All in a grey’s work

Beijing’s ‘Glammas’ offer a new image for what one’s twilight years might yield.
Pilou Asbaek

In our column asking accomplished people for their take on events, business and culture, we speak to the Danish actor about the rise of Scandi drama and how roles for foreigners have changed in Hollywood.
My cabinet

The humanoid forms of sculptor Antony Gormley dot landscapes across the world. We meet the team that helps put them together.
Potus report

As the 46th US president gets into his stride, we take a look at Joe Biden’s first few months in office, assessing where he’s done well and where he’s fallen short – while key thinkers tell us what changes they’d like to see.
Fight your corner

Trump called the organisation ‘obsolete’ but Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg says the alliance is stronger than ever and ready to deal with cyber threats, bullying nations and the shifting global balance of power.
Taking the lead

From plant-based dog food to televets and smart collars, the ever-growing market for pet paraphernalia has the wind in its tails.
Building anew

Diane Hoskins is co-CEO of the world’s biggest architecture firm and is at the forefront of the movement to build better places to work. And yes, she believes in office life.
Easel living

Why rent expensive studio or gallery space when you can create and showcase at home? Meet the real artists in residence.
Prime times

From Low Countries noir to a physician’s phenomenal art sale, we pick the books, films, albums and exhibits to give your month a fresh perspective.
Designs for life

As Artcurial prepares to put the art and furniture of fashion designer Kenzo Takada under the hammer, we take a peek behind the scenes in Paris, at a collection as vibrant and eclectic as its owner.
The Monocle Shop

The mercury is rising for northern hemisphere folk – and that means it’s time to get those warm-weather wardrobes sorted. Here we bring you dashing swimming trunks and handy waterproof totes for stashing them in, plus some breezy cotton loungewear and plenty of colourful accessories.
Growth spurt

The roots of success for Portugal’s best restaurants lie in the country’s agricultural heart. We meet the farmers putting the finest produce on the menu.
Top draw

Photography can capture the details of clothes as they are in real life but what’s wrong with a little fantasy? Nothing is better at adding romance to the cut of a coat or swoosh of a dress than illustration. We meet three smart artists.
Local champion

Combining enduring traditions with contemporary style, Kestin Hare’s foray into menswear is an innovative offering that champions UK production, with an emphasis on prioritising people before profit.

Graphic design / Global

Stick ’em up!

When done well, posters can persuade us to buy a pen, observe social norms or fly to a faraway land. They look great too. Put them on your walls.

Writers: Hester Underhill,; Josh Fehnert

Good graphic design can transform advertising into an artform. At their best, great campaigns use deft illustration or artfully rendered ideas to create idealised, soft-edged and simplified versions of the world. They pique our interest with promises and appeal to our desires: for order, exploration, ideas or excitement.

The pleasing shapes in these posters, their tight typography and eye-catching colours, come together to raise awareness – of an exhibition, perhaps, or about consumer electronics – but they can simultaneously cause us to raise an eyebrow, crack a smile or start making plans.

Who wouldn’t want to hop on a flight to Rome, Greece, Geneva, or even Kandersteg after taking in the glowing representations of these pretty postwar posters? Here’s our paean to the alchemy of advertising done well.