360 DEGREES Weblog

Viktor & Rolf are on a roll. Last month they launched the upside-down champagne bucket, this month, they turn their attention to furniture in a collaboration with Samsonite.

Expect Samsonite bags in the shape of violins, cow bells or Russian dolls, to name just a few of the surreal creations of Viktor & Rolf. The Dutch design duo of Rolf Snoeren and Viktor Horsting has been tapped by the iconic travel brand to create a Black Label collection for 2009 - following the example of Alexander McQueen, whose skeletal sculptures created the coolest of wheely bags for the company. (INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE)

Yep, they did exist. Nice example of an ad in Ebony magazine in 1970.

A tree-inspired Danish day care center is a far cry from fake grass enhanced playgrounds. The tree trunk is the very foundation of the center, and as such creates the security blanket for the entire structure. This center evokes a warmth which the youngsters respond to. Dream Blossoms grow out of the trunk and create sleeping areas for the habitants to snuggle and nap in.

The Kids Republic bookstore in Beijing (pic below) has been designed and merchandised to inspire children to enter and purchase. Incorporating the core design elements of a kid’s playground, these slipperyslide-inspired-shelves house books in an incredibly fun way. Breaking from the traditional table and chair reading areas, padded L shaped reading stools are used and enjoyed by tiny readers. Dull lighting is replaced by snakelike fittings that radiate a variety of colors whilst providing adequate light to read with.

‘India is a country of gift giving,” says Yves Carcelle, chief executive of Louis Vuitton. “The Taj Mahal was a wedding gift and just recently, a man gave his wife an Airbus.” Carcelle was referring to India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries. the country’s largest private company, who gave the $60 million plane to his wife on her 44th birthday.

While China and Russia are still far bigger draws for luxury brands, India actually leads the world in wealth creation.

International Herald Tribune

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The ever-generous TrendWatching team roll out their list of key trends to
watch for in 2008.

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The Bright Blind was created by Makoto Hirahara and it basically recreates the look of a window covered by venetian blinds, but on any wall. The slats on the blinds are made from electroluminescent sheets that produce enough of a glow to recreate the look of diffused light coming from outside.

Because you never bought it “just for the articles,” you can now page through more than 600 beauties inside Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds ($315). Starting with Marilyn herself, this huge collector’s edition book has every centerfold from every issue, presented exactly as they appeared in the magazines. The book comes in an impressive velvet-lined, embossed briefcase with combination-lock clasps.

The Thermofocus is the first non-contact clinical thermometer that uses infrared technology to take a temperature reading, without having to enter any cavities.Just point the tip of the Thermofocus at the forehead, naval or armpit and the LED display will show the temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius, with an accuracy of +/- 0.4°F.

Looking for a unique dining experience? Then look no furthur than “Ithaa”, the world’s first undersea restaurant, located at the Maldives Hilton Resort & Spa.