The Faster Lane
from Tyler Brûlé
China can build cars – but now it’s building brands
Just in case you missed it or you’re still a disbeliever, SIZE REALLY DOES MATTER. I can say this with some degree of confidence because life experience tells me so and because I just…
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Forget ‘safe spaces’. We should be more mindful of poorly designed buildings
It will come as little surprise that I’m not a fan of “trigger warnings” and “safe spaces”, particularly when the audience is over 18 and we’re talking about editorial comments, lectures and generally getting…
The positives of proper retail and the perils of passport control
It’s a sunny Saturday morning here in Zürich, the rooftops and trees are covered in snow, the Swedish radio station I’m tuned in to has started playing Christmas tracks and I’m coming down from…
Australia is the ‘more seductive version of California living’. Here’s why it should be on your travel list
It was about this time back in 1988 that I was running a small command centre-cum-travel agency from my bedroom in Toronto. With the clock ticking for the start of the Estonian festival in…
Planning a trip abroad? Meet Monocle’s newest family member: the concierge
In the coming weeks we’re going to introduce a new member of the Monocle family – in the pages of our December/January edition to be precise. Over the past couple of days, he’s been…
What observations from a hotel lobby can you about hospitality
It’s Saturday morning and I’m sitting in the lobby of the Palace Hotel Tokyo waiting for my colleagues Andrew and Linard to return from what was supposed to be a brief shopping expedition. Hours…
The neighbourhood-building power of good retail shouldn’t be underestimated. Here’s a tour of the best, from Munich to Lisbon
Today’s column is dedicated to those who do things well, who understand their customers, who have an understanding of scale and, above all, who don’t overdo it. We start in Munich, jump to Geneva…
Why national dress is experiencing a renaissance – and why this is important
If you spend much time in the Gulf you might be familiar with this particular scene. It’s a Tuesday morning and you have a full day of meetings booked in. Given the traffic in…
Thoughts on the fly: A whirlwind week from Toronto to Istanbul
It’s been one of those weeks that’s very much lived up to the title of this column – two trips across the Atlantic, a jam-packed three days in Paris, a conference in Istanbul and…
Sunday plans? Head east for the Monocle Quality of Life Conference
What’s the plan for this time next Sunday? Will you be doing an edit of your sweater shelf? Or maybe you’re going to be out in the garden preparing the flowerbeds for the chillier…
What makes cities tick? All you need is a sense of connection, pride and reinvention
It’s been a week of geographical extremes, poorly planned infrastructure and a gentle touchdown in a perfect sanctuary at the top of the Adriatic. We start by slaloming our way through Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado…
