“If you want to do this job properly, then you really need to love the product,” says Luca Fuso. “Otherwise, there are so many other roles you can do.” Fuso, the CEO of Italian furniture giant Cassina, welcomes monocle to the company’s headquarters in Meda, a 30-minute drive from Milan, where the firm has been based since 1927. Some of the oldest buildings here date back to the 1940s and received a makeover from Cassina’s art director Patricia Urquiola in 2017.
Seemingly in constant motion, Fuso glides around the near century-old campus. He meets colleagues over lunch in the canteen and talks to clients in a meeting room before coming to rest with key members of his team in an enclosed courtyard at the centre of the property. The space has a verdant green wall and is furnished with pieces from a variety of collections in the Cassina catalogue. “It reflects a new philosophy that we call the ‘Cassina perspective’, which involves combining our latest designs with classic products that we have been making for a long time, such as those designed by Gio Ponti,” says Fuso. “This creates a unique environment that reflects what people do in their own homes. You don’t just have work from one designer.”
The outlook, Fuso says, informs the development of Cassina’s collection (“We’re able to work out what’s missing from a room”) and he credits Urquiola for playing a significant role in developing it. “She’s not only an incredible designer but a great mind,” he says. And while the Spanish art director is essential to his work, Fuso holds the rest of his team in similarly high esteem. “I try to surround myself with the most skilled people possible, so I know that they’re able to do what they’re supposed to do without my support.”
It begs the question, is there a danger to having staff who are strong-willed, opinionated and don’t seem to need their boss? “I hope that every time I say something, somebody raises their hand and says, ‘No, I don’t agree’, because that starts a conversation to take better action.” And, ultimately, it seems, to make products that Fuso loves. —
Luca Fuso, (far left)
CEO, Cassina
“I had been a customer of Cassina for many years before joining,” says Fuso, who was hired as CEO in 2018. “It’s the reason why I came here.” The Italian businessman – who is also CEO of Zanotta, which Cassina acquired in 2023 – has worked in fashion, furniture and automotive, holding executive roles at the likes of Diesel, b&b Italia and Ferrari. For his day-to-day work, however, he draws inspiration from sport. “You have to make sure that the company works in order to manufacture, deliver, sell and repeat,” he says. “It’s like tennis: hit and repeat.”
1. Patricia Urquiola
Art director
“Plays a key role in shaping Cassina’s visual identity and ensuring that every aesthetic and creative aspect reflects the brand’s values.”
2. Alberto Mandelli
Research and development director
“Gives shape and life to the products, playing an important role in research and development.”
3. Maurizio Fusetti
Chief financial officer
“Manages the company’s financial resources, planning and financial control.”
4. Stefania Sgattoni
Head of legal affairs
“Looks after legal and regulatory matters.”
5. Enrico Raggi
Commercial director
“Leads the wholesale channel’s growth strategy and sales management.”
6. Chiara Gazzola
Sewing department manager
“Manages operations related to the cutting of leather and fabrics.”
7. Louis Cirillo
Upholstery department manager
“Guides the production of upholstered products.”
8. Camilla Dichio
Sewing department manager
“Oversees the sewing process used in the production of the collections.”
9. Mario Apollonio
Operations director
“Oversees the supply chain as well as manufacturing, quality and logistics to ensure high standards across the board.”
10. Beatrice Gobbi
Product manager
“Helps guide product strategy, development, and market positioning to ensure customer satisfaction.”
11. Christian Medulla
Head of HR
“Leads talent acquisition and development, as well as organisational culture, to ensure that everything aligns with our brand values.”
12. Emanuela Malatacca
Executive assistant
“Supports the CEO by managing schedules and co-ordinating meetings to ensure efficient operations.”
13. Lorenzo Penuti
Custom interiors director
“Leads project management, client relations and custom design co-ordination.”
14. Sara Geti
Global retail director
“Drives Cassina’s worldwide sales strategies to ensure a high-quality experience for all of our customers.”
15. Sara Nosrati
Head of communications
“Manages press relations and fosters the luxury furniture brand’s reputation.”
16. Andrea Bocchiola
Marketing director
“Develops brand strategies and manages product development, as well as social media and advertisement campaigns.”
This year’s December/January food shoot aims to keep you sated from Yule to the new year and beyond, and takes its inspiration from the way in which recipes and traditions are refined and changed depending on what you’re celebrating and with whom.
It’s not without a little irony that we’ve looked to the Festa dei Sette Pesci (feast of the seven fishes), an authentically European-sounding name for a firmly Italian Christmas Eve tradition in which seven dishes containing seafood are combined to make a mighty meal. In fact, so little is it known in the old country that the recent reference to it in Hulu’s tense culinary drama The Bear might be many actual Italians’ first taste of the idea.
Like so many rituals – from gifts of myrrh to jolly men with reindeers – the original idea feels far away from how things are done today. Perhaps those far-off Catholic predilections for abstaining from meat before feast days in Italy count for something but the roots of the ritual are less important than the message. Preparing and sharing a meal with your nearest and dearest matters. Oh, and we didn’t put fish in any of the three dessert recipes – and wouldn’t suggest that you do either. Enjoy the spread and buon appetito.
The starters
1.
Lemony garlic prawns
Serves 4
Ingredients
12 large prawns (biggest you can find with shells on)
3 tbsps olive oil
4 peeled garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsps good white wine
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
10g curly parsley, roughly chopped (save some leaves for garnish)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1.
Cut the prawns through the shell with kitchen scissors, starting under the head and stopping before the tail. Remove and discard the vein with a fork. Repeat with the remaining prawns.
2.
Heat the olive oil and garlic in a frying pan until sizzling. Add the prawns and cook until they are pink on both sides.
3.
Add the white wine and lemon juice. When the sauce starts bubbling, add half of the chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and toss lightly and remove from heat.
4.
Serve the prawns with the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.
2.
Blinis with trout roe
Makes 16 blinis
Ingredients
40g buckwheat flour
60g strong white flour
½ tsp fast-action yeast
Pinch of salt
100ml whole milk
65ml sour cream
1 medium free-range egg, separated
Vegetable oil (for frying)
220ml sour cream (for topping)
85g trout roe
Small bunch of dill (for garnish)
Method
1.
Prepare the batter by mixing the flours, salt and yeast in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Heat the milk gently (don’t let it get too hot or bubble) and pour into the well, whisking to combine with the flour. In another bowl, mix sour cream and egg yolk, then add to the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 to 40 minutes until bubbly.
2.
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter.
3.
Cook the blinis by heating 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Drop 1 tbsp batter per blini and cook for 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
4.
Spoon 1 tsp sour cream on each blini, top with ½ tsp trout roe, and garnish with a sprig of dill.
3.
Zuppa di pesce
Serves 4 as a main or 8 as a starter
Ingredients
3 tbsps olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped (reserve fronds for garnish)
½ tsp sea salt
550ml fish stock (or water)
150ml dry white wine
400ml passata
2 large pinches of saffron
400g mussels (washed in running water and debearded)
8 prawns, heads and shells on
300g squid, cleaned
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Method
1.
Prepare seafood by cutting the squid into rings and slicing tentacles into bite-sized pieces. Using kitchen scissors, cut each prawn shell under the head until just before the tail, then use a fork to remove and discard the vein.
2.
To cook the aromatics, heat olive oil, garlic and fennel seeds over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Add onion, fennel and a pinch of salt; cook until soft and translucent.
3.
Pour in fish stock or water, passata, white wine and saffron. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
4.
Add mussels, prawns and squid into the pan, then cover and poach gently until the mussels open, the prawns turn pink and the squid becomes opaque. Discard any unopened mussels. Season with salt and pepper.
5.
To serve, divide the soup into bowls, garnish with fennel fronds and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
The mains
4.
Roasted branzino with grilled courgette
Serves 4
Ingredients
700g whole sea bass, scaled and cleaned
10g dill
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tbsps olive oil
400g cherry tomatoes on the vine
2 red onions (¼ of an onion thinly sliced, for stuffing, and 1¾ onions cut into quarters)
750g baby potatoes
1½ tbsps olive oil
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 courgettes
3 branches fresh oregano, roughly chopped
3 tbsps olive oil
Method
1.
Preheat oven to 180C.
2.
Bring water to boil with ½ tsp salt. Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then drain. Place potatoes in a roasting dish with thyme, salt, pepper and 1½ tbsps olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes.
3.
Prepare sea bass by patting it dry. Drizzle with olive oil, season inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff with dill, sliced onion and lemon.
4.
Arrange cherry tomatoes and remaining onion in a baking dish, season with olive oil, salt and pepper, and place fish on top. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes. Serve with roasted potatoes.
For the courgette
1.
Slice the courgette lengthwise into 5mm-thick pieces.
2.
Mix slices with olive oil and chopped oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
3.
Heat a grill pan and grill the courgette until grill marks appear on both sides.
5.
Spaghetti alle vongole with white wine and pangrattato
Serves 4
Ingredients
For clams
15g sea salt
1kg clams (from the fishmonger)
For pangrattato (breadcrumbs)
2 tbsps olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 anchovy fillet, finely chopped
30g panko breadcrumbs
¾ tsp chilli flakes
For the pasta
400g linguine
3 tbsps olive oil
6 peeled garlic cloves, finely chopped
150ml good white wine
40g curly parsley, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
1.
Wash the clams thoroughly and set apart evenly in a shallow tray. Stir and dissolve 15g sea salt in 500ml water, then pour the saline solution over the clams, ensuring that they are half-soaked. Cover with a tea towel and leave for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to an hour (for the clams to release any sand). Discard the water and let the clams drain in a sieve for 30 minutes.
2.
Heat oil in a frying pan, add garlic and anchovy, and cook gently until the anchovy dissolves and begins to sizzle. Add the breadcrumbs and stir constantly until golden. Stir in the chilli flakes, then set aside.
3.
Boil water with a generous amount of salt in a large pot. Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet instructions.
4.
To cook the clams, heat oil and garlic in a frying pan until golden. Add the white wine and clams, cover with a glass lid and increase the heat. Remove every clam as their shells open, placing them in a bowl. This will prevent the clams from overcooking and keep them juicy and delicious. Discard any clams that don’t open after five minutes on a high heat but keep the sauce.
5.
Once the pasta is cooked al dente, save 3 tbsps of the cooking water then drain. Add pasta and the retained water to the frying pan containing the clam sauce. Add chopped parsley and black pepper, stirring well to coat the pasta. The sauce should be thickened and glossy. The clams will release some salted water so you shouldn’t need to season with salt.
6.
Divide the pasta and clams between 4 bowls, spoon the crunchy breadcrumbs over the top and serve.
6.
Squid ink pasta with bottarga
Serves 4 as main or 8 as a starter
Ingredients
270g cherry tomatoes on vine
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
400g spaghetti
4 tbsps olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chilli flakes
400g squid, cleaned and sliced
120ml dry white wine
4 sachets (4g each) of squid ink
120ml pasta water
20g finely grated bottarga (you can buy a whole bottarga from a good fishmonger or a powdered version in many delis or grocery shops)
Method
1.
Preheat oven to 160C. Place cherry tomatoes in a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes and set aside.
2.
Bring water to a boil, add salt and cook spaghetti for 1 minute less than the package instructions.
3.
Prepare the squid ink sauce by heating olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and chilli flakes. Stir-in the squid and cook for 2 minutes, then add the white wine and squid ink. Simmer until the sauce is glossy.
4.
Add pasta water to the sauce, then drain the pasta and mix in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
5.
Divide pasta into bowls, top with roasted tomatoes, sprinkle with bottarga and serve.
7.
Caesar salad with anchovies and boiled eggs
Serves 4 as main or 8 as a starter
Ingredients
200g ciabatta or 4 slices sourdough, cut into large cubes
2 tbsps olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 medium eggs
600g chicken breast, skin on or off
2 tsps olive oil
1 large romaine lettuce, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, then drained
1 small red onion, thinly sliced and kept in cold water
8 anchovy fillets
35g parmesan, shaved
For caesar dressing
70g good-quality mayonnaise
½ small garlic clove, grated
1 anchovy, finely minced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp light brown sugar or maple syrup
25g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
1.
To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 180C. Toss bread cubes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden and crunchy.
2.
Heat a griddle pan over high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Grill for 3 minutes on each side, then transfer to an ovenproof dish and bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through. You can test it by piercing the thickest part of the chicken. If the juice runs clear, the chicken is cooked. Let rest for 10 minutes, then slice.
3.
Bring water to a boil, add eggs, and cook for 7 minutes for a soft yolk. Cool eggs under cold running water and peel when ready.
4.
Make the dressing by mixing all dressing ingredients until smooth.
5. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, drained red onions and croutons. Arrange rge chicken slices, halved eggs and anchovies on top. Sprinkle with shaved parmesan, drizzle with dressing and serve.
The desserts
8.
Recipe
Cannoli with pistachio cream
Makes 12
Equipment
12 cannoli moulds
Pasta machine (optional)
Ingredients
For cannoli shells
180g plain flour
2 tsps caster sugar
¼ tsp salt
30g cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 medium egg, separated
50ml marsala wine
Vegetable oil (for frying)
For pistachio filling
500g ricotta, strained for 1 hour
60g icing sugar
8 tbsps pistachio butter
20g pistachios, roughly chopped
Icing sugar (for dusting)
Method
1.
To make cannoli dough, mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in butter until combined. Mix egg yolk and marsala wine in another bowl, add to flour mixture and mix until it forms a dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface, until it becomes smooth. If the dough is still sticky you can add more flour. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.
2.
Mix the ricotta, icing sugar and pistachio butter. Place in a piping bag and refrigerate.
3.
To shape the cannoli, roll dough to 1mm in thickness, cut into 11cm circles. Wrap around cannoli moulds and seal with egg white.
4.
Heat oil to 160C. Fry cannoli for 1-2 minutes until golden. Remove moulds, fry cannoli for an additional 30 seconds, then leave to cool.
5.
When cannoli is ready to serve, pipe the filling into shells (don’t do this too far ahead of time or the pastry may become soggy), dip ends in chopped pistachios and dust with icing sugar.
9.
Tiramisù di Natale
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
4 medium eggs, separated into yolks and whites
120g caster sugar
250g fresh mascarpone cheese
100ml double cream
180ml espresso (about 5 shots)
30 finger sponges
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Star anise and redcurrants (or other red berries) for decoration
Method
1.
To make the cream, beat the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale and airy. Add the mascarpone and mix until combined.
2.
In a separate bowl, whip the double cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold into the mascarpone mixture.
3.
Beat the egg whites.
4.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add the remaining sugar, one spoonful at a time, and beating well after each addition. Gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the mascarpone cream, then fold in the rest to keep the mixture light and airy.
5.
In a 20cm x 25cm x 5cm dish, layer half of the finger sponges and drizzle with half of the espresso. Then spread half of the mascarpone cream over the sponges. Repeat with the remaining sponges and cream.
6.
Dust the top with cocoa powder, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour or, ideally, overnight. To serve, decorate with star anise and redcurrants.
Chef’s tip: This recipe can – and should – be prepared a day in advance.
10.
Zabaione with strawberry
Serves 4
Ingredients
400g strawberries, halved
2 tsps caster sugar
4 tsps fresh orange juice
Grated orange peel
For zabaglione
50g caster sugar
4 medium egg yolks
80ml marsala wine
15g dark chocolate (optional, for garnish)
Amaretti biscuits or finger sponges (for serving)
Method
1.
Mix strawberries with caster sugar, orange juice and half of the grated orange peel, and leave to macerate.
2.
To make the zabaglione, bring water to a simmer in a saucepan. In a heatproof bowl, whisk sugar, yolks and marsala over the simmering water until creamy and fluffy (you can use an electric hand mixer for this).
3.
Divide strawberries into glasses, spoon over zabaglione, and sprinkle with grated chocolate and the remaining orange peel. Serve with the biscuits or finger sponges.
Hungry for more?
Hosting a Christmas dinner isn’t the only chance to be creative in the kitchen. Get a new recipe every Sunday in The Monocle Weekend Edition newsletter. Sign up for free at monocle.com/minute
Bejewelled buckles on shoes might once have brought to mind royal portraits from the 17th century but in today’s fashion industry they call forth one name only: Roger Vivier. The Parisian maison has perfected the twinkle of its shoes since it was founded by the French designer in 1937. Vivier pushed the boundaries of footwear, partnering with Christian Dior to develop his New Look silhouette and providing pumps for Catherine Deneuve in 1967 erotic psychodrama Belle de Jour. When the designer died in 1998, he left behind a maison and a legacy that still evoke glamour.
In 2015 the house was bought by Italian holding company Tod’s Group for €415m. And Italian designer Gherardo Felloni was installed as creative director in 2018 – very successfully, as it turns out. Last year, overall revenue increased by 16.5 per cent to €286.7m.
“I’ve always looked to Roger Vivier as a reference for my own career,” Felloni tells Monocle. “He was an inventor, a genius.” He is wearing one of his go-to outfits: a crisp shirt and a simple navy cardigan accentuated with an antique gold necklace, dripping with pearls. “Vivier designed for the contemporary women of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. That’s why one of the first shoes I designed for Roger Vivier was a trainer. Women today want to be comfortable. Sometimes I joke that Vivier, if he were alive today, would have worked on trainers. So I did it for him.”
The CV
1980: Born in Tuscany.
2003: Begins his career in fashion as a shoe designer for Helmut Lang and Fendi in Italy.
2009: Moves to Paris to work for Christian Dior and then Miu Miu as design director, while also studying opera.
2018: Appointed creative director of Roger Vivier where, inspired by the maison’s cinematic heritage, he releases a short film featuring Catherine Deneuve.
2023: Launches the Pièce Unique collection, a tribute to craft, archives and couture.
2023: Wins the Footwear News Achievement Award for Shoe Designer of the Year.
2024: Launches the Vivier Express series of short films starring Laura Dern and Eva Green.
Felloni had previously worked in the accessories and footwear departments of labels including Fendi, Dior, Miu Miu and Prada. But, for him, being appointed the creative director of a house with a visionary founder is somewhat akin to entering into dialogue with someone beyond the grave. Shared passions such as gardening, jewellery and a playful approach to design facilitates that conversation. “I never knew Vivier but from the archive you can tell that he didn’t take himself too seriously,” says Felloni. “He wanted to make fashion contemporary and light. And I believe that fashion is a moment for creativity but also for the clients to have fun.”
Growing up in Tuscany, Felloni considered a career in opera, cinema or architecture. But the calling came from closer to home: his father and uncle ran the family shoe factory, where he spent his childhood learning about the complexities of shoe construction. “Shoes aren’t like a bag or a dress: the form needs to support the foot so you can walk,” he says. “The technical part of my job is important to me.” This early exposure to manufacturing also instilled in him a reverence for craft from an early age. Now, at Roger Vivier, Felloni works with the house’s atelier to develop new designs but also to reiterate and update shoes that he finds in the archive.
His aim is to communicate the savoir-faire and rarity of the maison to customers through opulent salon-style presentations of not only shoes but accessories including bags, belts and headbands. For the house’s campaigns, Felloni has tapped actors including Deneuve, Isabella Rossellini, Laura Dern and, most recently, Eva Green as brand ambassadors. “The women I’m obsessed with all have confidence in common,” he says. “When you’re confident, you can wear whatever you want. You don’t think about other people’s opinions. You’re free. That is what inspires me.”
The job interview’s reputation is almost universally negative. But outside of TV sitcoms, are old-fashioned, in-person meetings with prospective employers ever that bad? The alternatives certainly are. As with so much else from the analogue world, we might already be suffering from the job interview’s increasingly endangered status. When UK-based recruitment consultants CV Genius surveyed 625 hiring managers on what they look for in a successful job application, 80 per cent responded that they couldn’t stand AI-generated applications. But there’s a trusty implement in the recruiter’s toolbox that can save us from hiring the wrong candidate: meeting them in person.
The consequences of letting someone get too far into the job-application process without having met them are obvious. Not only does an AI-generated CV and covering letter give the employer no idea whether the candidate’s self-professed acumen stands up to scrutiny but they also offer little indication of the personality type that could be about to enter your working life.
It’s time that we scotched the encroachment of AI into the hiring process by reviving mandatory, in-person job interviews and holding them as early into proceedings as possible. They might be stressful for many candidates and time-consuming for bosses but they also reduce the chances of hiring someone who has been dishonest in their application. They are also a vote in favour of that increasingly rare but precious element of the working day: human connection.
It doesn’t matter how gleaming someone’s written job application is, whether it’s bot-created or not. You simply can’t get a full measure of a candidate without spending some time together. Not only does the employer get an insight into an applicant’s acuity, style and sense of humour but the candidate, in return, gets to find out the same things about their prospective boss too.
AI has become worryingly adept at gaming written job applications. Generic questions such as, “What can you bring to this role?” and, “What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses?” are catnip to bots. To vet potential employees properly, all predictable elements of job questionnaires should be expunged. The requests should be so specific that AI will wither on the digital vine. It would be difficult for a candidate to use Chatgpt to answer a question such as, “Please could you illustrate an example, directly referencing your previous position, of when you solved a problem, detailing the specifics of the situation and giving us a step-by-step narrative of your response to it?”
AI is problematic in other, more disturbing ways. A University of Washington study published in 2023 tested three large-language AI models by making them evaluate hundreds of CVs against job descriptions. They found that the models favoured CVs from candidates with white-associated names 85 per cent of the time – and preferred other candidates to black men 100 per cent of the time.
The endgame of this reliance on AI will be horribly retrograde. Successful candidates will be chosen based on whether they are the most clued up on how to use the technology to their advantage. There is also the risk that bosses will simply become distrustful – and heartily bored – of the entire process and give the job to someone in their social network. Goodbye, meritocracy.
So, if we really want to hire the best candidate for the job, we need to tidy our office desk, find another chair, take a coffee order and usher in the first of those aspirant future employees.
Morning sun
There’s nothing like the sunlight on a crisp winter morning. Allow these tracks to provide a gentle, warming accompaniment.
1.
Todo Dia Santo
Marcos Valle
Brazilian legend Marcos Valle delights with his breezy, effortlessly cool bossa sound.
Marcos Valle
Brazilian singer and producer
What are you listening to currently?
On the road, I like to listen to playlists that I’ve made. I’m also listening to Céu’s new album, Novela, which is very nice, very beautiful. She wrote lyrics for a song on my album, which I love. And to tell you the truth, I listen to Ravel and Debussy in the quiet moments.
What are your plans for 2025?
I recently released a new album, Túnel Acústico, so I’ll continue touring it in Brazil, Europe and the US. We’re also planning to tour in China. Another project that I’ve been working on is a music series by [the late] French composer Henri Salvador, which I artistically directed, produced and did arrangements for. It’s becoming an album and will also be turned into a show, which will be toured. Beyond that, I don’t know. I can only to wait and see what will happen.
Do you have any New Year’s traditions?
I prefer to stay at home with my wife, Patricia, and our little dog, Merlot. If I’m performing on New Year’s Eve, it’s got to be something very special. Otherwise, I prefer to relax. I think that’s the way to be prepared for a new year.
2.
Moonlit Floor
Lisa
A member of K-pop group Blackpink, Thai singer Lisa shines in this track that riffs on 1990s classic “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer.
3.
Cinnamon and Clove
Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66
Another bossa nova classic, selected in tribute to the late Sérgio Mendes, who passed away in September.
4.
Sinking Boat
Infinity Song
Soft rock from four talented New York siblings.
5.
Crockett’s Theme
Jan Hammer
The iconic Miami Vice theme.
6.
Turbo
Sunni Colón
Mornings are always smoother with a little Sunni Colón.
7.
Rosário do Desejo
Ayom
A sunny blend of lusophone styles, from Brazilian frevos to Cape Verdean coladeiras.
8.
Love Me Jeje
Tems
This Tems track revamps Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 Nigerian Afro-pop hit of the same name.
9.
Amor em Jacumã
Lucas Santtana
Let cool Brazilian dub beats ease you into the day ahead.
10.
Erase/Rewind
The Cardigans
We never get tired of this one.
Walk in the park
Want to blow off the cobwebs with a walk? Grab your headphones…
1.
Somente o Sol
Deborah Blando
The Italo-Brazilian legend delivers a stirring cover of 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love”.
2.
Cruz de Navajas
Mecano
A Spanish new-wave classic.
3.
Amar Pela Metade
Calema
Kizomba pop from a duo with São Tomé and Príncipe roots.
4.
Sciura Milanese
Popa
A slick synth-pop tribute to the sciuras – the name given to chic older ladies in Milan.
5.
Ortak
Melike Sahin
New soulful pop from one of Turkey’s biggest stars.
6.
Power
Telenova
Alt-indie from the Melbourne trio’s 2024 debut album, Time Is a Flower.
7.
Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido
Karol G
The Colombian singer dominated this year’s charts with this bouncy track.
8.
Leh Benkhaby
Tul8te
This masked singer and producer blends pop with bossa nova and Egyptian sounds.
9.
Acidente
Jão
Melancholic pop by the young Brazilian singer-songwriter.
10.
Cool Breeze
The Jeremy Spencer Band
Let this cinematic yacht-rock track whisk you to the 1970s.
Aperitivo hour
Whether you’re enjoying an aperitivo at home or après-ski on the slopes, these songs will kick-start your evening.
1.
I Forget (I’m So Young)
Sofie Royer
Shimmering up-tempo electro-pop from the Austrian singer.
2.
Desliza
Ana Moura
Short, sultry and infectious, this new track from the Portuguese fado artist will get you moving.
3.
Nenuphar
Polo & Pan
The French duo’s electro-disco track is inspired by Mexico City and its grooves are guaranteed to spice up your evening.
4.
Air
Crystal Murray
Emotional pop-r&b from the Franco-American singer.
5.
Una Notte Speciale
Alice
This dreamy synth track became a classic upon its release in 1981.
6.
Total Normal
Michael Cretu
Top synth-pop by the Romanian-German music producer.
7.
Diet Pepsi
Addison Rae
Simply a perfect pop song.
8.
Veridis Quo
Daft Punk
Luca Guadagnino selected this for his new Chanel No 5 ad.
9.
Esperar Pra Ver
Evinha
Pure bossa nova brilliance.
10.
Uciekaj!
Lor
Exciting Polish folk-pop.
Hedonistic night
Escape the cold and lose (or find) yourself on the dance floor with these club-ready songs.
1.
Ô travers
Zaho de Sagazan
The acclaimed star combines French chanson with electro.
2.
Galactic Romance
Jaakko Eino Kalevi(Kiva Kiva Versio)
Italo-disco collides with Finnish melancholy – and it works.
3.
Serotonin Moonbeams
The Blessed Madonna
A love letter to 1990s rave.
4.
Acid in My Blood
Channel Tres
Techno to get lost in.
5.
Pump It Up
Endor
Featured on the soundtrack of one of the year’s buzziest films, The Substance.
6.
Nightcall
Kavinsky, Angèle & Phoenix
Revived when it was performed at the 2024 Olympic Games closing ceremony.
7.
Taboo
Kylie Minogue
Classic Kylie from this year.
8.
Dancing Island
Angelina Petrosova
The Uzbek diva in full flow.
9.
Life
Jamie xx, Robyn
Let optimism banish the blues.
10.
Mystery of Love
Mr Fingers
A famed Chicago house track.
New Year’s celebrations
Raucously ring in 2025.
1.
Tout Pour Moi
Clara Luciani
An uplifting song from new album Mon Sang.
2.
Fantasy
Jade
The former Little Mix member turns disco diva.
3.
Bafana Bafana
Professor Rhythm
Recorded at the end of Apartheid.
4.
Nandakke?
Aili
Delicious electro-pop by the Belgian-Japanese duo.
5.
Somebody to Love
Kazy Lambist
It’s all about love in this gem.
6.
Time for Celebration
Dov’è Liana
Indie with an Italian twist from the French trio.
7.
La Bohème
Mauvais Oeil
Pop inspired by Arab divas.
8.
Promised Land
Joe Smooth
Start your year by bouncing.
9.
Ti Voglio
Ornella Vanoni, Elodie, Ditonellapiaga
A new version of a classic track by Italian icon Ornella Vanoni.
10.
Rescue Me
Madonna
Gospel for the dance floor.
Monocle Radio
To listen to the playlist, search “Monocle Radio” on Spotify or tune in live. Our radio station broadcasts around the clock, seven days a week. You’ll find more music alongside a daily mix of comment, analysis and news shows across the schedule. Head to monocle.com/radio or download the programmes as podcasts wherever you get your audio.
So much to do, so little time – which is why Tyler Brûlé has resurrected an old tradition: the round-the-world tour.
“The last quarter of 2024 has been marked by the return of a dependable but slightly forgotten old habit: the round-the-world tour. Ten years ago I realised that it was more efficient to stay on the road for long stretches than to dash back to base all the time to check on the “kids” (my colleagues) and water the plants. For a variety of reasons, I fell out of the habit but, since October, rtw tours have been back in the diary and today I’m filing from the Park Hyatt Sydney, with the opera house in the background and more than 200 Monocle subscribers about to join us for our first party on the continent in almost a decade.
“My current tour started in Zürich and has included stops in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Melbourne. From Sydney, I’ll be moving on to North America, with sojourns in Dallas, Des Moines and Toronto, before pivoting to the Middle East for appointments in Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. All in all, it’ll be three weeks, with one carry-on and an array of story ideas for the issues ahead (and as many opportunities to match). For 2025, the agenda is just as packed. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the end of January, when we’ll be throwing open the doors of our new premises in Paris – and maybe, just maybe, a little outpost back Sydney way. Cheers to a happy and prosperous 2025.”
Out in the world
Over the past month, the Monocle team has been busy convening with readers and thought leaders. Here are some of the highlights.
The Monocle Shop at the Landmark
Hong Kong
We bolstered our Hong Kong presence this autumn with a month-long pop-up within the iconic Landmark retail space. Our appearance in Central happened while our beloved Wan Chai shop closed for some timely refurbishments. Both the Wan Chai outpost and The Monocle Café on London’s Chiltern Street are set to reopen in December.
Monocle at Selectshop Frame
Dubai, UAE
The Monocle shop was in Dubai in November for a pop-up at Selectshop Frame, coinciding with the launch of The Monocle 100: Dubai handbook.
Monocle Patrons at Maçakizi
Bodrum, Turkey
A sunny group of our most dedicated readers joined Monocle’s editors at the Maçakizi resort for faultless service and the best swimming set-up this side of the Pacific. Patrons are a select group who are invited to private events and sent every print product we make. To join the programme, email Holly Anderson at (han@monocle.com). It would be great to have you on board.
The Monocle Quality of Life Conference
Istanbul, Turkey
More than 100 delegates attended Monocle’s annual Quality of Life Conference in Turkey’s biggest city. The speaker line-up included architect Richard England, mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj and submarine officer Taylor Sheppard. There were also plenty of party moments at The Peninsula on the Bosphorus. Look out for all forthcoming events at monocle.com/events
Bucherer
New York, USA
In partnership with Swiss watchmaker Bucherer, Monocle’s sister publication Konfekt brought together leading creatives for dinner, drinks and a conversation on craft and luxury.
Coffee at Midori House
London, UK
During our Chiltern Street café renovation, the Monocle coffee (and bun) hit came from our truck parked outside Midori House. Beep beep!
From the editors: five things we’d like to see more of to round out 2024 and ring in 2025
1.
Off-season travel
Monocle was in Mykonos in November. The weather was stunning, there were few people and hotel prices were low. And you could go further afield too: it’s off-season in the northern hemishpere but hotting up down south.
2.
More indie print
Singapore is leading the way, with online politics and culture publication Jom launching a first print issue, food magazine Slow Press branching into events, and arts zine Now & Again releasing a new issue after two years.
3.
Visionary tech
Comédie Française has introduced for-hire eyeglasses that add individualised subtitles to the viewer’s field of vision. A winning idea both for hearing-impaired Parisians and foreign theatre visitors.
4.
Feast on frites
Next time you’re in Paris, tuck in to steak frites at Nonos. Chef Paul Peret’s 1950s-inspired grill at the Hotel de Crillon offers a tender take.
5.
Cultural education
The Blue Chair Film Festival in Laos (December) and the Jaipur Literature Festival in India (January) present a host of emerging Asian creatives.
Global: Up next
Feeling festive? Why not join Monocle for seasonal parties and pop-ups to round out the year.
The Monocle Shop, St Moritz, Switzerland
If you want an early dose of Christmas cheer, make your way to the Alps, where The Monocle Shop is set up as an outpost at Hotel Steffani.
5 December 2024 to 31 March 2025
Christmas Market, Zürich, Switzerland
Kick off the season with our annual Christmas market at our HQ at Dufourstrasse 90. Gifts and Glühwein are on offer.
7-8 December 2024
Christmas Market, London, UK
For some last-minute Christmas shopping and a visit from Santa, all the way from polar Finland, join us in London. Plus: live Monocle Radio broadcasts.
14-15 December 2024
Knut R Holmøy
CEO, Holmøy Maritime
Founded in 1973 in Norway’s High North, seafood group Holmøy Maritime prides itself on sustainable wild fishing – and great architecture. In 2014 it partnered with celebrated architecture studio Snøhetta to develop its headquarters in Vesterålen. A decade later, Snøhetta has delivered a 16,000 sq m facility at the fishery’s neighbouring Liland site, which will process 150 tonnes of salmon a day. The group’s CEO, Knut R Holmøy, tells us more.
Why is it important for your company to invest in good architecture?
It helps us to capture attention, attract expertise and create comfort and safety for those working with us. We offer the kinds of facilities that you might find in a city but with better views of Norway’s northern landscape.
How does it affect your team?
Our architecture shows that we prioritise quality. This gives our employees a sense of security and fosters pride. Nothing is achieved without human resources and, since moving our operation here, we have gained a lot in terms of efficiency for our investment.
How do Holmøy Maritime’s values help staff?
Our values revolve around sustainable production that’s both profitable and renewable. In this way, we can ensure safe and stable jobs, and acquire the expertise that we need to meet the environmental requirements that we face today, as well as those that we expect in the future.
Retail: London
Present and correct
Christmas is the busiest time of year at Colford. Founded in 2023 by Nathan Cole and Imogen Beresford, the London-based company sends out more than 5,000 intricately wrapped presents over the festive season. Catering to private and corporate clients including Hermès, Cartier and Soho House, Colford takes care of the entire gifting process, from selecting envelopes and commissioning calligraphy to packaging and delivery. “Luxury clients are always looking for new ways to elevate their brand,” says Cole. “They value our knowledge and guidance.”
The couple created Colford to facilitate a more considered approach to gifting, free from the last-minute rush. “We love the concept of a slower Christmas, especially one without excessive plastic wrapping paper,” says Beresford. “We have been working with paper made from recycled beer grain,” adds Cole. “It’s material that’s usually wasted after the brewing process. It creates a beautiful texture and subtle colour changes: you get some rich, deep browns through to the palest beiges.”
Colford takes pride in sourcing unusual materials and gifts, and works with more than 200 designers and makers. Creating a link between craftspeople and clients is important to the pair, who insist that gifting excellence doesn’t have to end with the festive season. “We can add a theatrical element all year round,” says Cole. “We consider how the present arrives, who delivers it, what they’re wearing and even what vehicle they arrive in.”
Hot properties
David Barry was the leader of the 2012 US Olympic wrestling squad, so he knows how to grapple with risk and tackle opportunity. It’s a skill set that has served the founder and ceo of property-development firm Urby well throughout his business career. Barry is also an angel investor who has backed Peloton, the Standard Hotels group and others. “Passion and strong values are what I look for,” he says. “These are often found in hospitality brands.”
Urby’s residential apartments offer a blend of traditional city living and the hospitality flair of boutique hotels. Since launching the company in 2014, Barry has worked to foster a sense of community in his developments. “We all rely too much on social media,” he says. “We need to return to humanity and cultivate real interactions. One way that we do this is by integrating a café into our lobbies.”
Urby now has eight properties across the US, in cities including Dallas and New York. Four more are in development. “The apartment world has often been dominated by financial interests and generic values,” says Barry. Urby’s generous amenities, such as communal gardens, gym classes and terraced pools, challenge this. Next, Barry hopes to expand across the border. “I would love to head to Mexico City,” he says. “It’s a vibrant city that’s bursting with creativity and Urby would thrive there.”
For more on brand builders you should know, tune in to Monocle Radio’s weekly show and podcast ‘The Entrepreneurs’.
House Proud
Art, France
If you find yourself at an art fair and in need of a drink, chances are that a cold glass of Ruinart will be available to quench your thirst. The champagne house – which was founded in 1729, making it France’s oldest – has long fostered close ties with the contemporary art world. This relationship is the focus of Ruinart’s newly renovated headquarters in Reims. In addition to a sparkling new pavilion designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, artworks have been peppered throughout the site. Visitors will come across the first of these works – a flag painted with a calendar by British artist Marcus Coates – after following a zigzag path flanked by steep limestone walls up to the maison. Every day, a new flag replaces the last, with a description of how nature in the Champagne region is changing with the seasons. “Most of the art pieces here are about our connection with the living world,” Maison Ruinart president Frédéric Dufour tells Monocle. “This harmony with nature is absolutely crucial for us – our product comes from nature.”
Coates’s work is one of almost 20 pieces that can be seen in the Artists’ Garden. But there are also artworks inside the pavilion and the Unesco World Heritage-listed chalk cellars, where artistic duo Mouawad + Laurier has installed a giant sculptural “root” adorned with Murano-glass lamps. In response to climate data, it moves, lights up and emits sound. While ancient cellars and vineyards might be a far cry from the booths of Art Basel or Frieze, they represent a new creative iteration of Maison Ruinart and reinforce a universally known truth: that art is best observed with a glass of champagne in hand.
ruinart.com
Film: USA
Q&A
RaMell Ross
Director, ‘Nickel Boys’
Adapted from a novel by Colson Whitehead, the film Nickel Boys tells the story of two African-American boys, Elwood and Turner, and their traumatic experience of a reform school in 1960s Florida. Here, director RaMell Ross describes his unusual directorial decisions and his personal association with the story.
Why did you want to adapt this novel?
The book is about me in a way. I guess that I’m Elwood or Turner, given the type of family that I came from in the suburbs. What happened to them could have happened to me too.
The film is shot from a striking first-person perspective. Can you talk about that decision?
It seemed as though it was the right approach. Coming from an arts background, I believe that the intent of any project is just as important as the result. If the film doesn’t make a big splash but people get to access Elwood and Turner’s life and Whitehead’s novel through this subjectivity, then that’s a success to me.
Why did you want to use archival footage in ‘Nickel Boys’?
It opens the film up. It also helps to ground it in a way. The footage allows it to be both a Hollywood production and a film that shows what’s happening and what’s at stake in the real world.
Take note
Music, Finland
If your country were a piece of music, what would it sound like? That’s the question that the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs asked before commissioning Lauri Porra, one of Finland’s most revered contemporary composers, to create the nation’s soundscape. The idea is not to present Finland’s greatest hits to the world but to capture the country’s essence through mental images of nature, which are expressed by the sounds of instruments.
“It could be the colour of the sky, a forest scene or the sound of the water running in our rivers,” Porra tells monocle. “It’s not about recreating these sounds but capturing the feelings that they evoke.” The finished piece, which will be ready in time for Finland’s Independence Day on 6 December, will become the soundtrack to parties and other events thrown by Finnish embassies across the world.
Porra was given creative freedom to make sure that the work felt personal and intimate, instead of turning into an idealised marketing image of the country. “I have spent a large part of my life abroad and whenever I return to Finland, I notice how the scale of things appears to change,” he says. “Humans seem smaller and nature seems bigger. That gives a beautiful perspective to life as we become more bewildered by our surroundings. I wanted to capture that sensation through the language of music.”
To hear the full report, tune in to ‘The Globalist’ on Monocle Radio.
Media: Italy
Trade secrets
With top-floor views of Florence’s Duomo, the headquarters of Italy Segreta feels like a daydream. The magazine, however, is not interested in fairy tales but rather the depiction of real life in Italy. Marina Serena Cacciapuoti, the magazine’s founder, grew up in Florence but moved to New York in 2014 to pursue a career as a photo editor. “I missed Italy,” she tells monocle. “And I hated how one-dimensionally it was perceived abroad: just pizza, prosciutto and the Amalfi coast.”
Cacciapuoti was only 28 years old when she left New York. “I was thriving,” she says. “But all I was building was myself.” Returning to Italy, she envisioned a magazine that would give a platform to young writers and photographers. After launching in 2020, Italy Segreta quickly exploded, highlighting often-overlooked details of Italy, such as coffee rituals and street life.
Italy Segreta now publishes a digital issue every month and, since 2023, an annual large-format print issue packed with articles on everything from essential pasta dishes to Sicilian ceramics.“Many Italians think of their country as dysfunctional,” says Cacciapuoti. “It’s partially true but we’re showing that it’s possible to create something that works here.”
Novel approach
Books, Singapore
Singaporean photographer Rebecca Toh was exploring a Japanese fishing town in April when she wandered into a small library. She learned that each shelf was operated by different people, who brought their own books for others to borrow. “I couldn’t get the idea out of my head,” says Toh. She posted on social media to gauge interest in starting a similar project in Singapore and received hundreds of responses. Encouraged, she signed a lease for a shop in Bukit Merah.
An architect volunteered to install wooden flooring; graphic designer friends created a logo; and almost 200 people committed to a monthly fee of s$45 (€32) to cover the space’s costs. In August the Casual Poet Library opened to the public, staffed entirely by volunteers.
Membership is s$25 (€18) a year and members can borrow five books at a time. There are no late fees; mutual trust is central to the ethos of the library. One shelf is run by a class of schoolchildren, while some are curated by doctors, aspiring playwrights and couples. “People just want to share their passion for books and literature with others,” says Toh. “We have built a real community here.”
SET UP HERE 01
Bregenzerwald, Vorarlberg
Aiming high
Where the Western and Eastern Alps meet, you’ll find the bucolic Bregenzerwald region – where age-old craft traditions are keeping design and hospitality thriving.
Schwarzenberg’s Hotel Hirschen is run by siblings Peter and Pia Fetz, its 10th-generation family owners. Last summer, seven years after taking over from their parents, they opened a new bathhouse and pool that complements the main building, a shingle-coated 18th-century inn. “I don’t need facilities with seven saunas and 12 pools but I want a bit of a spa,” says Peter with a smile. “I had never found a small hotel with the right features and saw a niche for us.” He beams as he shows us around the three-level bathhouse, designed in white fir by Austrian firm Nona Architektinnen.
Some in the village of Schwarzenberg saw the project as a radical proposition. It took Peter more than five years to secure the building permit, which had to be green-lit by 21 neighbours and 14 government agencies. “One neighbour asked me how I intended to prevent her cat from drowning in the pool,” says Peter, who now sees the funny side. The discussions involved lots of beer, wine and schnapps. “There was no sober solution to that problem,” he says.
But once everyone was on board, the project progressed smoothly. The companies of 37 regional craftsmen worked on the building, which was completed in just eight months, exactly on schedule.
This is the gentle pace at which business often proceeds in Bregenzerwald, which lies a 30-minute drive from Bodensee. Here, the rolling hills are kept trimmed, whether by lawnmower or grazing cow, and most buildings sport a well-kept layer of wood shingles. The population of 32,000 has a mentality of “schaffe, schaffe, Häusle baue” (“work, work, build a house”), which supports a thriving construction industry. Little by little, Bregenzerwälders are developing a new crop of small but sturdy businesses that are improving the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
After a morning massage and swim at Hirschen, guests might head for lunch at VauLand, a quarter of an hour away in Hittisau. There, they are welcomed by Christian Vallaster, who cooks dishes using pasta that he makes by hand in the back room. The gregarious chef produces a dozen varieties, all from Austrian durum wheat.
Vallaster is originally from neighbouring Feldkirch. He admits that an artisanal business would be easier to run in a bigger city. So why did he choose Bregenzerwald? “For my wife – and for the views!” he says. But he adds that the region’s culinary scene is developing fast. “We’re famous worldwide for our craftsmanship and now our gastronomy is building a reputation. We’re not known for pasta yet but we will be.” Sampling VauLand’s freshly made ravioli with cheese and herbs, monocle finds it easy to agree.
Another business helping to lift Bregenzerwald’s culinary reputation is Gut Gereift, which operates two cheese cellars in Egg and Andelsbuch. Founded in 2020 by Hilda and Melchior Simma, it buys wheels of Alp and Bergkäse from nearby producers, matures them for as long as three years and sells them online using a self-built platform that facilitates group orders. These “order communities” extend from Vienna to Helsinki. “We have teachers, offices and pensioners,” says Hilda. “There is a social element too, of bringing people together.”
The idea came to Melchior when he was a procurator of a regional bank and worked on a voluntary basis for a small co-operative dairy. He reckoned that it wouldn’t be a struggle to sell the region’s excellent cheese, which is made exclusively from hay milk and is handmade. “We have an unbeatable product,” says Hilda. “Our philosophy is to work with what’s already there and build on it.”
Trek up to Burgl-Hütte, a traditional mountain hut close to the German border, and you’ll find a similar approach. It was run by the same family for 60 years until 1994 and was well known for rollicking evenings when only wine and Skiwasser were served. In 2022, the now 25-year-old Thomas Mennel took it over after returning to his home region – as many are doing – following a bartending stint in Barcelona. He started managing the hut with his parents, Edith and Edwin.
Many of Bregenzerwald’s new businesses were founded by returnees. Pius Kaufmann, a native of the region, and Flora Ohrenstein relocated here from Vienna in 2020. Ohrenstein had spent a summer working at an organic farm nearby. “I swam in the river every day after work,” she says with glee. “I started asking Pius whether he wanted to move there.”
The couple rented a workshop in Egg and founded their business Lampen und Möbel (lum). Pius, who trained as a carpenter, builds bespoke commissions in solid wood for clients and has developed a line of lampshades made with bentwood veneer. The firm presented for the first time this year at Handwerk 1 Form, a trade fair organised by Werkraum Bregenzerwald.
Bregenzerwald’s new crop of entrepreneurs might not be building major industrial operations but the smaller businesses help to make the region’s tradition of impeccable craftsmanship more available to the wider world. Jürgen and Evi Haller of Tempel 74 apartment hotel, are examples of this evolution. With his eponymous architecture firm, Jürgen has built dozens of multimillion-euro homes in the area. In 2018 the couple bought a plot of land just across the street from their house in Mellau. In co-operation with their neighbours, they filled it with two interconnected buildings that host Jürgen’s office and the holiday apartment. Construction started in February 2019; the Hallers welcomed their first guests nine months later.
Tempel 74 has a double duty as a showcase for Jürgen’s practice while enabling visitors from afar to experience living in a Bregenzerwälder-built apartment. “Here, everyone’s dream or life mission has always been to build a house for themselves,” says Evi, who personally welcomes all of the hotel’s guests. “We are wilful people who want to do things properly. But the same mentality and passion is also what makes for a good host.” —
SET UP HERE 02
Graz, Styria
Driving ambition
Austria’s second city has a well-earned reputation for creativity – and is now an entrepreneurial outpost of the culture sector.
Unlike Salzburg or Vienna, Graz isn’t weighed down by the ghosts of historical figures such as Mozart or Freud. It’s an outlier among Austrian cities, a gateway between the Slavic and Italian worlds to the southeast and Austria’s heartland to the north. Perhaps this crossroads aspect is why Graz has long been a hub of creativity, not just in culture but in industry too.
The city is home to several important cultural events. Every autumn, it hosts the Steirischer Herbst arts festival; in March and April, it welcomes the Diagonale, an annual showcase of Austrian cinema. These festivals draw visitors and help to keep the hotel and restaurant scenes lively.
In terms of hospitality, Graz is again a little different from other Austrian cities. When the Radisson opened in summer 2024, it became one of only a tiny handful of international chain hotels here. The city has long been dominated by smaller hotels such as Kai36, managed by Verena Lam. “Though it’s the second-biggest city in Austria, Graz still feels a bit like a village,” she says.
Automotive and mobility firms, including avl and Magna, have traditionally driven business in Graz and its surrounding area. Weitzer Woodsolutions, based in the nearby city of Weiz, is dedicated to reintroducing wood to the mobility industry; it is now collaborating with Magna and Volkswagen in a design-development partnership.
Such collaborations are flourishing in the region. Networking organisation Creative Industries Styria (cis) has nurtured the region’s entrepreneurial spirit since 2007. It is led by Eberhard Schrempf, whose name is known to nearly every business owner here.
For Schrempf, a new era began when Graz was named a European Capital of Culture in 2003. Not only did this lead to large-scale construction projects but it prompted some reflection. “There was a discussion about what lay next for Graz and it became clear that we needed something to bind together our unique mix of art, design and industry,” he says.
One key priority for Schrempf is to spread the idea that design isn’t just for the elite. “We need to see it not as a luxury but as something that creates products for everyone and for every day.”
Despite the challenges that he faces, he’s not worried about the future of the creative industries. “Creativity is in Graz’s dna,” he says. —
SET UP HERE 03
Linz, Upper Austria
Reaching out
Long a hub for trade and industry, this forward-thinking city is now raising its ambitions in technology.
For decades, Linz held a well-defined place on Austria’s economic map. Sitting on the Danube and connected to trade routes across Central Europe, it was a hub for heavy industry and woodworking. Indeed, Voestalpine, the country’s largest steel producer, and Schachermayer, a metal- and woodworking company, continue to provide jobs and contribute to the city’s infrastructure.
A new chapter began in 1979 when Linz hosted the inaugural Ars Electronica Festival, celebrating art, science and technology. A permanent Ars Electronica Center followed in 1996, with a striking glass-fronted building completed in 2009 – in time for the city’s stint as a European Capital of Culture.
Artist and curator Hideaki Ogawa first exhibited at the centre in 2006 and remembers the excitement at that time. “I didn’t plan to stay here but somehow I kept coming back,” says the Tokyo native. Attracted to the city’s focus on technology, Ogawa progressed through various research roles until, in 2019, he became a co-director of Futurelab, Ars Electronica’s r&d arm (he later became its managing and artistic director).
Unlike the centre and festival, which receive public funding from the city and state, Futurelab collaborates with businesses to drive research. In 2010, Asimo, the humanoid robot created by Japanese conglomerate Honda, was showcased at the Ars Electronica Festival as part of a project exploring human-machine interaction. “Asimo was right here,” says Ogawa, posing in the lab’s main demonstration room, which also hosts immersive installations. Another collaboration, with Germany’s Siemens and the Johannes Kepler University, resulted in the development of a body-scanning system to help medical students better understand human anatomy. “It’s crucial that our work doesn’t stay within these walls but is distributed beyond, creating new opportunities,” says Ogawa.
This technological shift has swept through Linz’s industrial zones too, transforming its sprawling former tobacco factory, the Tabakfabrik, into a major centre for business and culture. The site now houses about 250 companies and organisations, including galleries, two departments of the University of Arts Linz and even a brewery. Each of its five main buildings is named after a brand of historic Austrian cigarettes. The complex is listed, making major renovations tricky, but Tabakfabrik’s co-ceo, Denise Halak, says that the city, which owns the site, does everything possible to reduce red tape. “The city showed courage when it bought the factory from Japan Tobacco International in 2009, as there was no clear plan for its future,” she says. Step by step, the site has flourished, becoming an anchor for innovation, linking Linz’s emerging businesses with its traditional industries.
“With its rich history, Tabakfabrik and Linz as a whole are perfect hubs for creativity and innovation,” says Michaela Scharrer of Creative Region, a service hub for creatives. Scharrer and her team host breakfast meet-ups for Tabakfabrik residents and those seeking collaboration. “We have a huge network, so if someone approaches us, we know immediately who to connect them with,” she says.
Down the corridor is the Strada del Startup, a hallway lined with the offices of entrepreneurs. One of them is Florian Holzmayer, the founder of Balcosy, which creates attachable window seats designed as an alternative to balconies. “I came up with the idea during the coronavirus lockdowns when I missed being outside and the community here was instrumental in getting it off the ground,” he says, before dashing off to the breakfast room for a kipferl.
Part of this support network is mkrz Lab, which uses craft to enhance internal communication and critical thinking within companies, including product prototyping. Co-founder Tobias Zucali believes that these skills should be developed at an early age. “In school, you’re mostly focused on transferring knowledge from books into a child’s mind,” he says. “We need these hands-on methods to teach abstract thinking.” —
SET UP HERE 04
Salzburg
Hitting new peaks
Best known for its natural beauty, Austria’s fourth-largest city is worth its salt when it comes to supporting start-ups too.
“Things come together in Salzburg,” says Evelyn Brandstätter, director of Café Bazar, from the terrace of her hostelry in Austria’s fourth-largest city. There’s a buzz among the patrons at the family business, where she has worked for 20 years. The striking scenery – with the Salzach river glistening beneath the Mönchsberg mountain – and slow pace of life are key aspects of the city’s allure.
Among those who have moved to Salzburg in search of a better work-life balance is Spanish architect Roberto R Paraja, who set up the main office of Haro Architects here with co-founder Bernd Haslauer. The pair, who work on a mix of residential projects and restorations of public buildings, are impressed by Salzburg’s strong network of craftspeople. “There are various kinds of carpenters – the Tischler for furniture and the Schreiner for construction,” says Paraja. “In Spain we don’t have Zimmerers, with their level of specialisation in wooden construction.”
Katharina Macheiner and her family run roastery and coffee shop 220Grad. One of its three sites is next to the Museum der Moderne Salzburg, from where the city looks like an attractive place to while away an afternoon. “I’m from here but didn’t know that all of these cool people were here,” says Macheiner.
Her sense of optimism is echoed by Startup Salzburg, a regional business incubator co-ordinated by Innovation Salzburg. Its outpost in the Techno-Z Technology Park is abuzz with would-be founders. Though tourism and retail are the city’s biggest sectors, information and communication technology is the industry to watch, with 600 companies from across the globe now based here.
“Our network is strong in terms of the number of companies and players,” says Natasa Deutinger, the head of Startup Salzburg. “Being a one- stop shop is one of the city’s biggest strengths.” The incubator is promoting smaller companies in the technology sector, such as Sproof, which develops digital signature software, and cyber-security company Solbytech.
“Our network tries to make the best environment for innovative founders,” says Lorenz Maschke of Salzburg Economic Chamber. But he admits that competitive advantage alone probably isn’t the clincher for those considering a move to Salzburg. “You have to be prepared to pack your skis and walking boots and have some fun,” he says. —
made in austria
From designers crafting lighting, cutlery and furniture to the canny engineers behind folding bikes and skis, we round up some of our favourite Austrian firms and products that you might otherwise miss.
SKI BOOTS AND SKIS
Hannes Strolz and Kneissl
Not long after skiing arrived in Austria, Ambroz Strolz set up a shoe workshop in Lech. His leather boots became all the rage after being displayed at the 1937 World Exhibition in Paris and remain at the forefront of the sector today. Another leader when it comes to Alpine essentials is Kneissl, which has made high-quality skis in Kufstein for almost a century.
hannes-strolz.com; kneissl.com
TEXTILES
Zur Schwäbischen Jungfrau
Based in Vienna’s city centre, Zur Schwäbischen Jungfrau has produced fine linens since 1720. Originally a supplier to Austria’s aristocracy, the 300-year-old business was revitalised when Hanni Vanicek took over in the late 20th century and added some modern appeal. Now, alongside her nephew Theodor Vanicek, she offers products ranging from tablecloths to items for aeroplanes and yachts.
zsj.at
CHAIRS
Thonet and Wittmann
Michael Thonet’s bentwood chairs became instant classics when they were launched in Vienna in the mid-19th century and the chairs remain staples of Austria’s cafés. Meanwhile, family-run Austrian company Wittmann, now in its fifth generation, is best known for pieces such as Josef Hoffmann’s distinctive Kubus chair.
thonet.de; wittmann.at
WAFERS
Manner
The pink packaging bears the word “Neapolitaner” but these wafers are resolutely Viennese. Made and run between Vienna and Wolkersdorf by a company of about 700 employees, these toothsome treats are made from sustainable cocoa and sold in more than 50 countries. The timeless packaging has hardly changed since the product was first listed in the company’s catalogue in 1898.
manner.com
HATS AND SOCKS
Mühlbauer and Bolter
Austria’s eye for quality clothing is unmatched and Mühlbauer should be your go-to for handmade millinery. Its three-step steaming, blocking and trimming process plays to the strengths of its fine felt. Tyrolean hats and turbans sit beside baseball caps in the brand’s 1st district shop in Vienna. For hosiery, look no further than Bolter in Koblach for merino-wool socks to keep you warm in a cold snap.
muelbauer.at; bolter-socks.com
CARE PRODUCTS
Saint Charles Apothecary and Susanne Kaufmann
Sixth-generation pharmacist Alexander Ehrmann has been running Vienna’s Saint Charles Apothecary since 2006. The space, which dates back to 1886, stocks simply packaged products made from natural ingredients, many of which it mixes in-house. Meanwhile, Bregenzerwald cosmetics company Susanne Kaufmann shows that Austrian firms have what it takes to go global.
saint-charles.eu; susannekaufmann.com
GLASSWARE
J&L Lobmeyr, Swarovski and Riedel
j&l Lobmeyr has produced glassware since 1823 and is currently run by the family’s sixth-generation leaders, Andreas, Leonid and Johannes Rath. It originally specialised in chandeliers but Lobmeyr moved on to lighting, tableware and more, and now works with the best new designers. Glass is a clear winner in Austria – just look to Swarovski over in Wattens and Riedel in Kufstein.
lobmeyr.at; swarovski.com; riedel.com
MOTORBIKES
KTM
Originally founded as a repair shop in Mattighofen, Upper Austria, in 1934, motor-vehicle manufacturer ktm now has 21 different models in production. Its first foray into the motorbike sector in 1953 resulted in the stately r100. Today, ktm is thriving in the world of two-wheeled transport and sells more than 250,000 units across the globe per year.
ktm.com
SHOES
Ludwig Reiter and Rudolf Scheer & Söhne
Launched in 1885, shoe manufacturer Ludwig Reiter is now led by Magdalena Reiter and Anna Reiter-Smith, along with cousin Joseph Potyka-Zeiler. It’s best known for its welted soles for shoes that are now sought after across the world. Vienna’s oldest bespoke shoemaker is Rudolf Scheer & Söhne; its shop in the city is worth a visit in its own right.
ludwig-reiter.com; scheer.at
LIGHTING
Kalmar
In 1881, Julius August Kalmar founded Kalmar in Vienna. The firm, which initially specialised in handmade bronze objects, was among the first to work with architects to create lighting. Now in its fifth generation, the family business continues to produce fine lighting and bespoke pieces for clients in hospitality, commercial, marine and residential projects worldwide.
kalmarlighting.com
SKI LIFTS
Doppelmayr
Doppelmayr, founded in Wolfurt in 1893, continues to elevate the ski-lift experience for customers across the globe. It offers ropeways and chairlifts with heated seating, plus cabins that carry your kit and gondolas that climb slopes at speeds of more than six metres per second. Today it’s responsible for more than 15,000 installations across 96 countries.
doppelmayr.com
CERAMICS
Augarten
Handmade for the past 300 years, every piece of Augarten pottery is unique. The company is Austria’s finest purveyor of daintily decorated, pastorally patterned ceramics and the occasional art nouveau gem. Its reputation has never wavered. The products made at the original factory are referred to as Alt Wien (“Old Vienna”) porcelain; no trip to the capital is complete without a visit to the facility.
augarten.com
CUTLERY
Jarosinski & Vaugoin and Wiener Silber Manufactur
Led by its sixth-generation owner, Jean-Paul Vaugoin, this cutlery business offers styles ranging from classic sets to baroque decorative tableware pieces. Its wares have been forged at the same workshop in the Austrian capital’s Neubau district since 1847. Wiener Silber Manufactur has maintained a similarly august reputation for cutlery since 1882.
vaugoin.com; wienersilbermanufactur.com
STREET-FOOD BIKES
Paul & Ernst
Dreamed up by product designer Paul Kogelnig and architect Ernst Stockinger, Paul & Ernst’s customisable street-food bikes can be fully assembled in 30 seconds and have accommodated everything from people peddling oven-fresh wood-fire pizzas to cocktail carts. Ding, ding: there’s no excuse not to get into the saddle and take your business on the road now.
paulandernst.com
1.
Chris Tag
Founder, Defy
Before founding Defy, a maker of hardwearing bags, Chris Tag was an art director for Ogilvy. “I would work for nine months on a commercial that would disappear in two weeks,” he tells monocle. “I always wanted to make something a bit more meaningful that would last longer.”
Tag set up Defy and started taking on freelance jobs in 2008 while it got going. He challenged himself to have all of the cutting and stitching for his new brand done in Chicago. It took years to get there but Defy now ships to more than 30 countries, with a loyal following among Japan’s luggage connoisseurs. Two years ago it bought out Lee Sewing, a family-owned manufacturer based in Chicago.
Tag’s pivot from advertising began with some cast-off billboard vinyl. “I saw that you could make something from it. So I dragged it out to my Mini Cooper, put it in through the sunroof, then taught myself how to sew by watching YouTube.” He sold his first messenger bags to his co-workers. “Everyone paid cash, so I had $1,000 [€895] in my pocket.”
Defy’s materials have since had an upgrade but keeping manufacturing local has been key, allowing the brand to nimbly develop new ideas and test them out on the market. “Scaling this by going overseas isn’t appealing,” says Tag.
In switching careers, Tag set out to make something that could stand up to corporate culture. The business plan came later. “I said I’d be profitable in a year – but that became two, then three. Everyone talks about following your passion, which is quaint, but think through the economics and whether you can make a living from it.”
defybags.com
2.
Philipp Mayr and Dominic Flik
Co-founders, Kaisers Smoked BBQ
Philipp Mayr and Dominic Flik left their careers in industrial design 10 years ago to start Kaisers Smoked bbq, a barbecue stall next to the butcher’s at Graz’s main farmers’ market in Kaiser-Josef-Platz. “We just got bored with our jobs,” says Mayr, laughing.
Their design expertise stood them in good stead when they built their stall. “You can’t stop being a designer, even when you’re dealing with how food is presented on a plate or how the tables are situated,” says Flik.
When they founded Kaisers Smoked bbq in the early 2010s, there was a dearth of barbecue equipment in Europe, so the pair’s first smoker had to be imported from Tennessee. The result is quite possibly the only authentic US-style barbecue joint in Styria, the Austrian province where Graz is the capital.
Kaisers Smoked bbq opens its doors early, serving up smoky flavours until 22.30 from Monday to Saturday. The work is more demanding than in Mayr and Flik’s previous careers but they don’t mind. “Now we are never bored,” says Mayr with a smile.
kaisersbbq.at
3.
Bianca Gerber
Founder, Les Bois
From her office in Zug, Switzerland, Bianca Gerber tells monocle how her passion for interior design comes from her painter father and tailor mother. “Our house was full of incredible antique furniture,” she says. Gerber started her career as a paralegal in a Zürich law firm. But she bridled at the buttoned-up nature of the profession and the fact that she was working for a large organisation. “I couldn’t get used to the idea of being employed by someone else for the rest of my life,” she says.
She made the jump at 35, quitting her job in Zürich and moving to London for a furniture-design course at Central Saint Martins. Getting a degree allowed her to obtain the credentials that she needed to build her own company.
Back in Switzerland, she founded Les Bois, a design studio working with Swiss carpenters to create durable wooden furniture. “The brand focuses on minimalism, with a clean, honest and contemporary design that also celebrates its passion for raw material.”
Gerber’s background gave her an invaluable well of knowledge when negotiating the often-tumultuous legal road of solo entrepreneurship. “I’m by myself making big decisions and handling any issues with the producers,” she says. Les Bois now aims to open a showroom in the near future. “It’s worth the risk when you’re building something yourself. It’s the best decision that I ever made.”
shoplesbois.ch
