Every day I pop over to Bruno’s, a cute little café less than a five-minute walk away from my office, for a caramel cappuccino. After I while, I began to notice that the barista there was always working on his laptop, which was perched on the little counter. And when he wasn’t doing that, he was drawing. I asked myself what it was that he actually did for a living. One day he told me: he is a qualified architect, used to own a cocktail bar and is now, among other things, a self-employed graphic designer. And his café? It also serves as his office. What? Yes, that’s right. His office! With his earnings from caffeine-addicted people like me, he pays the rent for his unique workspace. That blew my mind.

The way we work today shows just how our society ticks. Everyone seems to be harassed, passive-aggressive, noncommittal, overwhelmed and fatigued. Why? Perhaps because the demands placed on us are constantly increasing, but our own energy, in our attempt to get ahead, or simply not go under, is draining away. There seems to be a serious lack of creativity and courage to develop unconventional ideas (like Bruno’s café). But we are more than just closeted workaholics. Amidst all the progress and developments, most of us are still searching for traditional values and striving for a kind of happiness that has nothing to do with promotions or pay rises.

So, on that note, welcome to issue #79! This time we are taking a closer look at the business behind the scenes. How do we work and what impact is that having on the way we interact with each other and ultimately with the entire industry? In our cover feature from page 40, author Vanessa Pecherski explains what ‘New Work’ actually means and how we can tackle the work-life challenge. Plus: from page 58, key industry players, including PR agencies, designers, editors, influencers and retailers, are revealing how they work and what motivates them.

But don’t worry, we’re not neglecting the business that goes on in front of the scenes: on page 70, designer Nigel Cabourn is telling us how his collaboration with Closed came about, while Karhu’s Remko Nouws explains what Kanye West has to do with the ‘Fusion 2.0’ (page 74). We also had an insightful conversation about the denim industry with K.O.I’s Tony Tonnaer (page 78), Isko’s Ogul Kivanc Arseven (page 72) and Alexander Graah from Dr. Denim (page 76). And Florian Wortmann from Club of Gents (page 80) is also telling us where things are headed, both in terms of fashion and the future. Speaking of which: let the AW20/21 season commence! Check out our Bits & Pieces, Brands and Trend Preview for a lowdown on the latest and most exciting fashion trends.

Happy New Year! We hope you enjoy reading this issue.

Cheryll Mühlen & team