Monocle magazine

[superdupersang]

I just realized I've bought all issues since #2, cuz I look cool reading monocul

dude you mispelt it

[edwin]

here is a reply from monocle i got last week for those interested in earlier issues.

Dear Mr. Edwin ******

Thank you for your interest in Monocle. We can supply back copies of Monocle. Depending on where you wish for the magazine to be delivered, the cost is as follows (including postage and packaging): £10 - UK and Europe, £15 - USA, £20 - Rest of the World.

If you wish to purchase back issues, please visit our website at www.monoclemagazine.com and follow the link marked "subscribe" please select the country you wish the magazine to be sent and select "continue" from here you can then choose the desired magazine. Please note we can only accept payment via credi card. Should you have further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely,

Ms Elin Holm

Monocle Customer Service

[kiya]

I'm speachless.. i just got the last issue of the year of Monocle and it's jaw dropping.. It's like three seperate magazines, one being their year end special of top 50's..

[groovbusta]

Lucky for me my friend works for a PR firm that is connected with Monocle's Tokyo bureau, so she snags me a free copy from her office every month. Definitely beyond your normal commute reading.

Also saw the Monocle x Porter bags for sale in Daikanyama... very nice.

[NESK]

the new issue is kinda weak. i dont know why the last 30 pages get glossy out of nowhere. i still think a bad issue of monocle is better than a great issue or gq or whatever else, but when reading the latest, i noticed all the articles kind of start off with the same shitty build up paragraph. i found alot of spelling mistakes, too. im not hating, i just think they mistepped on this issue.

[DEPHT]

Great mag, one of the better ones out there. Articles are well thought out and the interviews are actually interesting. I felt like it there was too much japanland ass kissing but then again they got an office there and I've only read three full issues so I dunno....maybe its just me.

[onemancult]

they kiss japan's ass like crazy. it is almost disgusting. every issue praises the TOTO washlet. ok, Monocle. you like your ass massaged by water jets. woop.

[NESK]

ware to kop asswasher?

[Yardsale]

still beasting over issue #1, c'mon help me out

[NESK]

does anyone subscribe and get webcontent? what does that entail? id imagine they would be the kind of people to make it dope.

[xcoldricex]

they kiss japan's ass like crazy. it is almost disgusting. every issue praises the TOTO washlet. ok, Monocle. you like your ass massaged by water jets. woop.

they ARE amazing though.

[Gabriel]

I think it's a Tyler Brûlé fixation. Wallpaper* used to go on about TOTO.

[dralfonzo]

would be interested to hear what peoples opinions of monocle are a year and a bit on. I still think it's a very strong magazine and like the fact that it does not sit entirely in just fashion, current affairs or politics sections of newsstands. I have heard a few people mouthing off about disliking monocle for becoming a bit 'pretentious'. thoughts..............?

[kpnv]

i like reading about 3rd world governments or new economic initiatives in eastern europe and staring at the graphics that show how many fighter jets each small south east asian nation has or some little spiel about the retail landscape in a 2nd/3rd/4th tier city. it's completely irrelevant to me but completely interesting. i never knew i would read shit about life in kamchatka or that anyone would print it. with awesome pictures.

it's escapism for me. not pretension.

but mostly i like to look at the pictures where it's always a very pretty girl either as a teacher or a soldier or an air stewardess or some hot chick in a uniform.

[Cool Story Hansel]

They're a bit pretentious, but they have every right to be. What worries me a bit though is how they are blurring content and advertising. On one hand you could argue that they're only doing it for products they love, but on the other hand it seems quite sketchy to write articles about things that they have a vested interest in.

[dralfonzo]

yeah but if you look at magazines like GQ they have been doing similar for years, half of GQ now is just adverts to look like articles

[NESK]

i think the writing is getting less an less precise as the ad-content hybrid stuff is increasing. the articles usaully start off pretty good. but toward the end you can sometimes tell that the writer knows he/she only has half a page to wrap it all up before they jump to 16 pages of beams propaganda. a piece can start out really interesting and read like it was really rushed by the conclusion. for evidence of this, read the farmed caviar piece from the most current issue. i think ive actually read a few that just resort to bullet points toward the end to get it over with.

on the other hand, its still probably one of the only mags i pick up every issue of and read more than 50% of. eventually im gonna subscribe and see what the online contents all about.

[JohnnyLaw]

I started reading Monocle about 6 months ago and I really enjoy it. It's true that sometimes the line between content and advertising gets blurred, but the articles cover a wide variety of topics and it's well-written and superbly designed. It also makes me want to buy stuff that I can't afford.

[djrajio]

i think the writing is getting less an less precise as the ad-content hybrid stuff is increasing. the articles usaully start off pretty good. but toward the end you can sometimes tell that the writer knows he/she only has half a page to wrap it all up before they jump to 16 pages of beams propaganda.

I think the increasing use of ad-content hybrid ties-ups most likely is a direct result of the economic downturn; advertisers/monocle probably see the format as more bang for their buck since the magazine is a bit niche compared to the general publishing climate.

That said, I also agree the magazine is a bit too Japan-centric especially w/ all the retail type-ups w/ Beams, Comme des Garcons, etc and 16-page "specials" extolling the great conveniences of Tokyo, etc.

My gut says the readership of Monocle is less stylish global-trotting "Economist" types but Esquire-ish new-media ad-ex types who want to feign international/political literacy.

Why invest serious time to understanding a critical geo-political issue when you can get your quick caffeinated fix and look stylish at the same time?

A more critical and opinionated approach to their writing rather than a cursory overview w/ glossy pictures of pretty people would probably be more appropriate.

[Gabriel]

My gut says the readership of Monocle is less stylish global-trotting "Economist" types but Esquire-ish new-media ad-ex types who want to feign international/political literacy.

Exactly my thoughts.

For all its "international-ness" it's very English, in its positioning, target, culture, humour, etc. Also very oriented towards boys in their 30s. Sometimes I suspect the articles aren't even meant to be read, like lorem ipsum.

I bought it every month for the first year but somehow got bored and stopped...

[zerofuture]

Does anyone listen to the Monocle Weekly podcast? I think that it typically provides decent content and often an equally interesting perspective into the development of the magazine and the lifestyles of Monocle editors.

Interestingly, if I remember correctly, in one podcast, I believe Brule et al mentioned that the magazine wasn't yet profitable which, after 3 years, I thought was surprising.

Interesting read here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/has-monocle-brought-a-corrective-lens-to-the-business-of-magazines-1773077.html -- Monocle store in Toronto?

[superbeveridge]

Interesting read here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/has-monocle-brought-a-corrective-lens-to-the-business-of-magazines-1773077.html -- Monocle store in Toronto?

Read that and posted it on the Toronto Meetup page. I emailed Tyler but haven't heard back from him. I know he loathes Toronto but I think it could do well here... and maybe we wouldn't get the magazine a month after it is released everywhere else for once.

[superbeveridge]

would be interested to hear what peoples opinions of monocle are a year and a bit on. I still think it's a very strong magazine and like the fact that it does not sit entirely in just fashion, current affairs or politics sections of newsstands. I have heard a few people mouthing off about disliking monocle for becoming a bit 'pretentious'. thoughts..............?

Yeah a bit pretentious but overall I find the magazine does a little bit of everything and I like that. I like the fact that they do not restrict themselves to just what is between the covers and have opened the retail business, radio broadcasts and product collaboration... how many magazines are expanding as much as them. Obviously they are doing something right.

[kiya]

This shit is so fucking stupid and insulting.. they've seriously got a moron running the co-branding department of Monocle:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/03/monocle-offers-custom-blackberry-9700-for-the-discerning-busines/

[superbeveridge]

Yeah I thought that was a little lame too.

[RandR]

my favorite monocle branded stuff was either the reissue of the artek stool, or the table.

I've been reading monocle from day one, and I still really like it. The december/january issue is fantastic, with loads of extra guides. The comic continues to be ludicrous in a oddly charming way(the blatant product placement is hilarious), and the articles are excellent.

The photography is mostly film, and I also appreciate that. All in all, a solid magazine...though their fashion choices lean towards the 30-40s jetset mentality, and are not too fashion forward.

[cyberPUNK]

wow, i guess they're gagging to turn a profit anyway they can if they're doing this black berry collabo bullshit. that being said, i still like the magazine, their focus on retail shops is always cool. podcasts are usually on point too, but i usually only watch the video ones because listening to them hold a conversation usually makes me want to play russian roulette with a fully loaded gun.

[Yardsale]

some redundant issues a while back so I stopped buying them, but I recently picked up the latest one and it was a good read through. I guess I'll be buying it on and off depending on the big stories.

[home]

anyone still reading this? still as decent as the early editions?

desperate for some good commuter-reading. fucked if i can concentrate on my novels when i'm packed in like a sardine.

[FunkyFrenchy]

well imo it's still good (but started reading since issue 17 so i can't compare to the first first.)