What doesn't kill us makes us stronger

From hairdresser to artist to fashion designer, Rebecca Herring’s journey has taken a lot of twists and turns. The catalyst for her ultimate career change? A major illness that saw her narrowly cheat death—and come out all the stronger for it. Today, she continues to do things her own way; Herring doesn’t do Fashion Week, and she produces all her garments before they’re even shown to stockists. But as Amanda Cropp finds out, sticking to its guns is (and always has been) the key to Art Style’s success.

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Marketing magic

The thing about advertising is that when it’s bad, it’s really bad. But every once in a while there comes along a clever, simple and almost universally appealing campaign—like the latest from Old Spice, which has the entire social media sphere abuzz. Interactivity was the key here; by taking audience questions from Twitter and answering them in a series of deadpan videos featuring actor and former NFL athlete Isaiah Mustafa, the company engaged with a whole new following in a matter of hours. Missed some of the good ones? Catch up on the @OldSpice page.

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Best foot forward

Meet Rex. Otherwise known as the Robotic Exoskeleton, this Kiwi invention represents a new chapter in life for many people. Best described as a pair of robotic legs, it allows wheelchair-bound patients to stand up, walk, and even tackle stairs on their own. Founders Richard Little and Robert Irving know well the challenges faced by those in wheelchairs; both their mothers are wheelchair users and Irving has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. They’re quick to point out that it’s designed to complement, not replace, wheelchairs; it’s suitable for those who can strap themselves in and control their movements using a joystick and control pad. The grand unveiling took place yesterday and sales are projected to start in New Zealand later this year.

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Mouse revolution

The Swiftpoint doesn’t look quite like any mouse we’ve ever encountered before—but that’s a good thing. Like all good inventions, it emerged from one of those there-must-be-a-better-way moments, when programmer (now company CEO) Grant Odgers grew tired of doing battle with a traditional computer mouse. The resulting product is both a design triumph and a cinch to use. It works anywhere your laptop does; its pen-like grip does away with cramps and means you can hold it while you type; and the advanced scrolling and zooming options won’t give you OOS. We wrote about The Swiftpoint in 2008, and this week the company announced it’s available for pre-orders.

If you’re not convinced yet, there’s a special launch price and risk-free trial to make the choice a little easier.

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Weapon of choice

Most directors strive for authentic-looking props when shooting a war movie—but not Clinton Jones, the brains behind Cardboard Warfare, a short film featuring some surprisingly realistic firefights in which all the weapons are made out of cardboard. He talks Wired through the effects process here, but for the full impact, be sure to watch the clip.

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Beauty, school dropout

Murray Thom left school at 15 and was managing director at CBS Records New Zealand at 23—the youngest person in the office and running the joint. He went on to start Personalised Plates and has released a series of beautifully-presented, top-selling productions like Songbook, which went triple platinum. Last year in Idealog, Mark Roach described him like this:

“As goes with people who clearly love what they do, Thom doesn’t have a noticeable trace of cynicism from his long career in a famously cynical industry. But there lies the dichotomy of Thom. He’s in the business of music, and at the same time not just another cog in the music industry. He’s a marketing guru but simultaneously a wide-eyed music fan from the ’burbs who just likes putting out stuff he’s passionate about.”

So get your tickets to hear Thom speak at the next Creative Entrepreneurs meetup on August 4. It’s organised by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, which describes the meetup like this: “Socialise over fine wine and canapés at an event designed especially for innovative, enthusiastic, creative entrepreneurs.” We’re there. Tickets are $37 for members and $47 for non-members; to register, email events@chamber.co.nz.

Wrap up your wheels

No lock? No problem. UK designer Kevin Scott’s folding bicycle is solid enough to ride around on, but flexible enough to bend itself around the nearest lamppost, securing it from would-be thieves. The design won the 21-year-old student £500 at the New Designers exhibition in London this week and now he’s looking for bike-loving backers with the cash to help turn his concept into a commercial reality.

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Appetite for destruction

We don’t condone mindless destruction here at Idealog, but artist James Ford is genuinely in need of help in destroying his “cursed” Primera. Participants in Smash and Tag will get one minute to wreak havoc on the car; safety gear and certain tools will be provided, though you’re welcome to bring your own. So if you’ve got some frustration to vent and happen to be in Wellington tomorrow, why not head along? You’d be doing him a favour, honestly.

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The art of growth

The Deloitte Fast 50 is canvassing the landscape for businesses that have mastered the art of growth. Now in its tenth year, the index is an opportunity for businesses—large or small, public or private—to benchmark and celebrate their success. It honours innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit of those that make business growth look more like an art form than science. So if you’ve mastered the art of growth or know of a business that has, check out the 2010 Deloitte Fast 50.

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In a galaxy far, far away

What would you do if Princess Leia sauntered up and sat down next to you on the subway? Comedy theatre group Improv Everywhere decided to find out. Commuters were treated to the sight of Stormtroopers marching aboard and carting poor Leia off to face Darth Vader, but what we’d really like to know is where we can get a copy of Galactic Rebellion For Dummies.

Hindsight is everything

A self-twirling spaghetti fork. Sauce dispensing chopsticks. So simple, so obvious—why didn’t you ever think of it? Imagine the millions (or billions) that could have potentially been yours. The Huffington Post has compiled a list of 14 inventions (nine of which are food- or drink-related, incidentally) that you or I could have thought of, but didn’t.

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Quote of the week

“I don’t follow fashion, I follow passion.”

—Rebecca Herring charts her own course