Editor’s Letter

For editor in chief Andrew Tuck, the 15th anniversary of the launch of this magazine is a chance to take stock and to find out ‘Whatever happened to...?’ those who featured in – and made – our first issue. (And also to pat ourselves on the back for some powerful prescience.)
The Opener

Kids on heavy machinery, Belgian actress Virginie Efira and irksome train announcements.
Inside Track

Railway fans are using train sets to help improve the real-life efficiency of the Swiss network.
World is watching

The South Korean actor on the global allure of his nation’s culture, the fascination with ‘Squid Game’ and what makes a good story.
My Cabinet: Embassy of Denmark

Skill and style combine to show off the best of Danish values at the country’s mission in London.
Into the woods

We visit a new members’ club and resort that’s offering a slice of the Lower East Side in the Catskills.
Born again

A new luxury hotel in a former maternity hospital has balanced respect for a beloved, historical building with a global vision in a decade-long transformation.
Jail breakers

A German architect duo is converting a former jail into a smart hotel. Monocle takes an exclusive first look at the prison-turned-pension.
Nostalgic neon

The fluorescent signs lining Hong Kong’s streets are a huge part of its identity. Heritage group TNX is working to stop these lights from burning out by restoring them with a new mission to illuminate the next generation of Hong Kongers.
Slice things up

Here’s what’s fresh in the gourmet world: from a cheese affineur who goes to grate lengths to a Norwegian opening in Tokyo and the launch of a newly renovated Los Angeles legend. Plus: a toothsome chicken dish to cook at home.
Upper crust

In the shadow of the iconic Rockefeller Center, a new restaurant and bakery is combining Manhattan’s sophistication with the welcoming bustle of Milan’s aperitivo culture. We break bread with Ignacio Mattos, Lodi’s celebrated chef-owner.
Sleeper hits

Across Europe, new hotels are showing why superior service, not photo opportunities, keeps guests coming back for more.
Hello trolley

This bentwood birch bar trolley from 1936 is a key part of Alvar and Aino Aalto’s original design for the recently revamped Savoy restaurant in Helsinki. There are now two of the original trolleys under chef-patron Helena Puolakka’s roof. The first can be found beside barman Aleksi Mehtonen and the second is wheeled out to tables – a finishing touch to the spot-on service.

Design: Products / Global

Measuring up

If your home is in need of a fresh focal point or statement piece, consider these seven perfectly formed design items.

Writer: Sonia Zhuravlyova

Photography: Michael Bodiam

W163 Lampyre
Wästberg, Sweden
In collaboration with French designer Inga Sempé, Swedish brand Wästberg has crafted a lamp made almost entirely of mouth-blown, white opal glass. Taking its name from the French word for “glow worm”, the w163 Lampyre has a soothing gleam, whether it’s dimmed or turned all the way up.
wastberg.com

Wall hanging
Twenty Twenty One, UK
The Anni Albers wall hanging, designed in 1925, is a prime example of the renowned designer’s unerring eye for textile colours and textures. Its historic pattern has been reissued using surplus yarn from Yorkshire, which has been carefully matched to the original.
twentytwentyone.com

Butterfly chair
L Ercolani, UK
Producing furniture that prioritises function but is still beautifully designed, Italian-born Lucian Ercolani revolutionised mid-century British design as founder of Ercol. Launched in 1956, the Butterfly chair is a refined piece that defined the company’s output. Today it is made from ash timber with a steam-bent ply seat and comes in a range of new finishes.
lercolani.com

MC 22 Filo chair
Mattiazzi, Italy
The handsome Filo chair, designed by brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, stands out for its graphic sensibility and minimal environmental footprint. The solid-wood frame is made from European beech and the seat is fashioned from strong fabric cord.
mattiazzi.eu

Bruno armchair
SCP, UK
This snug armchair has been conceived by London’s Studioilse to allow for a more personalised and relaxed way of sitting. The frame and armrests, one higher than the other, are wrapped in plump upholstery, offering the cosiness of a sofa on a handily compact footprint.
scp.co.uk

Corinth side table
Loehr, Germany
Berlin-based design company Loehr takes inspiration from architecture and its products have a sophisticated form that brings their function to the fore. The Corinth side table, made from solid beech slats, is modest in size and impact, which makes it a welcome addition to any kind of interior.
loehr.co

Iso-Lounge
Isokon Plus, UK
The Iso-Lounge chair is the first collaboration between Isokon Plus, which is renowned for its pioneering work with plywood, and designer Jasper Morrison. It is sleek and lightweight but reassuringly sturdy too; Morrison played with plywood layering to make it flexible and responsive in all the right places.
twentytwentyone.com

Editor’s Letter

The Opener

Inside Track

World is watching

My Cabinet: Embassy of Denmark

Into the woods

Born again

Jail breakers

Nostalgic neon

Slice things up

Upper crust

Sleeper hits

Hello trolley

What’s in a name

Affairs

Comment

Business

Culture

Architecture

Defending the impossible

Into the abyss

Can the Republicans take the centre ground?

New frontier

Talk of the town

Scene stealers

Head of steam

Moving pictures

Taking on the world

Nation buildings

Measuring up

Remaking a masterpiece

Going the distance

Class of its own

Spring awakening

All aboard

Tracking changes

Ensemble cast

Growing pains

Dream team

Snappers’ delight

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