In the lap of luxury

Visitors attend the screening of Panorama, an Italian video show, at the Grand Central Station in Man-hattan in June. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Italian culture in a mere 15 minutes. That is what was on offer at the Salone del Mobile Milano's Shanghai edition from Nov 19 to 21, through Panorama, a 360-degree video presentation, covering almost all aspects of "made in Italy", including fashion, design, food and beverages, hospitality and automobiles.

With the help of drones and immersive media technology, the video takes the audience on a virtual journey, where they fly over the Coliseum in Rome, see fashion shows by top designers and visit Mediterranean wineries.

It features 250 of the country's greatest artworks by artists such as Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci, Giotto di Bondone and Sandro Botticelli. It also showcases Italian craftsmanship and jewelry, with music by renowned Italian musicians playing in the background.

The video features more than 200 locations, including museums, theaters, city squares, buildings and natural landscapes.

The video, which made its debut at the Milan Expo last year and was screened at New York City's Grand Central Terminal in June this year, has been seen by 260,000 people so far.

The mission of the video is to showcase the Italian luxury industry, which represents about 5 percent of the country's gross domestic product, says Andrea Illy, chairman of the Altagamma Foundation, the Italian luxury industry association. He is also the president of Illycaffe, a renowned Italian coffee brand.

The video is also part of the organization's efforts to propel the growth of the luxury industry in Italy, he says.