Watchmaking special: Aera and highlights from Geneva Watch Days

Aera co-founders Jas Minhas and Olof Larsson join us at Midori House to discuss how things have been ticking along at their watch brand since Minhas’s previous visit. Plus: Monocle’s Brenda Tuohy on Geneva Watch Days trends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French-Togolese architect and co-founder of Studio Neida, Jeanne Autran-Edorh, talks about the future of design in Togo and how her work is making an impact internationally.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonny Lake and Isa Bal, co-founders and masterminds behind the two Michelin-starred Trivet in London, discuss their latest venture. Plus: Simon Kim chats about shaking up the traditional American steakhouse with the acclaimed Cote. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roberts Treize shares the story of Sporonex, a Latvian startup developing sustainable acoustic solutions using mycelium and circular-waste materials.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laurent Kleitman stops by Monocle’s Paris studio to reflect on the state of luxury hospitality, Mandarin Oriental’s takeover of the Lutetia hotel and the group’s starring role in season three of The White Lotus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Didrik Dimmen is the co-founder and CEO of Auk, an award-winning indoor smart-gardening system that makes it easy to grow fresh herbs, salad plants and even vegetables, no matter the season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We mark two centuries of passenger rail with a look at what’s down the line. Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, discusses the direction of travel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to share something that’s rooted in place with the world? Naoki Mita discusses Le Furo’s “craft onsen” – concentrated hot spring solutions that capture the therapeutic benefits of Japan’s mineral-rich waters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feng Chen Wang is a Chinese, London-based fashion designer who embodies what it means to update tradition. Her eponymous brand creates pieces that are deeply personal yet globally resonant, merging traditional Chinese references with modern tailoring, sportswear influences and futuristic silhouettes. As her brand marks a decade of boundary-pushing design, Wang reflects on her upbringing in Fujian, collaborations with major brands such as Converse and why straddling cultures is her superpower in both design and business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Maas, co-founder of Papa Salt, talks about testing 59 distilled recipes before settling on their gin, which uses native Australian botanicals. Plus: a florist’s mission to elevate the status of the country’s wildflowers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.