Editor’s letter
Tyler Brûlé reveals our plans to bring even more of the Monocle experience to you.The opener
Why it’s time to kick off your shoes in the office, the drive to ban drive-thrus and some woolly wanderers flocking to Paris.Building support
Casablanca does a fine line in conserving its colonial architecture but is more inclined to neglect its more recent gems. Meet the duo fighting for modernism.Front vine
When Russia annexed Crimea, Ukraine lost its wine-making region. Now its vintners are clinking glasses with the west.My cabinet
If you’re in charge of policing one of the safest cities in the world, pressure and pride go hand in hand.Cosy corner
Artist and historian Rachel Schreiber is the new head of the celebrated Parsons School of Design. As she rethinks its role, she finds solace in the New York Public Library.
Salut, Italie!
Franco-Italian ties are unusually frosty. How far can drinks, diplomacy and a dancefloor go towards warming relations?Greasing the wheels
The latest stop in our series is Tulsa. Despite a slowing trickle of oil money it is rich in creative vision and optimism for the future; now it just needs to get the rest of the world on board.Politics briefing
Sweden’s politics festival, anti-Semitism in the European Commission and Austria’s election.Diplomacy briefing
We talk to Taiwan’s man in London about diplomatic tussles with China, the Swiss build their second-largest embassy and Russia’s backfire in the Baltics.Defence briefing
Vietnam’s surprising purchases from the US, and France’s defence exports have a moment.Cities briefing
Victoria’s mayor talks unpopular policies, Ghent transforms its cycling culture and Helsinki goes green.
Moving forward
How will you get to work in the future? We consider the role that businesses will play and think about some of the potential travel opportunities and pitfalls – not to mention how long it’ll take.Business briefing
A space-saving office, bricks-and-mortar shops for online brands and bringing craft beer to India.Against the grain
Oatly CEO Toni Petersson has raised the drink’s profile by revamping its brand, tapping into consumers’ eco-desires and antagonising the dairy industry.Striking a balance
Beauty and hospitality entrepreneur Cynthia Chua practises what she preaches.Hive of industry
Soundproofed chairs, high ceilings and yellow upholstery have helped Estonian newspaper ‘Aripaev’ turn a factory hall in Tallinn into a modern office for busy bees.Equal measure
A hospitality venture has transformed its fortunes with a work-ethic makeover.Office politics
The way we work is changing – and fast. This is leaving business owners and managers with more questions than answers. Does flexible working pay off? How much leave is too much? And how important is sustainability? We speak to the people trying to change the way we work.Testing times
What happens if all commutes are free? Or you make young people do national service? Or even pay people for doing nothing at all? We find out.All in a day’s work
From paying your bills to finding your calling, work means many things to many people. But it’s the manner of your approach to the daily grind – your ambitions, your colleagues and your routine – that will define your career. So we’re taking working life to task.
Directors’ cut
The more incendiary the conversation around cultural topics becomes, the more museum directors take on the role of mouthpieces for how society should deal with thorny issues. Four art bosses tell us how they’re making an exhibit of climate change, colonial history, challenging norms and much more besides.Crowd pleasers
An increasing number of independent media outlets are launching via crowdfunding campaigns. But building on this income while delivering on promises is another challenge; we look at seven ventures playing to the crowd.The Ten
After the summer’s megafairs, the art scene is chilling out and the centenary of the Bauhaus movement is being marked on small screens and in a new museum. Plus: emo-pop cures all ills, books and films explore the clashes between generations and a familiar face returns to newsstands.
Business sense
Organic grocery chain Alnatura has gone above and beyond to create a smart and healthy office culture in its new HQ.Aiming high
For Catalans, Gaudí’s Sagrada Família isn’t just a church: it’s an icon of identity and innovation.Room to breathe
Why the design of this 1960s retreat, promoting modernity while embracing its nature, has stood the test of time.
New wave
Northern Spain has long been overlooked by visitors and entrepreneurs but there’s a glint of revival to be seen in its under-the-radar restaurants and inns. We pack a trunk for a roadtrip to meet the food folk doing things differently.Food & Drink Briefing
Food finds, from a microdistillery in rural Japan to new openings in Ibiza, Vienna and Avignon.Francis Mallmann
The Argentine chef on early inspiration, youthful rebellion, meaty domination and the tyranny of interfering waiters.
Reap what you sew
How can fledgling fashion labels make an impact in the industry? Here’s some inspiration from those who’ve done it.Fascinating case study
Why does Japanese luggage firm Ace travel so well? We check in with the CEO for a lesson in product development and diversification.Fashion Briefing
LA’s menswear upstart, an impressive new perfume shop and a beloved designer making a comeback.The fashion files
As autumn heads our way, it’s back to the office. Feelgood fabrics and elegant accessories will help you look the part.
In pursuit of perfection
Think that all the best work is done in cities? A chef hitting the heights in a remote Swiss village is proving otherwise.Take your pick
Do you fancy a 19th-century palace in Porto or a 1920s office building in LA? All bases are covered here.Back to basics
Visit a modern hotel with old-fashioned values that’s housed in a century-old villa.No big thing
What do you do when you can’t find a neighbourhood to suit your needs? Make your own.Best in class
Hidden inside an imposing townhouse, Graanmarkt 13 is a step ahead of routine retail.Game on
A line-up of beautifully crafted toys and games for some light-hearted respite.
La Prairie Monocle
Eyes in focus
La Prairie is a world leader in luxury skincare. Built on its Swiss heritage and ability to create innovative, high-performance products, La Prairie takes pride in elevating skincare to an artform. Its emphasis on supporting creativity in all its forms has led the brand to become deeply involved in the art world. As a global partner of Art Basel it was present at all three editions of the fair (Basel, Hong Kong and Miami) and opened its exhibition Eyes in Focus in Basel in June. On display in the La Prairie Pavilion in the Collectors Lounge, the exhibition included the work of three emerging Swiss photographers: Daniela Droz, Namsa Leuba and Senta Simond.
The three artists, all graduates of the esteemed Lausanne University of Art and Design, brought their unique perspectives and visual styles to Basel through an array of works that took the viewer on an immersive journey to capture the beauty of the gaze. The theme was directly inspired by La Prairie’s latest caviar incarnation: Skin Caviar Eye Lift, the first eye-opening serum for the whole eye area.
La Prairie’s Skin Caviar Eye Lift is a scientifically advanced serum that works to revive the area around the eyes.
Daniela Droz
The works that Ticino-born Daniela Droz created for La Prairie’s exhibition at Art Basel in Basel formed a series of Bauhaus-inspired abstract compositions that used mirrored surfaces to reflect the gaze of the viewer back to them. In this way, Droz aimed to explore the relationship between the inner self and the outside world. “Through my work I don’t want to dictate a specific emotion or sensation,” says Droz. “I would like the viewer to take ownership of it.”
Namsa Leuba
Swiss-Guinean artist Namsa Leuba’s work spans documentary, fashion and performance, and examines the idea of cultural heritage and the western imagination. For Eyes in Focus at Art Basel in Basel, she combined her refined style with touches of La Prairie’s signature cobalt blue to create a particularly striking trio of portraits. “I wanted to illustrate the hidden nature of emotions,” says Leuba. “The gaze, in my opinion, is what reveals the most inner feelings.”
Senta Simond
A native of Geneva, Senta Simond is known for her startlingly intimate portraiture. “I’m really inspired by cinema and painting as well as photography,” says Simond. “I like the spontaneity and speed of photography, and its ability to capture very complex situations in a really fast way.” For Eyes in Focus, Simond created an array of pared back portraits of young women in muted tones, which subtly brought to light the delicate nature of the female gaze.
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Innovative design for an elevated experience
The innovation that defines Skin Caviar Eye Lift is not limited to its cutting-edge formula. Inspired by the vial design of Skin Caviar Liquid Lift and its visible caviar beads, this latest eye area treatment is an homage to the potency and indulgence of the La Prairie’s iconic gold caviar beads. With a press of the activating pump, the two formulas – one encapsulated in caviar beads, the other in an innovative tourmaline-pink gel-cream emulsion, each housed in separate chambers to maintain their purity – are drawn up to a patent-pending mechanism that freshly blends them with each use. The result is a delightfully textured serum that melts into skin with a refreshing touch and an immediate tensing sensation.
Skin Caviar Eye Lift brings together audacious science, cutting-edge technology and the indulgence of caviar in one elevated creation for the eyes.
