trends and place orders, not to mention the trade show's rising fame as the venue for the hottest parade of men's street style.

At the end of the day, both LC:M and Pitti are essential parts of the menswear calendar. Let's hope the various parties are able to find a compromise, so we aren't forced to choose between two excellent events this time next year.

Here are some of our top articles from the week gone by:

Can Rebekka Bay Save Gap?
Once one of the world's most successful specialty retailers, Gap has been mired in decline for over a decade. Following a series of cost-cutting measures, will the arrival of creative director Rebekka Bay and a new focus on product help the American retail giant get back on its feet?

Riding Poland's Next Wave
Now a prosperous nation with an eye for quality and dressing bang on trend, Poles are craving more individuality and opulence in their wardrobes.

Behind Public School's Second Coming
The ascent of New York menswear label Public School hasn't been the bump-free upward glide that their much-buzzed-about status would suggest. BoF sat down with designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, and stylist Eugene Tong, whose expert touch has helped put the young label's fresh mix of sportswear and tailoring on the fashion radar, to discuss the brand's rebirth.

Behind Intel's New Fashion Collaborations
With the worlds of fashion and technology set to become increasingly intertwined, Intel has announced a series of collaborations with Opening Ceremony, Barneys New York and the CFDA, aimed at fostering the development of stylish wearables.

In London, A Menswear Formula That's Working
Though still in its infancy, London Collections: Men has found a formula that's working and, in the process, become a vital part of the menswear calendar.

Pitti Uomo Holds Strong
Despite a two-day overlap with London's fast-rising menswear showcase, Florentine trade show Pitti Uomo remains one of the premier stops on the international menswear calendar.

Op-Ed | Don't Write Off Fashion Bloggers
The organisers of New York Fashion Week aim to clean up an event that "has been swarmed with fashion bloggers, street-style photographers and fashion fans." But bloggers — fashion's resident outsiders — have a lot to bring to the table, argues Renata Certo-Ware.

Bring on 2014!