It is a testament to Mr. Chamberlain's enduring creativity that after more than 40 years, he can still find inventive combinations for these materials.

Today, as chefs and home cooks take a more informal approach to dining, all sorts of inventive combinations, as well as some time-honored classics, are being seen on both restaurant and guest menus.

It is known for its highly priced, beautifully cut womenswear, notable for its inventive combinations of patterns and textures.

Delicious, inventive combinations of fresh local produce and lovely staff (150 Wharf Rd; 4929 6444; www.noreastdining.com.au).

The Segway is a very cool machine - an inventive combination of advanced gyroscopic technology, electronics, software and mechanics.

The panini range from simple prosciutto to more inventive combinations like Non Ti Scordar di Me (Forget Me Not): Brie, speck (like Canadian bacon) and pate.

His jewellery for Schiaparelli, which featured inventive combinations of precious and semi-precious stones proved successful, and at the end of the 1930s, he left to launch his jewellery business in New York.

"They offer inventive programs and inventive combinations of sound," she added, "and they are so much fun to work with and to hear."

Greg and Chantal integrated vitamins and supplements into Liquid Nutrition, creating inventive combinations of fruit, juices, almond milk and neutraceuticals.

Alan Shields's beautiful and inventive combinations of stitched and painted cloth, as well as printed and woven hand-formed paper, defy the limitations of his media.