L MONOCLE
Editor’s Letter
For editor in chief Andrew Tuck, the 15th anniversary of the launch of this magazine is a chance to take stock and to find out ‘Whatever happened to...?’ those who featured in – and made – our first issue. (And also to pat ourselves on the back for some powerful prescience.)The Opener
Kids on heavy machinery, Belgian actress Virginie Efira and irksome train announcements.Inside Track
Railway fans are using train sets to help improve the real-life efficiency of the Swiss network.World is watching
The South Korean actor on the global allure of his nation’s culture, the fascination with ‘Squid Game’ and what makes a good story.My Cabinet: Embassy of Denmark
Skill and style combine to show off the best of Danish values at the country’s mission in London.
What’s in a name
Is “Turkey” an albatross around the country’s neck? And will “Türkiye” take flight?Affairs
Making sense of South Korea’s presidential election and Cuba’s best export.Comment
Sanctions (and more sanctions), tanks and big trouble in little Nicaragua.Business
Shopping in Seattle, a Kyiv street on the up and the app helping French healthcare to scrub up.Culture
Auction houses bid on Hong Kong, a gallery in Mexico City and Eurovision goes stateside.Architecture
Thailand’s newest shopping centre and an exciting events calendar for 2022.
Defending the impossible
As the trial of those accused of involvement in the 2015 Paris attacks progresses, France is transfixed by its accounts of grief, trauma and terror. But while populists are weaponising the unfolding drama to garner support, others see it as a test of what the nation stands for.Into the abyss
The International Seabed Authority is the most important club you’ve never heard of. We gain exclusive access to mine its depths.Can the Republicans take the centre ground?
Who should lead the Republicans into the next presidential election? Can – and should – they try to regain their old voice of moderation? Or are they now the party of Donald Trump and his supporters? Monocle’s panel debates the future of the Grand Old Party.New frontier
A flurry of young, dynamic industries and high-spirited entrepreneurs is breathing new life into this booming western outpost.Talk of the town
Cocktails and conversation have flowed at Schumann’s for 40 years. Monocle samples the secret ingredient to shaking up the night.Scene stealers
The future of cinema doesn’t lie just in flashy CGI and digital wizardry. These three firms are proving that analogue and tactile techniques, from putting puppets in horror films and designing the perfect props, still play a huge role in bringing the silver screen to life.Head of steam
As global demand for saunas rises, a 72-year-old company in rural Finland is turning up the heat.Moving pictures
From K-pop to movies, entertainment group CJ ENM is a South Korean powerhouse. Now CEO Kang Ho-Sung is taking Hollywood.Taking on the world
From a compassionate migration thriller to an exhibition on compulsive image-making, we survey the season’s cultural highlights.Nation buildings
Architects are using their craft to give Ghana an optimistic narrative fit for the 21st century. Can they ‘ignite the ambition of a country’?Measuring up
If your home is in need of a fresh focal point or statement piece, consider these seven perfectly formed design items.Remaking a masterpiece
A modernist home in subtropical São Paulo has been carefully restored by one of the city’s best architects. We take an exclusive tour of this Brazilian beauty.Going the distance
With the world opening up, Finnair is poised to fly out of the gate with an ambitious refit of its long-haul fleet – in particular, a bold re-imagining of what Business Class can be.Class of its own
Fashion schools tend to be either technical or conceptual. Yet Florence’s Polimoda is stitching together a new approach, promoting both practical skills and artistic experimentation. We meet some of its creative leaders and learners, who are changing the look of the industry.Spring awakening
As the world wakes up to new opportunities, make sure to be dressed for the occasion.
All aboard
To introduce our 15th-anniversary special, founder Tyler Brûlé reflects on the moment that the magazine left the station, the storms we’ve ridden through and where we’re zipping to next. Plus: how the rest of the media landscape has fared since 2007.Tracking changes
From our very first issue, Monocle has cast an informed and clear-sighted eye over the issues and people that matter. We follow up on the stories we started telling in 2007 to find out how they have developed in the tumultuous 15 years since.Ensemble cast
Back in 2007, we premiered Style Leaders, a column to decode the politics of power dressing in the global elite. For this special issue we asked its illustrator, a celebrated Norwegian engineer, to help us reprise the popular format.Growing pains
A lot can happen in 15 years, especially when there’s been a global recession, a pandemic and a complete transformation in how we communicate. In these four essays we look back at a momentous decade and a half.Dream team
We track down a few of Monocle’s launch team to ask, ‘What happened next?’
Into the woods
We visit a new members’ club and resort that’s offering a slice of the Lower East Side in the Catskills.Born again
A new luxury hotel in a former maternity hospital has balanced respect for a beloved, historical building with a global vision in a decade-long transformation.Jail breakers
A German architect duo is converting a former jail into a smart hotel. Monocle takes an exclusive first look at the prison-turned-pension.Nostalgic neon
The fluorescent signs lining Hong Kong’s streets are a huge part of its identity. Heritage group TNX is working to stop these lights from burning out by restoring them with a new mission to illuminate the next generation of Hong Kongers.Slice things up
Here’s what’s fresh in the gourmet world: from a cheese affineur who goes to grate lengths to a Norwegian opening in Tokyo and the launch of a newly renovated Los Angeles legend. Plus: a toothsome chicken dish to cook at home.Upper crust
In the shadow of the iconic Rockefeller Center, a new restaurant and bakery is combining Manhattan’s sophistication with the welcoming bustle of Milan’s aperitivo culture. We break bread with Ignacio Mattos, Lodi’s celebrated chef-owner.Sleeper hits
Across Europe, new hotels are showing why superior service, not photo opportunities, keeps guests coming back for more.Hello trolley
This bentwood birch bar trolley from 1936 is a key part of Alvar and Aino Aalto’s original design for the recently revamped Savoy restaurant in Helsinki. There are now two of the original trolleys under chef-patron Helena Puolakka’s roof. The first can be found beside barman Aleksi Mehtonen and the second is wheeled out to tables – a finishing touch to the spot-on service.
Monocle is 15 and our bumper March issue is a special edition packed with the kind of in-depth independent reporting that has made us a fixture of newsstands the world over. We assess how the media landscape has changed since we launched in 2007 and get right up to date with long reads on the Paris terror trial, South Korea’s burgeoning cultural scene, the new business frontier in the US and much more. Let’s celebrate.
Issue 151
March 2022
At the front
Editor’s Letter
For editor in chief Andrew Tuck, the 15th anniversary of the launch of this magazine is a chance to take stock and to find out ‘Whatever happened to...?’ those who featured in – and made – our first issue. (And also to pat ourselves on the back for some powerful prescience.)The Opener
Kids on heavy machinery, Belgian actress Virginie Efira and irksome train announcements.Inside Track
Railway fans are using train sets to help improve the real-life efficiency of the Swiss network.World is watching
The South Korean actor on the global allure of his nation’s culture, the fascination with ‘Squid Game’ and what makes a good story.My Cabinet: Embassy of Denmark
Skill and style combine to show off the best of Danish values at the country’s mission in London.
The Agenda: Global briefings
What’s in a name
Is “Turkey” an albatross around the country’s neck? And will “Türkiye” take flight?Affairs
Making sense of South Korea’s presidential election and Cuba’s best export.Comment
Sanctions (and more sanctions), tanks and big trouble in little Nicaragua.Business
Shopping in Seattle, a Kyiv street on the up and the app helping French healthcare to scrub up.Culture
Auction houses bid on Hong Kong, a gallery in Mexico City and Eurovision goes stateside.Architecture
Thailand’s newest shopping centre and an exciting events calendar for 2022.
Global views: Long reads
Defending the impossible
As the trial of those accused of involvement in the 2015 Paris attacks progresses, France is transfixed by its accounts of grief, trauma and terror. But while populists are weaponising the unfolding drama to garner support, others see it as a test of what the nation stands for.Into the abyss
The International Seabed Authority is the most important club you’ve never heard of. We gain exclusive access to mine its depths.Can the Republicans take the centre ground?
Who should lead the Republicans into the next presidential election? Can – and should – they try to regain their old voice of moderation? Or are they now the party of Donald Trump and his supporters? Monocle’s panel debates the future of the Grand Old Party.New frontier
A flurry of young, dynamic industries and high-spirited entrepreneurs is breathing new life into this booming western outpost.Talk of the town
Cocktails and conversation have flowed at Schumann’s for 40 years. Monocle samples the secret ingredient to shaking up the night.Scene stealers
The future of cinema doesn’t lie just in flashy CGI and digital wizardry. These three firms are proving that analogue and tactile techniques, from putting puppets in horror films and designing the perfect props, still play a huge role in bringing the silver screen to life.Head of steam
As global demand for saunas rises, a 72-year-old company in rural Finland is turning up the heat.Moving pictures
From K-pop to movies, entertainment group CJ ENM is a South Korean powerhouse. Now CEO Kang Ho-Sung is taking Hollywood.Taking on the world
From a compassionate migration thriller to an exhibition on compulsive image-making, we survey the season’s cultural highlights.Nation buildings
Architects are using their craft to give Ghana an optimistic narrative fit for the 21st century. Can they ‘ignite the ambition of a country’?Measuring up
If your home is in need of a fresh focal point or statement piece, consider these seven perfectly formed design items.Remaking a masterpiece
A modernist home in subtropical São Paulo has been carefully restored by one of the city’s best architects. We take an exclusive tour of this Brazilian beauty.Going the distance
With the world opening up, Finnair is poised to fly out of the gate with an ambitious refit of its long-haul fleet – in particular, a bold re-imagining of what Business Class can be.Class of its own
Fashion schools tend to be either technical or conceptual. Yet Florence’s Polimoda is stitching together a new approach, promoting both practical skills and artistic experimentation. We meet some of its creative leaders and learners, who are changing the look of the industry.Spring awakening
As the world wakes up to new opportunities, make sure to be dressed for the occasion.
15 years of Monocle
All aboard
To introduce our 15th-anniversary special, founder Tyler Brûlé reflects on the moment that the magazine left the station, the storms we’ve ridden through and where we’re zipping to next. Plus: how the rest of the media landscape has fared since 2007.Tracking changes
From our very first issue, Monocle has cast an informed and clear-sighted eye over the issues and people that matter. We follow up on the stories we started telling in 2007 to find out how they have developed in the tumultuous 15 years since.Ensemble cast
Back in 2007, we premiered Style Leaders, a column to decode the politics of power dressing in the global elite. For this special issue we asked its illustrator, a celebrated Norwegian engineer, to help us reprise the popular format.Growing pains
A lot can happen in 15 years, especially when there’s been a global recession, a pandemic and a complete transformation in how we communicate. In these four essays we look back at a momentous decade and a half.Dream team
We track down a few of Monocle’s launch team to ask, ‘What happened next?’
Inventory
Into the woods
We visit a new members’ club and resort that’s offering a slice of the Lower East Side in the Catskills.Born again
A new luxury hotel in a former maternity hospital has balanced respect for a beloved, historical building with a global vision in a decade-long transformation.Jail breakers
A German architect duo is converting a former jail into a smart hotel. Monocle takes an exclusive first look at the prison-turned-pension.Nostalgic neon
The fluorescent signs lining Hong Kong’s streets are a huge part of its identity. Heritage group TNX is working to stop these lights from burning out by restoring them with a new mission to illuminate the next generation of Hong Kongers.Slice things up
Here’s what’s fresh in the gourmet world: from a cheese affineur who goes to grate lengths to a Norwegian opening in Tokyo and the launch of a newly renovated Los Angeles legend. Plus: a toothsome chicken dish to cook at home.Upper crust
In the shadow of the iconic Rockefeller Center, a new restaurant and bakery is combining Manhattan’s sophistication with the welcoming bustle of Milan’s aperitivo culture. We break bread with Ignacio Mattos, Lodi’s celebrated chef-owner.Sleeper hits
Across Europe, new hotels are showing why superior service, not photo opportunities, keeps guests coming back for more.Hello trolley
This bentwood birch bar trolley from 1936 is a key part of Alvar and Aino Aalto’s original design for the recently revamped Savoy restaurant in Helsinki. There are now two of the original trolleys under chef-patron Helena Puolakka’s roof. The first can be found beside barman Aleksi Mehtonen and the second is wheeled out to tables – a finishing touch to the spot-on service.
Expo
