Business
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Rich pickings
As the Shinkansen continues to speed north in Japan, operator JR East is also diversifying its retail – with apples.
Inventory No. 41
A round-up of beautiful and functional objects, including one-man-branded leather wallets and artist-designed backgammon boards.
Pitti Uomo sets a confident tone for menswear as heritage brands and new labels draw buyers to Florence
Florence’s Pitti Uomo fair is a benchmark for the shifting menswear market and a chance to spot future big-name brands. This season also showcased the city of Florence and ‘Brand Italy’.
Make it better
For over 50 years, Kenneth Grange has designed many of the UK’s most recognisable things, from postboxes to taxis. Now, he tells Monocle what he thinks needs fixing in the UK's design industry.
Media
South America's love of heavy metal, Brazil's Casa Triângulo art gallery and Al Jazeera launches in the Balkans.
Art market
This month's books, music and films, plus our culture editor's regular column and an interview with director Trần Anh Hùng.
Toy story
Our Fairplay series on trade fairs returns. We visit the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the world's second largest, where serious-minded adults get to play at being kids again.
All about eve
What are the essential elements of a great manager? In the first of a new series, Monocle gets an insight from Eva Hamilton, head of Swedish public service broadcaster SVT.
Work in progress
From food-loving French taking long lunch breaks to workaholic Japanese businessmen, the world continues to approach office culture in very different ways.
