[captioning made possible by deutsche welle] >> "euromaxx" your. coming up on the show -- this person shakes up the world of jewelry design. customers. let you create your own product. recorder renaissance, classical music star toots her flute. "euromaxx" highlights. and kwlires host. >> hello there. and welcome to our highlights.

and we start off with what's usually considered a se date mode of transport. the humble bicycle. but the black trail is no ordinary bike. rather it's the fastest electric bike designed and made in germany. electric bikes are all the rage. sales have increased dramatically and -- but this one is not aimed at the masses. >> taking a $60 -- taking a 60 thousand euro speed bike for a spin. the accelerate is on the handlebars but riders can also use pedal power. this rider is traveling at 40 kilometers an hour.

but bikes can reach 100 kilometers an hour. >> it's incredible how much nour electric bike has. >> and this is where it's made. p.g. bikes in southern germany. in twipe the company's founder had the idea to build this luxury electric bike which officially isn't a bike at all. >> according to german and european standards, the black trail is a motor bike, so you need a motorcycle license to ride it or you can ride it like a mow ped or scooter. >> the company has been building bikes and ebikes for those who appreciate modern technology and novel design. the company's black trail model is attracting a lot of attention. it boasts a 16 horsepower

electric motor, a battery range that gives you 1,600 kilometers on a single charge and has parts used like carbon, like used in formula one cars. >> it's incredibly light and strong. this rim can hold three up thes and weighs 3/4 of a kilo and you can't break the spokes no matter how hard you try. you can't twist or bend it. >> the black trail took nine months and some 3 million euro to develop. a southern german company which normally develops formula one cars helped design and build the e. bike. >> the thing about developing the black trail was that we wanted to top everything that

had ever come on to the bike and motorcycle market. not just the speed but the safety features as well, down to the aluminum alloy screws. we wanted to say every screw, every cable on this vehicle outperforms anything on the market. >> the talk show host jay leno around orlando bloom are customers. bloom is even hoping to market the new bike. >> today our cliventse are super rich people who drive bentleys or hollywood stars like orlando bloom who want to encourt and jury a green evolution, even a revolution on two wheels. >> just 667 black trails will be produced. the first order came from a business man, and he wasn't put off by the 60,000 euro price tag. when charged with electricity from renewable sources, he

stays black trail is an environmently friendly mode of transport. >> i expected it to ride like a motorcycle. it's like ooh street machine with all the trimmings, but it's also an e. bike. it's mad, and it feels like riding a bike, so you don't have is to get used to that. >> ♪ born to be wild >> a few parts still need to be officially registered. but the first black trail should be delivered by the end of april. then it's happy trails for the e. bike of the future. >> pity none of those testers are wearing helmets. they will be required with the black trail. taking pricey to yet another level. what couture is to fashion, this is to jewelry. extravagant designs and sinfully expensive all at beauties if it perfectly in the world of the proceedings-born

daughter who dismantled an heirloom bracelet of her mother to make something. we met up with her at the exhibition of her first solo collection. >> a new show from her attracts the creme de la creme. the former editor in chief of french "voge" and top german photographer. >> the first thing i did was have a good look at every single item. you really have to take your time, because they are such small, beautiful objects. >> it is the most sought-after jewelry designer in paris. she doesn't talk about the prices of these items in her creation, many are considered

works of art, like these fantastic rings. >> i imagine my pieces of jewelry as representing women who are experiencing something special. for example, this red necklace covered in small rubies and diamonds. for me, it represent as woman lounging on a sofa. >> the head designer at this french fashion house, christian dior, this costs 600 euros, but these items are much more expensive. she uses classic stones and fine metals in unconventional ways. >> i love the world of children. i think that many of my

creations remind women of their childhood, and this touches them. i want my jewelry to be a toy for them. a valuable toy. >> she discovered her passion for jewelry while still a little girl. at the tender age of 5, she created her first trinket. >> i had fake, brightly-colored plastic jewelry. and i loved i. it was almost like i was obsessed with finding real gems to match the colors of the fake jewels. >> despite having no professional training, she was hired by which a nel's costume jewelry division. >> at the time i was working with a friend and helped karl

lagerfeld and i had seen him a few times, because my you thinkal worked for him. when he saw me, he asked me if i wanted to work with him. >> karl lagerfeld looks back fondly at their creative time together. >> she is a very special personality. as a child. we worked together for 15 years. personally, i didn't have time to look at the exhibition, because i'm looking at the new collection, but she is a wonderful person. >> she left chanel for christian dior in 1998. since then her creations have caused quite a stir. in 2007, she presented a collection. in the virtual world of second light. in 2008, her jewelry was presented on an imaginary cat walk.

>> in a new direction, used materials in different ways. her creations are speck tackler and beautiful. she's managed to reinvent this and give it a new her first col her own name represents another personal milestone. experts believe some of her creations cost more than a million euros. few can afford to pay these prices, but many can take a look. the exposition continues. >> if you're one of those people who is never quite satisfied with your breakfast cyril or chocolate bar, you're a trend towards mass customization. al thanks to the internet, many firms are customing custom-tailored products online.

we checked out a hand full of those companies here in berlin. pa piea cubes and chill yeses and orange pepper. each an individual and only a fraction of the estimated 27 billion combinations that customers of the berlin company can design themselves. >> we have a lot of people who simply want to try things out. we've got those who want some kind of horrible combination together to see if they can take it. but the basic ingredient is always chocolate. even when somebody puts together an awful combination, the alcoholic slat still there. >> 2 1/2 years ago, the startup began selling organic chocolate

herself online. in this case, necessity truly was the mother of invention. >> at the time we were desperate to come up with a gift idea. it was sunday night. we are worked with chocolate before, so we put together first chocrit. it was so well-received, it gave us an idea for a business. >> at first just two people ran it. today the company has 550 employees working in shifts to produce 100-gram chocolate slabs need order. every piece is created by hand and delivered by povements orders come in from germ initiation austinrya and recently they developed a line specifically targeted to the u.s.

>> we've been overwhelmedal with sales. to constantly increase our capacity, we're finally at a point where we can cover the demand. >> liquor or tea blends are all the rage. the term is mass cust myization. it refers to mass products you can customize for yourself at affordable prices. the same thing is happening with clothing. berlin alone both surround mass cust myization. >> we have individual lifestyles, individual ways of working. our society has become more multicultural. w that comes the desire to have unique products. we know what's possible and are less willing to compromise. >> anyone not daunted by the sheer range of choices can also

create their own perfume online. a company called my purr fume began >> believe it or not, there are 28 billion possible companiess. >> there's he willen, lilly of the valley, mandarin, jazmine, rose. mumbing. -- at the heart is the virtual fragrance designer. they help users make their own perfumes. >> the challenge was to develop a website in which you can create your own fragerans without actually being able to smell it beforehand. we got around this by working a lot with images and

descriptions around our client's memories. >> one can select the name, color and bottle. >> the lonely recorder is an instrument with something of an image problem, and it's often dismissed as a starting tool for kids. but germany is set is about changing that. she got her start on the instrument very young but then took it to the top league of classical music. ♪ >> a recital featuring recorder and harp. doris is playing at the

historic place in the city of munster. the conscience assert sold out despite the fact that the recorder doesn't exactly enjoy a teller reputation in germany. [applause] >> it could have something to do with 30 school children all playing the soprano recorder in music class, usually a classic sthrumet cost less than two euros. of course it sounds awful. some people still that that snound their ears and are surprised when they go to a concert. ♪ >> it's brilliant how she can bring the instrument to life. >> it's fantastic how much passion and feeling she puts into it. >> it's lively. not at all stuffy.

>> she flives colon and here in the birth place of the austrian composer, mozart. she has taught recorder for seven years. the 41-year-old heads the institute for old music at the mozart music school. >> it's a wonderful school. it's well known through its faculty and the many students who have graduated from here. of course, it's nice to be able to work in a place likethis. >> she not only specializes in the music of the middle ages, but works with her students on their own compositions as well. >> working at this place is

enriching, even for someone of doris' standing. >> usually, i'm the one who has to do the thinking, figure out myself how i want to get something across. then the students come up with ideas that would never have occurred to me. >> she had a traditional senator life. the preacher's daughter came from a family that appreciated music. she started playing recorder when she was 6. >> this was my first recorder. my mother brought it back from poland, and one for herself, too. though that have one is gone. as you can association i was really diligent. >> ober linger made her hobby her job. she studied recorder and began giving concerts across europe. she recorded the c.d. and won

her a refound in echo prize the following year. she recorded a piece with the swiss duo yellow for their album, touch. >> i used a subbase recorder. >> for the piece, she played six different recorders. the musicians overdubbed them. >> the nice thing about that was working without a score. a classical musician is always staring at a piece of music. here it was a case of reacting intuitively to what i heard.

>> the range is what doris appreciates about her instrument. whether in modern compositions or classical work, she demonstrated that the recorder is far more than a children's instrument. >> well, many women including myself will admit to having a weakness for shoes. and when you see this foot wear, it's understandible but in a man. this man's playful approach has completely rejuvenated his family's brand. we met one him at his first dutch brand store. >> the shoes are young, fashionable, and a little bit crazy, just like their designer. dutch fashionistas to admire his new creations. he finds it hard to believe how much excitement his shoes are

creating. >> it's really weird to start something 15 years ago, and then it turns out this big that we can open our stores and all these people show up. i can't believe with how many people showed up. >> it's surrounded by bars and trendy boutiques. it's popular for shoppers looking for something special. it's a family-owned company in the ninth generation and currently run by three brothers. ren anyway is the managing director. florence is the creative mind, and this father is proud his sons turned their company into a trendy label. >> we're the only factory in the netherlands that makes shoes. that is fantastic. >> the factory is located in

this village. it is in the south of the country. citizens 1950's, today the company makes modern foot wear for international trend setters. colorful chelsea boots and sporty numbers. florence is in charge of design. he starts out with penciled sketches. he always likes to introduce a little humorous touch into his work. >> i designed this for the police to help the police. when a burglar is wearing these shoes and they run away like this in the dark, then the police can follow the arrows.

>> the designer also loves rock music and as a sideline likes to compose songs for the -- this. >> he has a robot collection. but his creativity is only part of the success story. >> we would not have had all this success that we are having with the shoes had it not been for our history. florence calls himself a ninth generation shoe dude. >> the company is careful to choose the are -- the special thing about the company is that nothing is automated. it turns out 190,000 paras of shoes a year, all made by hand.

some methods haven't changed in nearly three centuries. >> every stitch is done by hand. somebody holds the shoe and does something with it. >> customers can choose between standard and luxury lines and the trendy shoes. this lacquer shoe was made the collaboration with german soccer star to promote the german aids foundation. a classic design with some interesting features such as a pink inner sole and the footballer's initials. >> i'm always surprised some famous people are very nice people. he was actually shirkse and we had a great time. >> at the store,

>> he makes it more trendy and more fashionable. not only for work or business. >> we can wear them with a pair of jogging pants but also under your suit or tuxedo. >> and then the unconventional designer let's the opening party wrap up in a if iting way with a performance by his favorite dutch band raccoon. >> don't forget you can always catch our highlights on our website. w that it's time for me to wrap it up and sign off.