Editor’s letter
At a time of year when the emphasis is on giving, some nations can look back on 2021 with more satisfaction than others, writes Andrew Tuck. We’ve taken note for Monocle’s annual Soft Power Survey, which forms only a part of our generously proportioned double issue.The Opener
Army boy bands and musical car horns in India. Plus: Emile Mosseri on his new album and favourite Christmas tunes.Flake news
Baker Ciro Scognamillo has created a new classic Neapolitan cake, the ‘fiocco di neve’. We take a bite.Brazil’s big cat
Esteemed journalist Glória Maria offers a timeless case study in the importance of engaging broadcast journalism.Call of the wild
In the rugged wilderness of Alaska, people can easily become lost. Thankfully, a trusty pack of dogs and their human handlers are ready to help should something go awry.
Comment: Norway
The stories you should be paying attention to – and the ones you might have missed.Affairs: Global
How Abba’s humility has contributed to its soft-power success. Plus: trouble in Nicaragua.Defence and Diplomacy: Global
The latest deals. Plus: Why do all its neighbours turn on North Macedonia?Business: Global
How books are sold in Russia, flights are taking off in India and tattoos are fading in the US.Culture: Global
Finds from the worlds of museums, publishing and K-pop, plus a popular podcast festival.Urbanism and design: Global
From Turin’s sky-high new development to a Tokyo architecture exhibition.
World in reach
Our annual survey of the nations that have mastered the gentle art of making friends and influencing people.Return to hope
Ten years after the death of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya faces numerous challenges – not to mention military standoffs – in its bid to become the Dubai of north Africa. Yet as Mary Fitzgerald, Monocle’s correspondent in the region, finds on a visit to Tripoli, where she once lived, a period of calm is allowing people to dream again.Winds of change
The president of Central America’s climate upstart stole the show at Cop26 – but he’s not done yet.Should museums heed calls for restitution?
Do the Elgin Marbles belong in the British Museum, where they have been safely housed and displayed for more than 200 years – or are they stolen goods? Monocle’s expert panel discusses the repatriation of art in a time of culture wars and identity politics.Generating change
Denmark’s impressive transition from oil to renewable energy has been led by offshore-wind giant Ørsted. Its CEO tells us about the firm’s ongoing quest for power.Crest of a wave
The Galician port city is establishing itself as a hub of entrepreneurship, technology, international trade – and exceptional weather. Welcome to ‘Galifornia’.Wood intentions
A greater embrace of timber and the use of digital efficiency simulacra were among the constructive ideas for greener property at the latest Expo Real trade fair.Art direction
How can the Uzbek capital become an art city? The plan: to eschew starchitects and take things slowly.Choice cuts
We source the best new art and retail – and meet the creative minds behind it – to make yours a winter of cultural contentment.Revving the engine
After a major financial collapse, Motor City’s creatives are joining forces. So could the artists and gallerists behind the resurgence get the whole of Detroit into gear?Core values
The architects aiding downtown São Paulo’s rapid revival are devoted as much to the area’s inimitable spirit as its modernist heritage.Collecting the set
How a personal haul of modernist homeware became a premier prop source for the global film industry.Bringing it all back home
Fendi’s ‘F’ logo is evocative of fashion at its most refined. And its new partnership with investment group Design Holding could soon see it become equally associated with fine furniture and interior design. Fendi’s CEO, Serge Brunschwig, shares some home truths.Flip the stitch
Amid relaxing standards of formality in the workplace, sales of suits in Japan have fallen sharply. But one Tokyo label is going against the grain. We meet the menswear mavericks behind The Gentleman in the Parlour.Walking distance
How London shoe-maker Henry Maxwell rebooted its bespoke business in a new part of town.Wrapped up
Stuck for gift ideas? Delight loved ones by encouraging them to enjoy the brisk weather, nestle in the bedroom or sit by a fire with these accessories. Feeling generous?Cold moves
Welcome winter by elevating your look with a swish tweed or worsted wool coat layered over soft knits.
Bags of potential
As Christmas beckons, we circumnavigate the globe with more efficiency and insider nous than Santa himself, dropping in on the finest spots and shops to source seasonal gifts in 10 of our favourite sleigh stops.Merry masterclass
To create the perfect Christmas vibe, you need to think about how everything will look and sound. To help you, we’ve gathered a team of seasonal experts.Tables of contentment
When it comes to the annual landmarks of your social calendar, little is more significant than the moment you set your festive table. Here, our friends in food and hospitality share their tips on how to get it just so.All the trimmings
Swiss chef Ralph Schelling prepares a festive meal for four with inspiration taken from across Europe. And there’s even a sandwich for the hosts to enjoy later.Worldwide wonderlands
Wherever you might be, the festive season is a time of coming together. Yet every part of the world brings to the table its own delicacies, rituals and customs, from a hunt for an elusive almond to a shared bucket of KFC. Our writers unwrap what Christmas means in five cities.Statues of liberty
The upheavals of the 20th century have left an indelible mark on Lithuania’s second city. But as Kaunas becomes the European Capital of Culture for 2022, it is shrugging off the effects of a restrictive Soviet past to reveal the heritage of its liberating architecture. We head to Freedom Avenue to explore the places that make the country’s old capital unique.All together now
We’re in Stockholm and carolling in tune.
Monocle’s December/January bumper issue will take you to the far reaches of the globe, from poring over design details in Uzbekistan to petting mountain rescue dogs in Alaska. Alongside our annual Soft Power Survey, we get the local view on Libya a decade on from Gaddafi’s fall and catch up with the president of Costa Rica at Cop26. We also take a drive around Detroit’s art scene and see why Lithuania’s second city is luring film scouts.
Issue 149
December 2021/January 2022
At the front
Editor’s letter
At a time of year when the emphasis is on giving, some nations can look back on 2021 with more satisfaction than others, writes Andrew Tuck. We’ve taken note for Monocle’s annual Soft Power Survey, which forms only a part of our generously proportioned double issue.The Opener
Army boy bands and musical car horns in India. Plus: Emile Mosseri on his new album and favourite Christmas tunes.Flake news
Baker Ciro Scognamillo has created a new classic Neapolitan cake, the ‘fiocco di neve’. We take a bite.Brazil’s big cat
Esteemed journalist Glória Maria offers a timeless case study in the importance of engaging broadcast journalism.Call of the wild
In the rugged wilderness of Alaska, people can easily become lost. Thankfully, a trusty pack of dogs and their human handlers are ready to help should something go awry.
The Agenda: Global briefings
Comment: Norway
The stories you should be paying attention to – and the ones you might have missed.Affairs: Global
How Abba’s humility has contributed to its soft-power success. Plus: trouble in Nicaragua.Defence and Diplomacy: Global
The latest deals. Plus: Why do all its neighbours turn on North Macedonia?Business: Global
How books are sold in Russia, flights are taking off in India and tattoos are fading in the US.Culture: Global
Finds from the worlds of museums, publishing and K-pop, plus a popular podcast festival.Urbanism and design: Global
From Turin’s sky-high new development to a Tokyo architecture exhibition.
Global views: Long reads
World in reach
Our annual survey of the nations that have mastered the gentle art of making friends and influencing people.Return to hope
Ten years after the death of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya faces numerous challenges – not to mention military standoffs – in its bid to become the Dubai of north Africa. Yet as Mary Fitzgerald, Monocle’s correspondent in the region, finds on a visit to Tripoli, where she once lived, a period of calm is allowing people to dream again.Winds of change
The president of Central America’s climate upstart stole the show at Cop26 – but he’s not done yet.Should museums heed calls for restitution?
Do the Elgin Marbles belong in the British Museum, where they have been safely housed and displayed for more than 200 years – or are they stolen goods? Monocle’s expert panel discusses the repatriation of art in a time of culture wars and identity politics.Generating change
Denmark’s impressive transition from oil to renewable energy has been led by offshore-wind giant Ørsted. Its CEO tells us about the firm’s ongoing quest for power.Crest of a wave
The Galician port city is establishing itself as a hub of entrepreneurship, technology, international trade – and exceptional weather. Welcome to ‘Galifornia’.Wood intentions
A greater embrace of timber and the use of digital efficiency simulacra were among the constructive ideas for greener property at the latest Expo Real trade fair.Art direction
How can the Uzbek capital become an art city? The plan: to eschew starchitects and take things slowly.Choice cuts
We source the best new art and retail – and meet the creative minds behind it – to make yours a winter of cultural contentment.Revving the engine
After a major financial collapse, Motor City’s creatives are joining forces. So could the artists and gallerists behind the resurgence get the whole of Detroit into gear?Core values
The architects aiding downtown São Paulo’s rapid revival are devoted as much to the area’s inimitable spirit as its modernist heritage.Collecting the set
How a personal haul of modernist homeware became a premier prop source for the global film industry.Bringing it all back home
Fendi’s ‘F’ logo is evocative of fashion at its most refined. And its new partnership with investment group Design Holding could soon see it become equally associated with fine furniture and interior design. Fendi’s CEO, Serge Brunschwig, shares some home truths.Flip the stitch
Amid relaxing standards of formality in the workplace, sales of suits in Japan have fallen sharply. But one Tokyo label is going against the grain. We meet the menswear mavericks behind The Gentleman in the Parlour.Walking distance
How London shoe-maker Henry Maxwell rebooted its bespoke business in a new part of town.Wrapped up
Stuck for gift ideas? Delight loved ones by encouraging them to enjoy the brisk weather, nestle in the bedroom or sit by a fire with these accessories. Feeling generous?Cold moves
Welcome winter by elevating your look with a swish tweed or worsted wool coat layered over soft knits.
Inventory and Expo: Where to go, buy and eat
Bags of potential
As Christmas beckons, we circumnavigate the globe with more efficiency and insider nous than Santa himself, dropping in on the finest spots and shops to source seasonal gifts in 10 of our favourite sleigh stops.Merry masterclass
To create the perfect Christmas vibe, you need to think about how everything will look and sound. To help you, we’ve gathered a team of seasonal experts.Tables of contentment
When it comes to the annual landmarks of your social calendar, little is more significant than the moment you set your festive table. Here, our friends in food and hospitality share their tips on how to get it just so.All the trimmings
Swiss chef Ralph Schelling prepares a festive meal for four with inspiration taken from across Europe. And there’s even a sandwich for the hosts to enjoy later.Worldwide wonderlands
Wherever you might be, the festive season is a time of coming together. Yet every part of the world brings to the table its own delicacies, rituals and customs, from a hunt for an elusive almond to a shared bucket of KFC. Our writers unwrap what Christmas means in five cities.Statues of liberty
The upheavals of the 20th century have left an indelible mark on Lithuania’s second city. But as Kaunas becomes the European Capital of Culture for 2022, it is shrugging off the effects of a restrictive Soviet past to reveal the heritage of its liberating architecture. We head to Freedom Avenue to explore the places that make the country’s old capital unique.All together now
We’re in Stockholm and carolling in tune.
