Editor’s letter
It’s smooth railing for Tyler Brûlé, who has house news and Christmas plans to share.
The opener
It might seem as though the world has slowed down but new ideas and changes to make the world a better place are being pursued every day, from a Peru-based app designed to combat dangerous driving to a roadside journalism school in Colombia. For those wanting to start small, there’s always etiquette lessons in Paris or the meditative power of regular sketching.Driven by success
An app-based solution to Lima’s dangerous roads.Mind your manners
The world might be becoming more casual but the French aren’t about to drop their standards of etiquette. From boardroom to dining table, you will be scrutinised. And one other tip – don’t ask whether all of this matters. That really would be most rude.Cosy corner
Months of lockdown-induced reflection brought about a new career direction for ‘Washington Post’ fashion critic Robin Givhan. Her favourite diversion is a day with her dog in a Capitol Hill cemetery.
Balance of power
At a febrile time for the US, we meet three figures who are speaking up about social justice, civil rights and the power of fair reporting.The change-makers
Whether they’ve required minor nips and tucks or major new infrastructure, the following five urban interventions have cleverly reimagined their neighbourhoods and cities for the better.Room to grow
A new urban farm in Paris is boosting the city’s food supply. And it’s an idea that’s bearing fruit in cities across the world.Test match
The need to trial initiatives in our cities has never been greater – and finding the right test bed is key. These experiments, from air mobility in Singapore to co-ordinated transport services in Pittsburgh via a technology hub on the fringes of Kigali, could soon be fixtures in urban centres worldwide.How I manage
Marlene Taschen, CEO of art-book publisher Taschen, talks leadership ethos, her hopes for the publishing industry’s future and why she doesn’t need to prove herself.Holding sway
Does regional media still have its part to play in influencing floating voters? As US election day draws ever closer, we meet some of the journalists, publishers and broadcasters whose editorial output could change the outcome where it matters the most.Look this way
Copenhagen’s Chart Art Fair, which champions Nordic art, has reinvented itself. Could its new format be a template for the future?Finely chiselled
Change starts at home, so we select 20 pieces, people and studios creating products that will enhance your environment and improve with age. Sitting comfortably?Street view
Installations at Concéntrico, a design and architecture festival in the Spanish city of Logroño, are challenging residents to look at what surrounds them in new ways.Art house
Communal living with like-minded folk can be a source of inspiration. And there’s no better example than Helsinki’s Lallukka, an artists’ residence nurturing global talent.The way to build?
Canny property developers can create spaces that profit communities as well as their bottom lines. We visit a school, shop and housing project that are built to last.Island of plenty
Bruny Island might be remote but this Tasmanian outpost has all it needs to eat and drink well, and live a slower life.To the manor born
Wine from England? Surely not, you might think. But vineyards are proliferating in the country’s sunny south and wine-makers are right at home in the rolling hills.Neighbourhood watch
Architect Kengo Kuma has graced a provincial Japanese town with a studio for storied watch-maker Grand Seiko.All the same
The times they are a changing but from personal service to the editor’s view, some things are just fine as they are.Change attire
A roadtrip in a southern German region rich with wine, dining and climbing.Standing by
There is one place that is always and entirely yours: your bedside table. And it is also the area where fine takes on useful wares should be within easy reach.
Defence Briefing
The US plan to sell F-35s to the UAE throws up problems, while Taiwan opens a new MRO centre and Japan sees sales of radars go to the Philippines.Diplomacy Briefing
Canada’s ambassador to the US on closing a busy border and Croatia and Serbia’s closer ties.Politics Briefing
A rebel-turned-lawmaker keeping peace in Colombia, Myanmar’s elections and Radio Free Europe.Cities Briefing
Cambodia builds a school for mayors and we ask Arnhem’s alderman how to prepare for climate change.Business Briefing
The leatherware company who joined Office, mail-order wine and a Taiwanese airline on the rise.Culture Briefing
From art thievery to murderous intentions, warzones to Japanese suburbs, we highlight the latest releases on screen, page and stereo that will keep you diverted and delighted as winter draws near. There’s plenty to keep you dancing too, courtesy of Kylie.Food & Drink Briefing
A first look at a London restaurant group’s latest bakery, a Parisian spot par excellence plus Sydney’s best new bar.Fashion Briefing
From luggage that will leave you longing to get back on a plane to elegant Japanese skincare prodcuts that will keep you looking fresh, we round-up new releases.Travel Briefing
Be it a beach club in Stockholm, a design-led Athens retreat or a tasteful Mexican restoration, there are plenty of recent openings with bright futures. We round-up a few of our favourites.
“Time for change” is the theme of Monocle’s November issue. It’s packed with inspiration, ideas and long reads covering everything from urban heroes who are improving cities to businesses on the rise and voices from the media in US swing states. Inside is everything you need to rethink how the worlds of politics, business, design and travel work. Plus: offbeat wines, fashion fixes and canny developers to watch.
Issue 138
November 2020
Editor's letter
At the front
The opener
It might seem as though the world has slowed down but new ideas and changes to make the world a better place are being pursued every day, from a Peru-based app designed to combat dangerous driving to a roadside journalism school in Colombia. For those wanting to start small, there’s always etiquette lessons in Paris or the meditative power of regular sketching.Driven by success
An app-based solution to Lima’s dangerous roads.Mind your manners
The world might be becoming more casual but the French aren’t about to drop their standards of etiquette. From boardroom to dining table, you will be scrutinised. And one other tip – don’t ask whether all of this matters. That really would be most rude.Cosy corner
Months of lockdown-induced reflection brought about a new career direction for ‘Washington Post’ fashion critic Robin Givhan. Her favourite diversion is a day with her dog in a Capitol Hill cemetery.
Report
Balance of power
At a febrile time for the US, we meet three figures who are speaking up about social justice, civil rights and the power of fair reporting.The change-makers
Whether they’ve required minor nips and tucks or major new infrastructure, the following five urban interventions have cleverly reimagined their neighbourhoods and cities for the better.Room to grow
A new urban farm in Paris is boosting the city’s food supply. And it’s an idea that’s bearing fruit in cities across the world.Test match
The need to trial initiatives in our cities has never been greater – and finding the right test bed is key. These experiments, from air mobility in Singapore to co-ordinated transport services in Pittsburgh via a technology hub on the fringes of Kigali, could soon be fixtures in urban centres worldwide.How I manage
Marlene Taschen, CEO of art-book publisher Taschen, talks leadership ethos, her hopes for the publishing industry’s future and why she doesn’t need to prove herself.Holding sway
Does regional media still have its part to play in influencing floating voters? As US election day draws ever closer, we meet some of the journalists, publishers and broadcasters whose editorial output could change the outcome where it matters the most.Look this way
Copenhagen’s Chart Art Fair, which champions Nordic art, has reinvented itself. Could its new format be a template for the future?Finely chiselled
Change starts at home, so we select 20 pieces, people and studios creating products that will enhance your environment and improve with age. Sitting comfortably?Street view
Installations at Concéntrico, a design and architecture festival in the Spanish city of Logroño, are challenging residents to look at what surrounds them in new ways.Art house
Communal living with like-minded folk can be a source of inspiration. And there’s no better example than Helsinki’s Lallukka, an artists’ residence nurturing global talent.The way to build?
Canny property developers can create spaces that profit communities as well as their bottom lines. We visit a school, shop and housing project that are built to last.Island of plenty
Bruny Island might be remote but this Tasmanian outpost has all it needs to eat and drink well, and live a slower life.To the manor born
Wine from England? Surely not, you might think. But vineyards are proliferating in the country’s sunny south and wine-makers are right at home in the rolling hills.Neighbourhood watch
Architect Kengo Kuma has graced a provincial Japanese town with a studio for storied watch-maker Grand Seiko.All the same
The times they are a changing but from personal service to the editor’s view, some things are just fine as they are.Change attire
A roadtrip in a southern German region rich with wine, dining and climbing.Standing by
There is one place that is always and entirely yours: your bedside table. And it is also the area where fine takes on useful wares should be within easy reach.
Briefing
Defence Briefing
The US plan to sell F-35s to the UAE throws up problems, while Taiwan opens a new MRO centre and Japan sees sales of radars go to the Philippines.Diplomacy Briefing
Canada’s ambassador to the US on closing a busy border and Croatia and Serbia’s closer ties.Politics Briefing
A rebel-turned-lawmaker keeping peace in Colombia, Myanmar’s elections and Radio Free Europe.Cities Briefing
Cambodia builds a school for mayors and we ask Arnhem’s alderman how to prepare for climate change.Business Briefing
The leatherware company who joined Office, mail-order wine and a Taiwanese airline on the rise.Culture Briefing
From art thievery to murderous intentions, warzones to Japanese suburbs, we highlight the latest releases on screen, page and stereo that will keep you diverted and delighted as winter draws near. There’s plenty to keep you dancing too, courtesy of Kylie.Food & Drink Briefing
A first look at a London restaurant group’s latest bakery, a Parisian spot par excellence plus Sydney’s best new bar.Fashion Briefing
From luggage that will leave you longing to get back on a plane to elegant Japanese skincare prodcuts that will keep you looking fresh, we round-up new releases.Travel Briefing
Be it a beach club in Stockholm, a design-led Athens retreat or a tasteful Mexican restoration, there are plenty of recent openings with bright futures. We round-up a few of our favourites.
Shopping
Shoot
Expo
