Editor’s letter
Bricks-and-mortar retail, from tiny independent shops to giant malls, can shape and inspire the community around it. Andrew Tuck finds Monocle’s Retail Survey reflecting what we’ve always believed: that in-person experiences are the most valuable. There’s plenty more too.The Opener
Stories that have piqued our interest, from spy balloons to rock’n’roll currency.Rhythm king
The Uruguayan musician on dancing with the devil and why it’s never too late to dedicate yourself to a passion.Collision course
A school of hard knocks in France is sending stunt performers tripping and flipping to the silver screen.My Cabinet
The completion of a 15-year library renovation is the end of a chapter for the team behind it – but the bonds they’ve formed are an ongoing story.Out of the past
The Peninsula hospitality group’s new perch on the Bosphoros floats our boat. Monocle takes an early peek at how this vast new hotel is helping to transform Istanbul’s Karaköy neighbourhood.Field days
For the Dutch couple who run Sterrekopje among the valleys and fields near Stellenbosch in South Africa, operating a hotel that encourages guests to interact with its staff is as natural as the bucolic surroundings.River beds
Our travel round-up begins with a theatrical Paris hotel beside the Seine. Over the page, we immerse ourselves in Bath, visit a homely Mexican mansion and sample Japanese hospitality in Hokkaido.Selfie improvement
Whether you want to take better portraits, monitor your sleep or just block out noise, these new gadgets can improve your life.Class act
With its shiny new fleet of fuel-efficient, narrow-body aircraft, Toronto’s Porter Airlines is poised to change Canadian aviation and rewrite the rules of economy travel.Crimson tide
Ferries have been chugging between Japan and South Korea for decades but a new scarlet vessel, the ‘Queen Beetle’, is offering passengers a less choppy and more cheerful voyage across the Genkai Sea – now there’s no need for seatbelts.Digging it
Getting your hands dirty in the name of cultivating your green patch is that much more pleasing with the right tools. And in Japan they have developed the ultimate garden shed accessories.Chef’s kiss
The cosmopolitan restaurant redefining the Parisian sandwich, a west London trattoria that aspires to be a palazzo to pleasure, the secret to making the perfect Japanese milk bread and more – we have plenty for you to feast on this month.
April
The stories you should be paying attention to – and the ones you might have missed.Affairs
Hannah Lucinda Smith visits Turkish cities recently devastated by powerful earthquakes – a catastrophe made even worse by corrupt, shoddy construction.Business
Converting cars into electric vehicles, Japan’s quality-assurance badge and small German farms.Culture
Why you have to be quick on the draw to book a place on this graphic-novel course.Urbanism
A new design school in South Africa and trainers designed for the London Underground.Design
Is the fashion for simplified sans-serif logos changing? Plus: why trade halls still matter.
On the edge
Perched between two worlds – Spain and Morocco – Melilla wants to be known for more than just its controversial border.Bubbling under
Speculation about the blasts that wrecked the Nord Stream gas pipelines has been rife. Is the truth about to surface?Rising tides
There was a time when the leading talents in every imaginable discipline were concentrated in the same big-ticket locations. No longer. From Utah to Thailand, workers at the top of their fields are putting enterprising places on the map. You just need to know where to look.Size matters
The Boeing 747 inaugurated the age of the jumbo jet and democratised air travel. With its production now ended forever, what will take its place?Purchasing power: Part 1
We celebrate the world of physical retail by visiting the pioneering boutiques, revitalised high streets and customer-facing vendors elevating the in-store experience.Purchasing power: Part 2
Mix and match
Bookshop chain Tsutaya is adding some design nous to the country’s co-working offering – and an alternative to its rigid office culture.Start the dance
Dance hall La Paloma thrived for more than a century until a barrage of noise complaints closed its doors. Now, soundproofed and reimagined, the party is back.Future classics
From a comedy about Filipino fisticuffs to an experimental gallery in the UAE, we cherry-pick a few cultural highlights.See the light
In 2014, designers Rita Múrias and Paulo Barata began collecting neon signs for their aesthetic qualities. Now the couple’s Letreiro Galeria boasts a 300-strong collection celebrating vernacular design and aiding Lisbon’s collective memory.Building a story
No longer just dry industry texts, architecture books are a powerful medium for sharing fresh ideas.Cutting it fine
From ambitious young start-ups to venerable fashion houses, our spring season style round-up has searched worldwide to find the 25 labels, designers and products that will be on the radar of the sharpest dressers in 2023.On its own terms
Far from the mainstream fashion hubs, students in coastal Spain are forging their own creative paths.Connective threads
We meet the leaders of three heritage houses that are adapting to the industry’s ever-changing demands while upholding their history and time-tested values.In the bag
Spring into action with sunny, sprightly looks and plenty of space.
![Issue 162 cover](http://img.monocle.com/issue/v2cover-162-6419b2817f4d9.jpg?w=440&resize=aspectfit&g=center&q=80)
What’s in store for retail? Monocle’s Retail Survey checks out the global benchmarks in shopping, while our spring Style Directory rounds up the labels, designers and products on the radar of the sharpest dressers. Elsewhere, we go in-depth on the mystery of who blew up Nord Stream and reveal Paris’s best sandwich – and how to make it.
Issue 162
April 2023
Other
Editor’s letter
Bricks-and-mortar retail, from tiny independent shops to giant malls, can shape and inspire the community around it. Andrew Tuck finds Monocle’s Retail Survey reflecting what we’ve always believed: that in-person experiences are the most valuable. There’s plenty more too.The Opener
Stories that have piqued our interest, from spy balloons to rock’n’roll currency.Rhythm king
The Uruguayan musician on dancing with the devil and why it’s never too late to dedicate yourself to a passion.Collision course
A school of hard knocks in France is sending stunt performers tripping and flipping to the silver screen.My Cabinet
The completion of a 15-year library renovation is the end of a chapter for the team behind it – but the bonds they’ve formed are an ongoing story.Out of the past
The Peninsula hospitality group’s new perch on the Bosphoros floats our boat. Monocle takes an early peek at how this vast new hotel is helping to transform Istanbul’s Karaköy neighbourhood.Field days
For the Dutch couple who run Sterrekopje among the valleys and fields near Stellenbosch in South Africa, operating a hotel that encourages guests to interact with its staff is as natural as the bucolic surroundings.River beds
Our travel round-up begins with a theatrical Paris hotel beside the Seine. Over the page, we immerse ourselves in Bath, visit a homely Mexican mansion and sample Japanese hospitality in Hokkaido.Selfie improvement
Whether you want to take better portraits, monitor your sleep or just block out noise, these new gadgets can improve your life.Class act
With its shiny new fleet of fuel-efficient, narrow-body aircraft, Toronto’s Porter Airlines is poised to change Canadian aviation and rewrite the rules of economy travel.Crimson tide
Ferries have been chugging between Japan and South Korea for decades but a new scarlet vessel, the ‘Queen Beetle’, is offering passengers a less choppy and more cheerful voyage across the Genkai Sea – now there’s no need for seatbelts.Digging it
Getting your hands dirty in the name of cultivating your green patch is that much more pleasing with the right tools. And in Japan they have developed the ultimate garden shed accessories.Chef’s kiss
The cosmopolitan restaurant redefining the Parisian sandwich, a west London trattoria that aspires to be a palazzo to pleasure, the secret to making the perfect Japanese milk bread and more – we have plenty for you to feast on this month.
The Agenda: Global briefings
April
The stories you should be paying attention to – and the ones you might have missed.Affairs
Hannah Lucinda Smith visits Turkish cities recently devastated by powerful earthquakes – a catastrophe made even worse by corrupt, shoddy construction.Business
Converting cars into electric vehicles, Japan’s quality-assurance badge and small German farms.Culture
Why you have to be quick on the draw to book a place on this graphic-novel course.Urbanism
A new design school in South Africa and trainers designed for the London Underground.Design
Is the fashion for simplified sans-serif logos changing? Plus: why trade halls still matter.
Global views: Long reads
On the edge
Perched between two worlds – Spain and Morocco – Melilla wants to be known for more than just its controversial border.Bubbling under
Speculation about the blasts that wrecked the Nord Stream gas pipelines has been rife. Is the truth about to surface?Rising tides
There was a time when the leading talents in every imaginable discipline were concentrated in the same big-ticket locations. No longer. From Utah to Thailand, workers at the top of their fields are putting enterprising places on the map. You just need to know where to look.Size matters
The Boeing 747 inaugurated the age of the jumbo jet and democratised air travel. With its production now ended forever, what will take its place?Purchasing power: Part 1
We celebrate the world of physical retail by visiting the pioneering boutiques, revitalised high streets and customer-facing vendors elevating the in-store experience.Purchasing power: Part 2
Mix and match
Bookshop chain Tsutaya is adding some design nous to the country’s co-working offering – and an alternative to its rigid office culture.Start the dance
Dance hall La Paloma thrived for more than a century until a barrage of noise complaints closed its doors. Now, soundproofed and reimagined, the party is back.Future classics
From a comedy about Filipino fisticuffs to an experimental gallery in the UAE, we cherry-pick a few cultural highlights.See the light
In 2014, designers Rita Múrias and Paulo Barata began collecting neon signs for their aesthetic qualities. Now the couple’s Letreiro Galeria boasts a 300-strong collection celebrating vernacular design and aiding Lisbon’s collective memory.Building a story
No longer just dry industry texts, architecture books are a powerful medium for sharing fresh ideas.Cutting it fine
From ambitious young start-ups to venerable fashion houses, our spring season style round-up has searched worldwide to find the 25 labels, designers and products that will be on the radar of the sharpest dressers in 2023.On its own terms
Far from the mainstream fashion hubs, students in coastal Spain are forging their own creative paths.Connective threads
We meet the leaders of three heritage houses that are adapting to the industry’s ever-changing demands while upholding their history and time-tested values.In the bag
Spring into action with sunny, sprightly looks and plenty of space.
Expo