Ed Stocker
Inside the Brazilian embassy in Rome: The diplomatic keepers of Italian heritage
The Italian capital's 17th-century masterpiece, Palazzo Pamphilj, is going through a considered restoration under the direction of the Brazilian embassy.
‘Think globally but act locally’: Gildo Zegna on his plans for the growing luxury conglomerate
Gildo Zegna, the CEO-turned-chair of the Zegna Group, sits down with Monocle to discuss succession, learning to say no and his global brand strategy.
‘Don’t buy the watch – buy the seller’: Massimo Bernardini on carving out a niche in the vintage timepiece market
Massimo Bernardini entered the world of vintage jewellery by chance. He’s since built a reputation as a go-to dealer for those in search of a rare timekeeper.
Sanremo Music Festival is blander than ever. Italians deserve more spice
One Italian newspaper calls it Italy’s Super Bowl. A more accurate description for Sanremo Music Festival might be a cross between Eurovision and New York’s Met Gala – albeit a more insular version. Regardless,…
‘Good deeds should be done in silence’: Meet the anti-graffiti artist working in secret to clean the walls of Brescia
Working in the dead of night, Ghost Pitùr is on a one-man mission to rid his Lombardian city of graffiti.
Meet the artisans of Como, reviving craft in an age of mass production
Craft is alive and well in Lombardy and so is a simple lesson: Making things in cities still matters.
‘Figure skating is art’: Italy’s Valentina Marchei on the Olympic spirit and taking life lessons from the ice
The figure skater discusses the demands of a long career on the ice and the ‘compromise with yourself’ that comes with switching from singles to pairs skating.
‘We can do something that nobody else in fashion can do’: Gildo Zegna on the true price of luxury
The menswear label’s executive chairman believes that the relationship with key customers is more important than ever. And the Winter Olympics are a perfect opportunity to extend its hospitality reach.
‘My office manager has dressed up as a Roman centurion.’ Marco Balich on organising the perfect Milano Cortina Olympic opening ceremony
The Winter Olympics opening ceremony is reliant on thousands of volunteers and watched by two billion people worldwide. Monocle meets the man tasked with creating the ultimate high-stakes global party.
Spain’s migration gamble: How open-border policies are helping its economy to flourish
Spain is bucking a global anti-immigration trend by granting legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants. We explore why the embattled left-wing minority government is banking on this move with migration minister Elma Saiz.
