Years ago, when Wallpaper was at its high water mark, it would seemingly casually develop fascinating new rubrics—like an "outpost" feature on Norfolk Island or its irresistible country surveys, which began—someone can correct me if I'm wrong—with a survey of Switzerland in the May 2001 issue, continuing with one of Denmark in the November 2001 issue.
The latter remains to this day a signature item in my library. It managed to ensnare a whole host of things that are durably interesting about Denmark, and the profiles of people like Greenlandic actress Nukâka Coster-Waldau, writer Suzanne Brøgger, and illustrator Jakob Martin Strid were a fascinating addition to the dossier.
Years have passed and Wallpaper is following the beat of a different drummer altogether. Monocle, meanwhile, has reworked some of the most appealing categories from the old Wallpaper. The March issue contains a national survey of Mexico packed with exciting material. Every American with a one-dimensional view of our southern neighbor should take a look.
And, on the subject of outposts, there's an interesting feature on the Falkland Islands that purports to be the first in a new series. What's next? Tristan da Cunha? Rodrigues Island? Rapa Iti? Jan Mayen? I can't wait.
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