To say French couple Alexandre Piffaut and Sandra Fuzier are purists is putting it mildly.
To say French couple Alexandre Piffaut and Sandra Fuzier are purists is putting it mildly. To elevate potpourri from how people often think of it (dried scented flowers that collect dust and tiny insects while disintegrating into a mess), they looked for the best medium to distribute their brand of essential oil-based home fragrances, Mad et Len. They found it in the Sahara desert, in the form of porous volcanic rocks that absorb and retain fragrance better than traditional potpourri. The prescented rock is encased in rectangular or round brushed black metal lidded “pots” that are as heavy as cast iron, and resemble archaeological finds. Two variations are available at L’armoire. Our fave (above): the sweet and woody Black Champaka, $190. The other is the spicy and earthy Terre Noire (in a round box), $340. Each comes with a mini vial of its scent for refreshing the volcanic rock. – BG
THE WATCH THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE
THE ACTION HERO
When Gopro sticks to what it does best – compact action cameras – it’s like Thanos: It has zero competition. Of its three Hero 7s, Black (the other two are White and Grey) makes it very possible to create pro-looking 4K videos that might have been shot with a gimbal (even without a gimbal). How: Its Hypersmooth stabilisation feature “smooths over” every shake, bump and vibration so that even a mountain bike trip over the toughest terrain doesn’t give viewers motion sickness.
"What goes where: A tea light candle goes through the hole on the right, and a few drops of fragranced oil go into the left. Now, inhale."
THE SHOWPIECE BURNER
"Although no money is required to play the music, The Memory Sound Box has a side slot of the right size for 50-cent coins, which means the tin doubles as a piggy bank."
THE JUKEBOX IN A BISCUIT TIN
This is not a box of Hup Seng Cream Crackers. It is The Memory Sound Box, a rechargeable jukebox in a Hup Seng Cream Crackers tin. Designed by Yu Yah-Leng of design agency Foreign Policy Design Group and The Social Co., a collective that does charitable projects, it has 77 tracks from the ’60s to the late ’90s (yup, they include songs by Teresa Teng, the Bee Gees, Stevie Wonder and The Beach Boys). To play, press any of the 18 buttons on the front. From http://thesocialco.sg for $500. Proceeds go entirely to the Alzheimer’s Disease Association. – BG
"LV’s upgraded Horizon Soft luggage is still waterrepellent, still has as-silentas-possible wheels, and the retractable handle is still on the outside of the bag for more storage space."
THE TEMPERATURE REGULATING SUITCASE
A lot of engineering goes into the outside of most travel cases. The inside? Not as much. Designer Marc Newson (right), in his third collaboration with Louis Vuitton, has changed that with the brand’s Horizon Soft luggage range. Covered – inside and out – with a stretchy, elastic, thermo-control jacquard knit-blend, these suitcases keep the inside (and your belongings) at normal room temperature. Prices start from $3,850. – BG
THE MASCARA WAND FOR SHORT, SCANTY LASHES
THE GLASSES FOR ALL NOSES
"All four legs of the Mavic 2 Pro are foldable for easier storage and portability. And its remote control has removable joysticks, which also makes it easier to store and transport."
"Slot your phone into the controller to connect the drone to DJI’s Go 4 app for its seven Intelligent Flight Modes."
THE DRONE OF DRONES
There are unmanned aerial vehicles and there are unmanned aerial vehicles. DJI’s Mavic 2 Pro is the kind you want for more-funless-screw-ups play. First, the fun part: It’s bigger than most (the width of a 12-inch pizza) – giving it (and us) a we-are-serious-aboutour-game vibe. It also offers the longest flight time for any drone, at 30 minutes. After it’s connected to DJI’s Go 4 app via your mobile (Android or iOS), its seven Intelligent Flight Modes kick in. Two standouts: Active Track, for the narcissist, programmes the drone to track just the face, whether you’re trekking through New Zealand or riding camels in the Sahara; and Circle in Hyperlapse Mode, which sets it to fly in a circular pattern around any subject while creating a time-lapse video.
Now, for the less headache-y part: To ensure its 4K videos and 20-megapixel photos are more Nat Geo than homemade, the Mavic 2 Pro has sharpness, clarity and improved colour accuracy sorted with a Nasa-approved Hasselblad lens (the Swedish camera makers’ product documented the first moon landing in 1969) – which means you can now spend more time outdoors instead of being desk-bound, editing.
To prevent the drone from crashing into anything, all its six sides are covered in sensors designed to help it avoid or fly around obstacles.
At major electronic stores for $2,149; it requires Android 5.0 or above, and iOS 9.0 or above to operate. – NP
