Monocle Weekend
Edition: Saturday

One topic that was bound to come up at Monocle’s third Quality of Life Conference yesterday was the fate of print. At the media-makers panel, Christoph Amend, editor in chief of Zeitmagazin, and Penny Martin, editor in chief of The Gentlewoman, joined Monocle’s Tyler Brûlé on stage in Berlin to discuss what gives their titles the edge. And Amend had the answer: “People want a beautifully designed magazine to walk around and be seen with. The newspapers and magazines that are struggling are those that are not beautifully designed and printed.” Pair strong design with good reporting and you’ve got yourself a promising publication. “Especially in these times of Brexit and Trump, people have realised the importance of quality journalism.” Magazines have become a remedy to all that digital noise, it seems.

Hong Kong swears in its new leader today and the incoming chief executive, Carrie Lam, is painting herself as a patron of arts and culture in the city. “I’d love to see more blockbuster art events in Hong Kong,” she said during an interview with Monocle. “The only constraint we now face is a shortage of exhibition venues.” Lam’s first term should coincide with the opening of the landmark West Kowloon Cultural District, which she chaired for more than four years in her previous role as the number two in the Hong Kong government. The former civil servant is also keen to take art outside of museums and was instrumental in bringing Antony Gormley’s Event Horizon touring exhibition to Asia in 2015. Hong Kong is no stranger to street art: an array of temporary outdoor installations became a visible symbol of the pro-democracy yellow umbrella protests that undermined her unpopular predecessor CY Leung.

“By 2030, 40 per cent of retail will be courtesy of pop-ups.” So says Mohamed Haouache, chief executive of Storefront, which is known as the “Airbnb of retail”. Speaking at a panel on the future of retail at Monocle’s Quality of Life conference in Berlin yesterday, Haouache also said that the rapidly shifting shopping landscape will soon mean that landlords will need to rethink how they lease out space. He suggested offering cheap or even free rent in exchange for the cachet that retail brings to neighbourhoods – which, in turn, adds value to nearby residential properties.

Magazines and shops seem to go hand in hand in Paris. Hot on the heels of the Holiday magazine shop opening at the end of June comes a Cabana magazine store – although sadly this one is just a pop-up. From tomorrow, Hôtel Le Bristol Paris will get a makeover thanks to magazine founder Martina Mondadori, who will unveil her collection of clothing, ceramics and homeware that has been specially made for the event. The shop will also offer collaborations and a selection of jewellery made by Osanna Visconti. Everything is handmade and, according to Mondadori, it took more than two years to source the craftsmen from countries including Hungary, Italy and Spain. And for that special French touch? Designer Olympia Le Tan has made a minaudière (small handbag) in Le Bristol’s colours.

We delve into the world of art with three new exhibitions in London and this year’s Art Basel. Christopher Lord is joined in the studio by head of content for the Lisson Gallery, Ossian Ward, and private art adviser and dealer Kathlene Fox-Davies. Plus: we speak to music journalism legend David Hepworth about his new book ‘Uncommon People’.

From Amsterdam to Zürich, find out who’s up and who’s down in our global ranking of the best cities in the world to live in.