Far away from the hubbub at Midori House, the retail team has been working on one of our biggest – and best-smelling – product launches to date.

Pedal power in Zürich, Singapore-style workouts, Detroit’s architectural resurgence and an unexpected tea accompaniment in Beijing: we’ve scoured the globe for our news round-up.

In a vast archive deep in the Black Forest we meet the men charged with safeguarding German history.

A firm in a small Dutch town is dressing the women of west Africa – and business is better than ever.

In a world of increasingly identikit shops, Arthur Gerbi’s Paris store is a one-off: a quirky treasure house to linger in.

The Canadian diplomat who foiled a terror attack is back in the country of his forebears: Ireland.

Detroit is set to witness its first population growth since the 1950s. This is how the city used urbanism to press restart.

Pyeongchang is hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics – and it’s spending big on getting the games going.

Austria’s MPs pack up for three years as their parliamentary building gets a refurb.

How Slovenia is positioning itself as a bridge between two superpowers: the US and Russia.

Women in combat, builidng the new Air Force One in St Petersburg, China’s military presence in Tanzania and wars fought outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

Municipal regeneration in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, the biggest bicycle parking garage in the world opens in Utrecht and the New Orleans Greenway.

The Greek economy has been through a severe crisis but there are seeds of optimism at last. With strict monitoring to end next year, how robust will the country be by then?

Trump’s decision to continue sending troops to Afghanistan has been criticised in the US and elsewhere. But in Kabul it’s a different story.

Reports of the death of the shop have been greatly exaggerated. From a revitalised market town to rebooted city buildings, innovation and forward-thinking are breathing new life into bricks-and-mortar retail.

In the past year the retail landscape has benefited from discerning rethinks, ambitious new concepts and smart shopping solutions. Here are our picks.

The cracks are showing for this Japanese husband-and-wife duo. But that’s the point: they’ve built a career using natural wood.

As director-general of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Yves Daccord has learnt to take a calm approach to life-or-death decisions.

A physical space for crowdfunding, Hong Kong haircare branding and turning apple waste into wallets.

Part-sermon, part-rock gig, a new breed of church service is spreading God’s word – and boosting record sales.

Turner Prize-nominated artist Gary Hume – lauded by the art world and a wider audience alike – is known for his vibrant high-gloss creations.

We visit the Beijing studio of Zeng Fanzhi, the Chinese artist who usually prefers to let his work do the talking. Fortunately he was willing to have a conversation with Monocle, in which we cover changing styles, perpetual inspiration and occasional record-breaking art sales.

From prisons to police stations, how modern thinking is forging arresting new architecture.

Architecture firm Squire and Partners’ new HQ – The Department Store – is a beacon of sensitive redevelopment.

Brisbane buildings, Hong Kong’s underpasses and Valencia’s design renaissance.

The Melbourne homes of Beaumaris are a reminder that suburbia delivered hope and modernity to a postwar generation.

The Tateyama mountain range may yield jaw-dropping views of verdant valleys and mist-cloaked peaks but the ramblers ambling up its ridges aren’t bad-looking either. With the line between fashionable finery and outdoor equipment increasingly blurry, join us on a sportswear catwalk 3,000 metres above sea level.

Today everyone thinks that they’re a food critic but being the real deal is a delicious thing to savour.

The man Hakkasan, LVMH and British Airways call for hospitality advice, plus a new take on wine.

It’s cosy Swedish comfort food at its best – and hearty enough to ensure some ballast on board this autumn.

One of the best-known faces in advertising, Hegarty has made celebrated work for Audi, Levi’s and Johnnie Walker. Over supper at his French vineyard he talks grapes and great ideas.

Sliding US sales meant a rethink for Adidas; its global creative director reveals how the brand stepped up.

Sacai is a new breed of luxury player and its designer, Chitose Abe, has created a super brand by keeping total control.

Take your pick from fresh labels, cutting-edge pieces and inspirational designers that we’ve selected to usher in the new autumn/winter 2017 season.

The Swiss duo who use their intricate technical knowledge of performance fabrics to streamline the design‑to‑manufacture process for fashion brands. 

Wealth, taste and élan are not only found in big cities – and these three top-tier retailers have found sustainable fame in surprising locations.

Not a Hawaiian shirt in sight – the founders of this Porto seaside brand look to the native fishermen for inspiration.

The modern luxury watch: a thing of beauty that must stay timeless but not be stuck in a time warp. It’s an ever-evolving balancing act, as the people behind Swiss watchmakers Raymond Weil, Chopard and Vacheron Constantin tell us on the next page. For them, keeping watch on new technology and markets is just as important as making sure heritage and modernity go hand in hand.

Running a fashion business in the Argentinian capital is a fight for survival – but designers are making this tight-knit scene work.

As the evenings draw in, greet the change of season with bright autumnal colours to lift the spirit – alongside a few layers to keep you cosy and dry.

The newly opened Orania Berlin in rough-and-ready Kreuzberg is hitting all the right notes with its innovative music-first approach.

Whether it’s Malibu for a seaside sojourn, Munich for a city break or San Francisco for that bit of edge, our round-up will give you an inside look at venues with charm and an insight into the minds of the people behind them.

Canada’s capital of all things cultural is also the place to enjoy the pick of the country’s culinary offerings.

Saddle yourself with some great gear from independent and interesting bike brands.

Tasty tea, lush flowers, smart books and enjoyable albums.

The friendly neighbourhood liquor store taking Japan’s small-batch Sakè, sochu, wine and whiskey around the world.

Where to sleep, eat and shop this month.