Interview: Monocle in Brilliant Beijing

Imagine how ecstatic I was this month when I found out that Monocle Magazine managed to snag 6th spot in AdAge’s 2011 Magazine A-List. Well earned on all accounts, the magazine consistently features “flawless editorial, luxury advertising, brand extensions and confidence in print.” Needless to say, I was definitely excited to learn more about their first retail foray into China just two months ago. Joining the magazine’s other illustrious retail spaces in Hong Kong, New York and Tokyo, The Monocle Shop Beijing can be found in the Royal Smushi House. I managed to talk with their press a few weeks after their much-hyped grand launch, asking questions on their upcoming collaborations, reasons for entering the Beijing market, and an exciting subscribers party that will be happening early next year. 

The Monocle Shop Beijing joins The Monocle Shop Hong Kong as the second home of the global affairs magazine in China. Why is there an emphasis to grow in China?

Monocle: We opened our shop and bureau in Hong Kong last year because we wanted to have a bigger hub in China, for reporting, client work through Winkreative, and also because we have a growing number of Chinese readers and subscribers and wanted to increase our presence in the region.  The store in Beijing followed nicely – it came about because of an opportunity with the team at the Royal Smushi House, who we have long worked with. 

With many of your goods already sold out, it seems that your retail offerings are so far a success. Were you expecting such a strong and positive response?

The reason we expanded into retail in the first place was because of the positive response we’ve had from our readers from the start.  We started by selling Porter Bags online because so many people wanted to buy them after reading about them in Monocle, and at that stage, you could only buy them in Japan. It has gone from that idea, to six shops and a Monocle Café in just over 4 years. 

What voice does Monocle magazine bring to this rapidly developing country?

What we bring to every market – global reporting, across affairs, business, culture and design contained in a beautifully printed and collectable magazine.

What influenced your decision to open the shop in Beijing, rather than any of the cities in China? 

Because of our relationship with The Royal Smushi House – they invited us to join them in their new development, at the right time for our brand.

Monocle’s editor-in-chief, Tyler Brule, has said that each Monocle shop has its own distinct personality. How would you describe the unique features of The Monocle Shop Beijing compared to the other stores? 

The Monocle Shop Beijing is contemporary, streamlined, clean and light.

What endeavours can we expect in the future for Monocle to engage with the local community?   

We look forward to hosting our first subscribers party there, early next year.  The team will come across from London and it will be a chance for our readers to meet the editors over a glass of wine.

Last Question. What can we expect from The Monocle Shop Beijing in the coming months? 

Exciting new design collaborations with the likes of Drakes, Tod’s, Ettinger, and Swedish architect, Andreas Martin-Löf.

Image Source: Background Image by Sarmu Flickr