Six centuries after the celebrated Alexandria lighthouse tumbled into the Mediterranean, Pierre Cardin is unveiling a model of a fluorescent obelisk meant to recall the lost seventh wonder of the world.
Cardin's column — in concrete covered with mirrored glass — will rise 435 feet and cast colored light beams 34 miles out to sea from the tip of a jetty overlooking Egypt's Bay of Alexandria.
That's just a stone's throw from the site of the original lighthouse, destroyed by two earthquakes in 1349.
Egyptian officials approved the $86.2 million obelisk project on Aug. 31 after months of negotiation. "It's now a question of financing," the famed fashion designer said.
Cardin travels today to Lisbon, Portugal, to present a 4-foot tall scale model of the tower at the World's Fair.
