Monocle #195

Monocle is the magazine figurehead of the international design/business/culture media empire launched by Tyler Brûlé in 2007: multiple magazines, live events, 24-hour radio and a branding agency.

This double issue for July/August 2026 is Monocle’s annual ‘Quality of Life Special’, surveying this year’s most liveable cities—from the ‘well-mannered’ Tokyo, to the alfresco-friendly Perth. Ranking is based on the emotional fulfilment of inhabitants and visitors, and whether or not a city is aspirational, and is not—as the editorial is eager to emphasise—a metric of sexiness. Elsewhere, readers will find a report on three new developments designed to facilitate communal living across generations, breakout Belgian popstar Angèle reflects on performing at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the songs soundtracking her summer, and cultural luminaries share their holiday reading picks.