Because we live in different parts of the world, we customarily do a recap of the season during the last day. And though chances are we will still work when we get back to our hotel to write the articles for the day, we spend 2 hours together as a friends and coworkers in a leisurely dinner and pat ourselves in the back for another season “in the can” in a manner of speaking.

This time, we were talking about the menswear shows both in Milan and Paris and the recently concluded haute couture season. Like most companies, we discuss our strengths and our liabilities, and brainstorm on how we can do better next season.

It is usually a lively discussion that free-for-all and you can even stray from the subject at hand, with the understanding that we will go back to the “meeting” anytime also.

We usually have dinner together almost every night while we are “on location,” but the recap dinner is what we all look forward to. Consider it our valedictory dinner for the season, and it explains everything.

As I looked around the table, with a very animated discussion about fashion going on, it dawned on me that all of us here have to love fashion in one way, shape or form to do this thing every three months. It’s not just a job; it is almost a vocation. It is also a way of life. And the best thing about it --- we chose to live it.

We all know that chances are we will never win a Pulitzer Prize covering fashion. We all know that our coverage will not even make it as a footnote in fashion history. But all of us are here now, and that’s what matters. We are friends and coworkers who enjoy each other’s company wherever and whenever we are.