t’s the end of another incredible year in Melbourne and we continue to find ourselves inspired by the city and the people who make it tick. Melbourne never seems to slow down – bars, cafes, shops and new creative ventures and projects are popping up at an unstoppable rate and we’ve tried to stay abreast of the remarkable people behind it.

So for our cover story, James Cameron caught up with Brian and Vincent Wu from Incu and chatted not just about their expanding business, but what it is about their approach to retail that sees them succeed while so many others struggle. But before James was done for the year, he teamed up with his brother Scottie to remind some of us guys how we should be wearing a suit – not just putting a suit on, but really wearing a suit.

Continuing the theme, Editor Caroline Clements stopped by The Brix in Fitzroy – a restaurant that, in many ways, is bucking the trend of increasingly casual dining and multi-influence cuisine by remaining distinctly French and upmarket, albeit in a very modern way.

This issue we’ve introduced two new feature columns tracing the lives and visions of leading creative Melburnians. In Precedent, Contributing Editor Dan Rule profiles Anna Schwartz, arguably Melbourne’s most influential and formidable art dealer. In Dispatch, meanwhile, Dan travels to Printed Matter in New York to hear the story of Shannon Michael Cane, a Melbourne publisher making a fist of it abroad.

In a quandary closer to home, summer can make footwear decisions difficult for most men, to the point where most guys end up in thongs, Vans or Chucks. Luckily for us, we have Scott Lewis, co-owner of Beggar Man Thief, onside. Scott knows as much about men’s footwear as anyone you’re ever likely to come across, so we’ve asked him for his advice and he has helpfully selected six infallible styles for summer.

By now you’ve probably realised that we’re pretty keen on anyone who focuses on one kind of food and does it extremely well. So we’ve sought out two specialty ice cream makers, as well as some of the best small good providers in the city.

We’re looking forward to another busy year in 2012, but in the meantime, take some time out, sit down for a good read and enjoy the summer.

Pick up a copy of Broadsheet at many of the cafes and shops in our directory.