Dark arts

It’s all very well claiming to be a city that never sleeps but does that actually result in wide-awake venues and services that those burning the midnight oil can access? We visit London, Sydney and Buenos Aires to find out.
Fly by night

Monocle mascot Monochan is the ultimate night owl. Join him as he flies around the world to bring us wisdoms garnered from a life in the skies, from developing night-time infrastructure to tips on the best bars. It’ll be a hoot.
Grand plans

Whether hosting the Olympics or overhauling a public-transport system, running a city is a daunting task. So who would take it on? We meet seven mayors willing to bear the weight of a city upon their shoulders.
Willing and able

Volunteers can have an incredibly positive impact on their communities, as well as helping to keep their fellow citizens out of harm’s way. We meet the firefighters in Tokyo, coastguards in Stockholm and medical emergency workers in Jerusalem who provide their enthusiastic and expert services for the common good.
Grass is greener

Portugal’s capital is not known as a green city but a bold redevelopment is turning former wastelands into spectacular parks with cycle lanes. We speak to the city’s ambitious environment and energy councillor about his vision to link up Lisbon’s greenery.
The late show

Entrepreneurial audacity has transformed a once desolate plot into a peerless late-night hive. Monocle meets Montréal’s marvels of change and other business night owls pitching up after dark.
Mix it up

The merging of retail and residential can have a tremendously positive effect on a community. We visit Denmark and Japan to marvel at the diversity of multitasking buildings that owe their success to their synergy.
Galloping majors

Two men, disillusioned by the fashion industry’s perennial pursuit of cheap production, wanted to create a denim company with an emphasis on craftsmanship and community. Monocle visits the happy outcome: Blackhorse Lane Ateliers.
Madrid: beat goes on

Late-night revelry is a way of life for Madrileños and the good times have only improved with a city council committed to carousing. Monocle gets into the groove.
Artist studios: changing spaces

All cities love the artistic vibe but often destroy it with high rents, so the affordability of artists’ studios is a good judge of cultural quality of life – it’s even a new judging metric for this year’s survey. With that in mind, we visit three cities where vibrant life meet cheap space to forge creative success.
Never faltering

Thanks to its superlative journalism and resolute business model, city magazine ‘Falter’ has remained steadfast in an unsteady publishing landscape. We visit the offices of one of Vienna’s most trusted voices.
Dips at dusk

Few things are more tranquil than a long and languorous swim – and slip into the water come nightfall and it's more soothing still. We visit Iceland, Australia and France to take a few starlit dips in some of the world’s finest pools.
Transport design: full steam ahead

Japan’s long-distance trains are entering a new era of luxury and innovation. Monocle visits the industrial and interior designers who are redefining train travel.
Signs of the times

Our favourite city design details, from hanging lamps in Copenhagen to neon signs in Warsaw.
Eat, don’t sleep

A culinary tour of stalls, stop-ins and restaurants best enjoyed during the small hours.
Wurst of times

Forget the modish, fly-by-night food truck business or setting up a drab diner: instead we’re taking a stand (literally). Here’s to our ideal – if for now imagined – take on a Viennese classic. Welcome to Monocle’s perfect late-night wiener stand.
One for the road

Successful streets should have a balance of daytime bustle and night-time buzz. We line up the ones that we think work best – and sample their delights, of course.

Briefing / Global

Fashion

Briefing

Here comes the sun thanks to our choice selection of sunglasses, shirts and swimshorts.

Massimo Alba

Italy

Rather than opening a boutique in Portofino or Capri, designer Massimo Alba chose the Italian seaside town of Sestri Levante for its off-the-beaten-track atmosphere. “Like the shops I have in Milan and Rome, where I picked streets that are more about the residents, I wanted a location that feels genuine, not a place on a tourist itinerary,” says Alba. The men’s and women’s offerings are geared towards summery outfits, with polo shirts, Bermuda shorts and leather boat shoes. The relaxed decor is a mix of knick-knacks from Alba’s own home paired with vintage Franco Albini armchairs and a healthy selection of plants.
massimoalba.com

Marané

Uruguay

Recently launched Marané was born out of Alessandro Aquilina’s desire to find tailored swimshorts that complement his stockier build. Designed by Aquilina and Christina Serhal at their ranch near Punta del Este in Uruguay, the trunks are made in Portugal and feature bonded seams that ensure they don’t bunch up around the thigh. Thoughtful details such as “X” stitching on the pockets round off the elegant design.
marane.uy

Beams Japan

Japan

Japanese retail giant Beams has celebrated its 40th anniversary by calling on top Tokyo firms, including Torafu Architects and Jamo Associates, to overhaul its six-storey shop in Shinjuku. Each floor has a different focus: the second features domestic brands such as Loopwheeler and limited-edition pieces from Beams Japan; the third has pieces from Beams’ collaborations with the likes of Porter. Once you’ve had your sartorial fill you can head to the upper floors, where the shelves are lined with photobooks and Japanese ceramics.
beams.co.jp/beamsjapan

Folk & Frame

Denmark

“I have a passion for vintage glasses but I wanted to make my own versions that combined minimal Danish design with a vintage look,” says former graphic designer Brian Knakkegaard Pedersen. Three years in and his Copenhagen-based label boasts a compact collection of handsome shades. Look out for this Eckersberg model, a modern take on the pilot frame with a keyhole-shaped bridge.
folkandframe.com

Yasmine Eslami

France

Yasmine Eslami has leapt into the menswear world with a capsule collection of three classic shirts woven from Italian poplin.
yasmine-eslami.com

Saint Jacques

France

Montpellier-based wetsuit brand Saint Jacques’ debut range of neoprene pieces is inspired by streetwear staples.
saintjacques-wetsuits.com

Up all night

Global gathering

Top 25 liveable cities

Nightlife expo

Expo: Neighbourhoods

Dark arts

Fly by night

Grand plans

Willing and able

Grass is greener

The late show

Mix it up

Galloping majors

Madrid: beat goes on

Artist studios: changing spaces

Never faltering

Dips at dusk

Transport design: full steam ahead

Signs of the times

Eat, don’t sleep

Wurst of times

One for the road

Europe briefing

Americas

Asia

Africa/Middle East briefing

Oceania

Business briefing

Fashion

✕5 Essays

Podium finish

The high life

Push the boat out

Olafur Eliasson

Observation

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