Claudia Jacob

Scan the bookshelves of any French home, bookshop or library and there’s a title that you will invariably find: Le Petit Prince. Written and illustrated in 1942 by military pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the book is a children’s novella so synonymous with Gallic identity that the French still purchase between 200,000 and 300,000 copies a year. Saint-Exupéry was an intrepid explorer and his narrative was inspired by his own experiences.

Melbourne native Nick Shelton is the founder of Broadsheet, an online culture, hospitality and lifestyle platform that also publishes print magazines. Its various editions cover cities including Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney – and now London, where he moved last year. We join him in Notting Hill for his morning caffeine hit, before jumping on a Circle Line train to Broadsheet’s offices on the Strand. Which brands do you reach for in the mornings?

Thailand has a formidable reputation as a regional leader for graphic, product and furniture design, as well as for fashion. Exploring this scene is not just an opportunity to take home something special but also a window into the country’s cultural soul and modern spirit. At one end of the spectrum are the vast shopping centres selling goods ranging from luxury brands to fresh produce. On the other is a new generation of designers and makers using local materials and time-honoured techniques.