The Monocle Minute

In private, Finns might complain about Swedish snobbishness and Swedes will tut at Danish libertarianism – but it is rare for one Nordic nation to openly criticise another’s foreign policy. Yet there has been growing resentment among Danes about what they see as Norway profiteering from the war in Ukraine.

According to Norway’s finance ministry, in 2022 and 2023 the country pocketed more than €108bn in extra revenue from sales of fuel to Europe to make up for the shortfall of Russian supply. Danish politicians have suggested that Norway use more of this windfall to help Kyiv fight the Russians. Last week a headline in Danish broadsheet Politiken put it more bluntly: “Dear Norway, how can you look yourselves in the eye?” The article beneath it noted that Denmark had contributed €3.6bn to Ukraine in 2024, compared with Norway’s €2.2bn. Norway ranks 11th out of 42 global donors. Denmark is sixth.

The Norwegians have been adept at dodging accusations of hypocrisy over the years. They have branded themselves as greener than green, thanks to their domestic self-sufficiency in clean energy, and boast of their record number of electric vehicles. Yet, simultaneously, they have amassed the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund through the sale of oil and gas to the rest of us – a stash that grows exponentially in times of global conflict.

The Norwegian government’s response to the Danish inquisition has been feeble. Eivind Vad Petersson, a state secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the Norwegians receive no compensation when prices go down, so why should they spend more when prices go up? Norway’s finance minister, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, countered – somewhat bizarrely – by pointing to Denmark’s recent profits from the sale of obesity treatments. Finally, Jonas Gahr Støre, Norway’s prime minister, pointed out that the sovereign wealth fund was for future generations, to which he did not add “of Norwegians”.

Politiken is doubling down. It described Oslo’s attitude as “shaking the bedrock of Norway’s historical position as a humanist superpower”. But on what grounds is that reputation founded? An early-1990s Palestinian peace agreement? Or that Norway hands out a peace prize every year? Why has the world ever believed the Norwegians to be morally superior? It’s a bit of a mystery, really.

On 5 February a Norwegian parliamentary delegation is due to meet in the EU Parliament in Brussels to discuss the criticisms about the country’s perceived lack of support for Ukraine. It is a timely chance to open those energy coffers a little wider.

Michael Booth is Monocle’s Copenhagen correspondent. For more about Norway’s quest to go carbon-neutral while profiting from oil sales, pick up a copy of‘The Forecast’. Subscribeto Monocle today so that you never miss an issue.

At Paris Fashion Week Menswear, which came to a close on Sunday, conversations largely centred around the idea of individualism. Buyers, editors and customers alike are feeling fatigued by the all-beige, “stealth wealth” look of past seasons. But a renewed focus on individualism doesn’t have to mean loud colour palettes, logos or outlandish silhouettes that veer towards costume territory (and already look dated a few months after purchase). The brands that have responded to this appetite for personal style most effectively are those that are encouraging people to dress for themselves, obsessing over the quality of their materials and perfecting their cuts. These labels are looking at their designs as collectible objects. Here are some of the highlights.

1. John Lobb
UK shoemaker John Lobb is enjoying a renewed momentum as dress shoes increasingly seem to have replaced trainers in men’s wardrobes. For its autumn/winter collection, it has reworked its Lopez loafers in elegant burgundy and forest-green shades. Also look out for its sleek, new bag in which you can carry your kicks.

2. Lemaire
Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran have complemented their monochromatic, expertly layered looks with a growing line of leather handbags, treated to have a vintage, lived-in look. We have our eyes on the extra-large hobo bag, which is particularly good for travel.

3. Auralee
This Japanese brand, founded by Ryota Iwai, has become a firm favourite in the Paris Fashion Week Menswear scene for its nonchalant looks, immaculate quality and striking colour palettes. The leather and knitted gloves from its new range will add a contrast to neutral, tailored looks.

4. Zegna
This Italian luxury house continues to offer some of the finest knits on the market, this time using the Vellus Aureum wool, an award-winning sustainable variety known for its fineness (its fibres range from 12 to 13 microns). We recommend the lightweight cardigans in chocolate brown – the colour of the season – casually tucked inside loose herringbone trousers to create what the house’s artistic director, Alessandro Sartori, calls a typically Torinese look.

5. Berluti
As the heritage label prepares to toast its 130th anniversary, it is doubling down on classics including its Forestière jacket. This elegant number – a cross between a hunting and a chore jacket – is based on a custom order made by architect Le Corbusier in the postwar years. Berluti has updated it for the 21st century. It looks particularly good in navy or grey as an alternative to the traditional tuxedo jacket.

Though the US has long been dominated by car-centric urban design, there are signs of change. In Houston, a new neighbourhood known as Indigo is swapping driveways for shared front gardens, where residents can relax and congregate rather than just park their car. Property developer Meristem broke ground on the 800-home “car-lite” mixed-use development in 2022. Phase one, which involves the construction of 261 homes, is expected to be completed within the first quarter of 2025. For tenants and investors alike, the hope is that replacing concrete with greener spaces will help a sense of community to thrive.

“Indigo is a human-centered development, focused on creating resilient residential life,” says Scott Snodgrass, founding partner at Meristem Communities. “It’s a blueprint for fostering community spirit and enhancing quality of life.” Such initiatives are also taking root elsewhere in the US. In New Jersey, suburbs with rail connections are transforming vast train-station car parks into mixed-used developments. On the west coast, Silicon Valley-backed property firm California Forever has proposed the creation of a walkable city of as many as 400,000 residents on 7,000 hectares of farmland just outside San Francisco. These developments could spur a reinvention of suburbia – but it will take more than that to sever the US's deep-rooted attachment to the car.

For Iván Terrasa, In Palma has always been a passion project. Since its launch, his ambition has been to make the best magazine about Mallorca possible and he remains committed to that simple goal as it marks its 20th year in print. As part of the publication’s anniversary celebrations, Terrasa has released a limited-edition title called In Palma – The Book. Here, he tells us more about his work.

How did ‘In Palma’ start?
I’m a journalist and, after spending a few years in the US and Madrid, I felt that I needed to return to Palma. When you’re from an island, you always need to come back. As soon as I came up with the concept of In Palma, I knew that it had to showcase the best of Mallorca, with good design and great photography, without ever losing the island’s heart.

What makes a good ‘In Palma’ story?
Above all, it has to be something that inspires our readers. We are interested in people with a tale to tell, whether that’s a childhood memory or a matter of shedding light on a little-known spot. And people should be the heart of the story. That’s always a good starting point.

For a local magazine, your readership is very international. That must be good news.
Of course, you can find the magazine on newsstands around the world but we also deliver the magazine to more than 74 hotels in Mallorca. Visitors from cities such as London, Paris and San Francisco can find a copy of In Palma in their rooms and take it back with them – I love it when people take an issue home and become subscribers. It’s a natural way to share our work and it means something resonated with them.

Listen to our full interview with Terrasa on this week’s episode of ‘The Stack’ on Monocle Radio.

Eddie Chacon shot to fame as part of the duo Charles & Eddie, alongside the late Charles Pettigrew, with the release of their enduring 1992 single “Would I Lie to You?” In the years after Charles & Eddie amicably split in 1997, Chacon explored another passion of his: fashion photography. But music called him back and, in 2020, he released the solo album Pleasure, Joy and Happiness, followed by Sundown in 2023. Now he has returned with the gorgeous new record Lay Low. On today’s show, Chacon joins Robert Bound in the studio to discuss his unique, heartfelt strain of R&B and the inspiration behind the dreamy tracks on his new record.