Breaking the mould.

Whimsical, eclectic Japanese/Hong kong product design duo The (aka Sherwood and Mihoko) have permanently changed the food container category with a simple but deadly (at least seemingly so) bag to protect homemade lunches from as they say, "...sticky-fingered coworkers or schoolyard bullies...". Their anti-theft lunch bags combine the practical and playful to keep away any potential rotten thieves.

Via Teehan + Lax.

A nice change.

It's easy to knock True as a brand for their unfocussed and frivolous product line extensions and general air of unwarranted hype – but for showcasing relevant, utile and engaging design such as this one has to tip one's hat.

Easily mistaken as an architectural leftover or structural orphan, Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag's Magic Mirror, housed on the third floor of True's Siam Square boutique store, is a cleverly understated piece of function-led design that ensures you never have leave the fitting room to show off what you're trying on. The electrical current that charges the crystaline film that renders the walls opaque (for while you're getting changed) is disengaged when the door is pulled ajar, allowing the glass to return to its transparent state when you're ready to parade whatever you've picked up from off the rail.

The really nice change though is the appearance of such a truly genuine triumph of design in a site of such popular appeal.

Photography by Asit Prueangwet.

Modeled by Kwan & Gift.

Easily hooked.

It's easy to get hooked by good design.

Designed by Ransmeier & Floyd.

Via Droog.

Capping the occasion.

Seeing as I actually do have all my best ideas in the bathroom – something I've attributed to both the sudden physical shift from my working space to the smallest room in the house, and to the intense, fiery red walls of my own hong nam – I decided to celebrate the enlightenment (elevating the process to a contemporary creative custom) with a 'Brain' shower cap from Bangkok's quirky product design studio Propaganda.

That's as far as it goes though and so the purchase of a Dive Slate will just have to wait.

Sweet design.

Candy for the eyes or aural pleasure in the shape of sexy, sultry, anthropomorphic phone calls featuring the Chocolat Factory product offering telling you how much it wants you?

Either way, instant online gratification is all yours from a bold but tasteful brand that offers more appetizing bites than chocolate body parts.

Ultimately more a functional factory than a steamy site; cute rather than hot – but, of course, less fattening than the real thing.

Bagsy.

The only thing worse than finding your bag has been thrown around by airport 'chuckers' is not being able to find your bag at all – and that doesn't always mean that it isn't there, it's just hard to distinguish from the luggage of all the other people who benefitted from that Samsonite recession sale.

Handily, Jump and Artoyz have developed customizable luggage that lets you verbally or pictorially tag your bag in a way that hopefully sets you apart from the rest. Not sure how much use this would have been though on US Airways flight 1549.

Via Notcot.

Knob off.

Rather than screeching to tell unwanted guests to go away or hanging a conspicuous 'Do Not Disturb' sign on your door, there is a more subtle and sophisticated answer to keeping unwanted visitors at bay – a doorknob that says it for you. 

Pull the sleek, pulley-activating handle on the inside and everyone on the outside will know to leave you alone. And if they don't get the message, they won't have much joy breaking in, as the door – dubbed the Doorknob Connection by designer Arnaud Lapierre – is made from super-strength industrial steel.

This piece of design and communication gets top marks from me for being equally strong conceptually and functionally.

Via Geekologie.