Calm before a storm

The president of Taiwan is softly spoken and unassuming but that hasn’t stopped her from ruffling a few feathers. We speak to her as she gears up for the 2020 election.
Staying frosty

Without its hardy icebreakers, Finland would come to a frozen standstill. We hop aboard to find out how it’s done.
Fear game

How Brazil’s problems with violent crime led to a political swing to the right.
Nothing but the truth

From skateboarding in Illinois to covert filming in the suburbs of Damascus, documentary films are enjoying mass-market appeal – and cashing in at the box office too. We meet the genre’s talents.
Space man

Tavares Strachan has an unusual CV: not many artists have trained as a cosmonaut.
Writing rights

‘The Last Column’, a collection of final dispatches by journalists who have been killed in the line of duty, reminds us of the importance of a free press.
Novel approach

A Japanese book distributor is espousing an unusual business model that sells not just books, but the bookshop experience itself, to bibliophiles and casual shoppers alike.
On balance

Bridges connect us. We meet the architects and engineers using them to brand cities, draw tourists and, of course, bring people together.
Crunch time

Easter and Christmas may be the time for sugary treats but one Spanish town has hit a year-round sweet spot.
Dough with the flow

US baking powerhouse The Manufactory is rising to the occasion with the opening of its vast new LA kitchen and restaurant.
The spring manifesto

With the arrival of longer days, it’s the perfect time for a wardrobe edit – so let us introduce the brands, products and looks to savour this year. While we’re at it, we’ll put you in the know with the latest news from the industry.
Texans in town

Dallas’s department-store stalwart Neiman Marcus and leading fashion boutique Forty Five Ten have rolled into the Big Apple with huge new spaces. It’s a bold move when bricks-and-mortar openings are a risk.
Beauty contest

Chinese consumers can’t get enough of cosmetics, especially when it comes to high-end foreign brands. Hong Kong is benefitting from this insatiable demand and exploiting a loophole in China’s regulations.
Refusing to buckle

Luxury watch brands gather in Geneva and prove that, despite digitisation, this is a strapping industry that’s dialling into the demands of a new generation.

Merchandise / Global

Shopping

Make tidying up a joy with beautiful organisers and accessories.

Writer: Hester Underhill

Photography: David Sykes

The idea of a spring clean is all well and good – but sometimes it feels particularly satisfying to pair this annual ritual with a thorough decluttering spree. A tidy home means a tidy mind, after all; often by getting your surroundings in order, your thoughts will follow. To give you a helping hand, Monocle has put together a keen selection of impeccably designed household objects to make your dreams of orderliness a reality.

1.

File tray:

Present & Correct

Three-tiered oak tray with sliding levels.
skagerak.dk; presentandcorrect.com

2.

Tape measure:

Artek

Find the perfect fit with this 3-metre tape measure.
conranshop.co.uk; artek.fi

3.

Washing powder storage box:

Garden Trading

A neat box in which to stash your soap.
gardentrading.co.uk; blancliving.co

4.

USB hub:

Hacoa

Its playful wooden design keeps cables in order.
hacoa.net

5.

Hammock accessory organiser:

Umbra

The tiered pocket set-up can hold everything from phones to glasses.
umbra.com

6.

Adaptor:

Flight 001

Clever slotting adaptor for use in 150 countries.
flight001.com

7.

Construction tool pen:

Troika

This pen doubles as a screwdriver, spirit level and ruler.
troika.de

8.

Ruler:

Penco

This wooden ruler is made to measure.
londongraphics.co.uk; hightide-online.jp

9.

Desk tray:

Herman Miller

Satisfyingly stackable solution for desktops.
hermanmiller.com

10.

Metal clips:

Think of Things

Sturdy clips to keep papers together and in order.
think-of-things.com

11.

Notebook:

Fabriano

A notepad with an elastic strap for neat stationery storage.
fabrianoboutique.it; conranshop.co.uk

12.

Notebooks:

Nomess

For tidy thoughts and to-do lists.
nomess.dk; londongraphics.co.uk

13.

Desktop notepad:

Before Breakfast

Handy jotting pad for neat note-taking.
beforebreakfast.london; conranshop.co.uk

14.

Desk light:

Balmuda

To illuminate your workspace and stash away stationery.
balmuda.com

15.

Adhesive pinboard:

Moxon London

Customisable board made of sticky cork.
moxon.london

16.

Numbered pushpins:

Moore

Nifty numerical pins for clear and cleverly laid-out boards.
presentandcorrect.com; push-pin.com

17.

Bento boxes and picnic set:

Ekobo

Bamboo-fibre boxes for lunching on the go.
by-ekobo.com; uniqueandunity.co.uk

Editor’s Letter

The opener

Cosy corner

Time served

Blooming marvellous

My cabinet

Taking stock

Calm before a storm

Staying frosty

Fear game

Nothing but the truth

Space man

Writing rights

Novel approach

On balance

Crunch time

Dough with the flow

The spring manifesto

Texans in town

Beauty contest

Refusing to buckle

Diplomacy briefing

Politics briefing

Defence Briefing

Cities briefing

Food & drink briefing

Talking shop

The Ten

Travel briefing

Building a legacy

Complex life

Naoki Takizawa

Let me be your fantasy

Hit refresh

Back to bright

Destination: Japan

Happy returns

Shopping

Well heeled

Counter proposals

The directory

Messing with Texas

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