360 DEGREES Weblog

The reputation of Pierre Cardin seems have begun a kind of rehabilitation. For years, the brand was synonymous with a strategy of over-licensing and became a case study of what not to do when building a brand.

While over-indulgent licensing can still be an enormous danger for a luxury brand, more mainstream brands are beginning to revisit some of Cardin’s techniques.

And at 86 years old, M Cardin appears to be ready for a new challenge…

“I want to improve myself. I do not want to live for eating. Isn’t that what you expect from life when you are old – dinner parties and only sleeping? Food, fashion, music, art, films, theatre – I like everything.” — (Via Vogue)

Veuve Cliquot are known for their collaboration with designers in order to create unique accessories for their champagne. Their latest item is the Globalight which was designed by the highly acclaimed designer Karim Rashid as a carrying device for Veuve Clicquot’s Rosé. The Globalight device acts as cooler and emits a halo of pink light. The cooler lasts for two hours and the Veuve Clicquot Globalight is available exclusively through Veuve Clicquot.

John Kanzius has no background in cancer research but might have invented a real cure. He was diagnosed with leukemia, and struck by the idea that radio waves could kill cancer cells. So he built a prototype machine using pie pans and conducted tests on hot dogs injected with copper sulfate—the radio waves only heat up metal spots, for tactical nuking without nasty side effects. It’s now being tested at the University of Pittsburgh and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where the lead doc says that it “may allow us to treat just about any kind of cancer you can imagine.”

Disney announced that all computer-animated features from Disney and Pixar will be released in digital 3-D starting this year with Bolt (set to release in November, featuring voice work by Miley Cyrus and John Travolta). The studio follows in the footsteps of DreamWorks Animation, which announced last summer that starting in 2009 it would be releasing all of its computer-animated titles in 3-D. Disney also announced its upcoming slate of films on Tuesday, including Pixar’s first 3-D feature, Up, set to debut in May 2009; Rapunzel, slated for December 2010; Toy Story 3, June 2010; The Bear and the Bow — featuring the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly, and Emma Thompson — slated for Christmas 2011; and Cars 2, set for release in 2012. (Hollywood Reporter)

The big NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) convention’s exhibits open today in Las Vegas, and the RED Digital Cinema Camera Company is showing off SCARLET, its newest and smallest camcorder. Using tech from RED’s much-vaunted RED ONE camcorder that shoots in ultra-high 4K resolution for about a fifth the cost of competing cameras, this one’s shooting at 3K rez onto dual compact flash memory cards.

Pros will like this versatile little tyke, able to shoot at frame rates from 1-120 frames per second, with bursts to 180fps. It’ll be complete with an 8x zoom lens and 4.8-inch LCD viewscreen, too. While the company’s saying it’ll be available in 2009, it’s not talking price — but rumor has this hot pocketcam costing around $3000.

Sitting like a shuttle to Naboo, this design by Zaha Hadid Architects was picked to be the new Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in Vilnius, Lithuania. Zaha Hadid’s design flaunts conceptual characteristics like fluidity, velocity and lightness in a way that make the structure appear to be floating just above the urban landscape. The museums glossy, metallic surfaces are a clear indication of the future architectural language matching the cultural aims of the new Hermitage Guggenheim Vilnius Project.

If it’s ever been your misfortune to forget your anniversary, then you probably never did it again. If, however, you are a glutton for punishment, then allow me to introduce the Remember Ring.

This little item of jewellery may just save your marriage by administering a gentle reminder to your finger 24 hours before that important day. It’s quite simple really, the Remember Ring heats up over a period of 10 minutes to a temperature of 120F (49C) – “hot enough to discomfort, but not enough to burn” according to the makers, although much higher and you’ll probably start losing your fingerprints – and it will continue to do so on the hour every hour for the rest of the day.

You may want to take it off once you’ve been down to the petrol station for the flowers.

What I really like about the Remember Ring, though, is how it works. It uses a micro thermopile that converts the heat from your hands into electricity, which then powers the clock in the ring’s chip, as well as storing the energy for heat on that special day.

The Remember Ring comes in one of seven styles in 14k white and yellow gold and is available in sizes 10-13 for an uncharacteristically cool US$760.

It may sound a little like torture but as anyone who’s already missed an anniversary will tell you, the heat of the ring is nothing in comparison to the red hot flames of a woman scorned.

Toto introduces the Neorest AH type, an environmentally friendly tankless toilet. By incorporating the advanced Hybrid Ecology System and Washlet feature, Toto has actualized a truly clean and comfortable toilet. The Toto Hybrid Ecology System is the world’s first bowl-cleaning system that draws on two sources of water: a tank inside the toilet and the outside water supply. While old-style tank-type toilets require 13 litres per flush, Hybrid Ecology System uses just 5.5 litres.

After a couple of albums exploring different genres, Moby goes back to his dance club roots on his latest effort Last Night ($10). A quasi-concept album about a night of raucous clubbing and the morning after, Last Night features some great nostalgic dance beats, mixed with Moby’s traditional blend of sampling. Hands down, his best effort since Play. Standout Tracks: “Everyday It’s 1989,” “Alice,” “Disco Lies.”

The Spacearium fishtank is intended to “reinvent your indoor space,” as opposed to just being an accessory with some fish in it off in a corner somewhere. The huge acrylic tanks are shaped like gently curving ellipses, and range in size from 5 to 8 feet across, which is easily large enough to turn them into room dividers. Although you can get them with floor stands, it’s much cooler to mount them from your ceiling, since the mounting rails hide two tubes which circulate water (fresh or salt) through a filter system hidden away up to 15 feet away in a wall.

The 8 foot tank is about a foot think and holds 73 gallons. It’ll cost you $8400, installation not included.