The Globalist: "The Year in Fashion, Design and Hospitality"

Monocle Radio, December 26, 2025
Host: Chris Chermack

Episode Overview

In this special Boxing Day edition, The Globalist reflects on the standout trends and stories from 2025 across fashion, design, and hospitality. Host Chris Chermack is joined by Monocle experts and leading industry figures to dissect a year marked by significant shifts—creative upheaval in fashion (including a tribute to Giorgio Armani), evolving priorities in collectible and global design, and the transformative landscape of travel and hospitality as both seasons and destinations shift in response to climate and consumer preferences.

Key Segments & Discussion Highlights

1. Year in Fashion: Change, Reflection, and Loss

Guests: Natalie Theodosi (Monocle Fashion Editor), Lily Austin (Producer, Monocle on Fashion)
Timestamps: 03:10–11:25

• Monocle on Fashion’s First Full Year

  • Lily Austin celebrates a successful inaugural year interviewing an array of established names and emerging talents, noting a universal rethinking of business plans:

    “There’s been a lot of taking stock and changing of business plans in order to fit better with the world today.” – Lily Austin (04:24)

  • Fashion’s “musical chairs” was a defining motif, with rapid and unexpected changes at the creative director level.

• Fashion Industry Upheaval

  • Natalie Theodosi describes how reporting on fashion in real-time has exposed systemic cracks, not just surface-level creative changes:

    “It’s as fascinating for us… to talk to the independents … as everything that’s happening on the catwalks, which has, to be frank, exposed also the cracks in the system.” – Natalie Theodosi (05:22)

  • Emphasizes a need for deeper industry change rather than only shuffling creative talent.

• Memorable Shows & Farewells

  • Lily Austin highlights Dario Batale’s short but impactful tenure at Versace, evoking a return to the brand’s roots before an abrupt leadership change:

    “I really, really loved that collection. I felt like it was a real return to the Gianni days of Versace.” – Lily Austin (06:47)

• Designer Focus: Peter Copping’s Revival at Lanvin

  • Natalie sets up a clip illustrating Copping’s approach:

    “He took over the creative director position at Lanvin… and in just two seasons he’s really helped revive the house… It can really work quite quickly as well.” – Natalie Theodosi (08:05)

  • Peter Copping on archival inspiration:

    “For me, it was really going back to the roots of the house. So really looking pretty much solely at the Jeanne Lanvin period.” – Peter Copping (09:19)

• The Passing of Giorgio Armani

  • Natalie Theodosi recounts attending Armani’s final show—once planned as a celebration, transformed into a historical homage after Armani’s death:

    “It was just such a beautiful homage… something that will be part of fashion history.” – Natalie Theodosi (10:19)

2. Year in Design: Collectibility, Legacy, and Evolution

Guests: Nick Minise (Monocle Design Editor), Grace Charlton (Associate Editor, Design and Fashion)
Timestamps: 12:17–18:02

• Design Miami & Art Deco Legacy

  • Nick and Grace reflect on Miami’s resilience and authenticity beneath its polished façade, noting the survival and appreciation of South Beach’s architectural legacy post-1930s hurricane (12:36).

• Rise of Collectible Design

  • Nick Minise:

    “It’s like really rare one-off pieces… whatever the opposite of mass market is.” (13:21)

  • Collectible fairs (“Design Miami,” “Matter and Shape,” etc.) and salons are proliferating, responding to growing interest in meaningful, storied pieces—especially from Gen Z.

• Monocle’s Design Directory

  • Grace Charlton shares the value of Monocle’s new annual design publication:

    “The idea that we’ve got this amazing kind of shared collective knowledge of great design studios and people you might wanna work with. And you can pick up this directory and find little stories about those people.” (14:43)

• Salone del Mobile’s Ongoing Dominance

  • Despite new competitors, Salone remains the premier event for global releases, though Copenhagen’s “Three Days of Design” is growing (15:26–16:09).

• Desire for Uniqueness

  • The drive toward collectible design is partly about acquiring objects with stories, uniqueness, and bragging rights:

    “People want objects, furniture with stories behind them. They want things to be meaningful… shifting younger generation, Gen Z… want things that are a little bit rarer, a little bit unique.” – Grace Charlton (17:18)

3. Hospitality & Travel: Adapting to a Changing World

Guest: Tom Webb (Monocle Deputy Head of Radio)
Timestamps: 18:41–25:40

• Climate Disruption Stories

  • Tom narrates his harrowing, storm-battered journey to Thailand, emblematic of shifting and unpredictable climates affecting travel seasons.

    “Thailand experienced its worst typhoon… monsoon season supposed to end in September, but changes to the climate, it’s shifting and it’s becoming a lot later.” – Tom Webb (19:05)

• Travel Trends & Industry Shifts

  • At London’s World Travel Market, themes were luxury’s ongoing boom, extended travel seasons (especially in Europe), and rising interest in cooler or less-crowded destinations—Scotland, Finland, and the Nordics.
  • Over-tourism remains a concern, but the term is taboo with officials; instead, the solution is to promote off-peak travel and new locations.

    “You cannot use the word overtourism with these ministers… but then they do admit that it is a strategy…” – Tom Webb (22:46)

  • The Middle East’s investment and accelerated growth—particularly Saudi Arabia and the Gulf—are reshaping the global tourism landscape.

    “The Middle East had outperformed any other region in terms of growth.” – Tom Webb (23:39)

• Emerging Destinations for 2026

  • Fast-growing hotspots: Peru, Chile, Paraguay (cited as a bargain capital), Egypt (new museum), and Turkey (innovating in affordable luxury).

    “South America is growing faster than anyone can predict… Paraguay is going to be huge in 2026.” – Tom Webb (24:40)

4. The Future of Independent Hospitality

Guests: Laura Kramer (Monocle), Chris Hartley (CEO, Global Hotel Alliance)
Timestamps: 25:40–33:52

• Championing Independents

  • Chris Hartley outlines how Global Hotel Alliance supports independent luxury hotels against the industry giants, building collective loyalty schemes and cost-saving platforms.

    “Our primary role is to help the independents remain independent, to provide them with support in reaching customers around the world…” – Chris Hartley (26:35)

• Changing Traveller Demographics

  • Leisure now overtakes business; companies are restricting business travel spend, so independents look to international and leisure guests who stay longer and travel more.

    “Leisure travelers are actually planning more trips and business travelers and they’re planning more international trips, and that’s good for us.” – Chris Hartley (28:35)

• Destination & Season Diversification

  • Travellers are shunning overcrowded mainstays for “secondary cities” and off-season escapades—Valencia, Alicante, Seville, and more are rising as alternative hubs.
  • Seasonality is flattening: September, October, and the shoulder periods are more popular.

• Navigating Airbnb & Regulation

  • The independent hotel sector faces challenges from Airbnb, notably in housing cost pressures and regulation, but Hartley sees room for synergy with luxury homestay partners.

    “If we don’t have a hotel in a destination, we’ll always offer our luxury homestay partner… at a luxury level of the market.” – Chris Hartley (31:23)

• Outlook for 2026: Optimism Despite Uncertainty

  • Travel is now prioritized highly among lifestyle choices, resilient to global shocks except in isolated cases.

    “People put travel as a lifestyle choice… whether it’s career promotion or a family or a wedding, travel is right up there with things people want to do.” – Chris Hartley (33:52)

Notable Quotes

• Peter Copping (Lanvin):

  “For me, it was really going back to the roots of the house. So really looking pretty much solely at the Jeanne Lanvin period.” (09:19)

• Lily Austin (Monocle on Fashion):

  “I thought it was fun. It was like an interesting change from the Versace we've had that I feel had gotten a little bit stale.” (06:47)

• Natalie Theodosi (on Armani):

  “It was just such a beautiful homage… something that will be part of fashion history.” (10:19)

• Grace Charlton (Gen Z and design):

  “People want objects, furniture with stories… probably also an element of wanting to be able to… tell your friends that you’ve got something rare.” (17:18)

• Tom Webb (climate and travel):

  “The monsoon season supposed to end in September, but changes to the climate, it's shifting and it's becoming a lot later.” (19:05)

• Chris Hartley (independent hotels):

  “Our primary role is to help the independents remain independent… give them reach into a customer database we all share…” (26:35)

Memorable Moments & Insights

• Tribute to Giorgio Armani: Natalie’s vivid retelling of the final Armani show, planned as a joyful milestone but transformed into a historic farewell.
• Peter Copping’s creative process: His thoughtful journey into Lanvin’s archives signals an industry longing for authenticity and depth.
• Travel tales from the front lines: Tom Webb’s stormy adventure in Thailand embodies the unpredictable—and thrilling—side of modern travel.
• Rise of secondary cities: Both experts and executives note the distinct trend away from overcrowded mainstays toward “hidden gems,” fueled by both market forces and consumer fatigue with over-tourism.

Timeline of Sections

| Time | Segment | Guests/Highlights | |------------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------| | 03:10–11:25| Fashion year-in-review & Monocle on Fashion | Theodosi, Austin; Armani tribute; Copping | | 12:17–18:02| World of Design | Minise, Charlton; Miami, collectibles, Salone| | 18:41–25:40| Hospitality & Travel | Webb; climate impacts, trends, destinations | | 25:40–33:52| Independent Hospitality & Sector Outlook | Kramer, Hartley; GHA, secondary cities, Airbnb|

Tone & Style

The conversation balances Monocle’s signature blend of urbane wit and expert analysis, mixing forward-looking optimism with nuanced recognition of industry challenges. Guests share both personal anecdotes and broader strategic insights, keeping the discussion both intimate and globally relevant.

This episode is an essential listen for those wanting a brisk yet comprehensive runway across the overlapping worlds of fashion, design, and hospitality as they stand on the cusp of 2026.