craftsmanship
Page 6
Ironing out the creases
In the rough and tumble of Japan’s wash-and-go laundry market, we visit a drycleaner that values service over speed (your shirt will be back in three weeks).
Touch wood
Conde House is a sturdy presence in Japanese wooden-furniture manufacturing that’s replanting its regional roots and retaining its traditional hands-on approach.
Timber land
We visit the showrooms of the Hida Furniture Festival in Takayama, the seat of Japan’s woodworking industry.
If the glove fits
Luxury giant Hermès is at the forefront of a movement to revive one region’s leather-work traditions.
Tie the knot
The cracks are showing for this Japanese husband-and-wife duo. But that’s the point: they’ve built a career using natural wood.
Spit and polish
They’ve flexed their finger muscles and got their cloths ready: the best shoe-shiners in the business prepare to go toe to toe.
Backstage pass
We go behind the scenes at a stadium-sized operation where creating sets for some of the most famous live TV shows in the US has become a family affair.
Emerging patterns
Shops and stylists, tailors and tracht: welcome to Monocle’s worldwide wardrobe of fashion-forward folk to keep an eye on.
Hot plates
Figgjo crockery is a Norwegian staple, from the prime minister’s residence to prisons – it’s also a smashing export.
Out of the woods
Ishinomaki Laboratory rose from the rubble of Japan's 2011 earthquake. The furniture workshop helped rebuild a community, stool by stool, and grew into a thriving business with a global reputation for simple, sturdy design.
