27/11/2011
The closing balance was positive for Luxury & Yachts 2011, the show of Luxury organized for the first time through a partnership between Veneto Exhibitions and MAC Group. The exhibition event devoted to excellence presented a theme of cross-category luxury, covering the most diverse commodity sectors. Its steady stream of visitors, despite a widespread climate of worry, was considerable. "It's a sign of the approval, curiosity, and interest roused by our proposal of four themed routes: Classic, Flamboyant, Distinguished, and Innovative," stated Sandro Binelli, President of MAC Group. "We conceptualized them as leitmotivs for the exhibition's set design, to show the complexity along with the subjectivity of the concept of luxury in the modern world." The highly mixed attendance included lovers and potential buyers of luxury, as well as enthusiasts seduced by the products' beauty and elegance, and by the artisan skills expressed by many of the exhibitors on display. The Show's opening conference, focused on 'Luxury & Family Business', offered an in-depth look at the relationship between the luxury industry and family-run businesses. Organized by Milan's SDA Bocconi School of Management in collaboration with Luxury & Yachts, the engagement hosted a discussion between several representatives from the most important companies competing in the luxury industry, who, along with their families, are leading figures in the Italian sector: Andrea Zagato of Zagato s.r.l, and Alessandro Favaretto Rubelli of the Rubelli Group, to name a few. An excellent response was received by one of the Show's innovations: the Exclusive Area enlivened by dishes from four 'starred' chefs won over numerous visitors with the flavours and aromas of Italy's finest culinary traditions. Offering select gastronomic creations over the course of the Show's four days, the baton was passed between Damiano Donati (2012 Gambero Rosso rising chef), Nicola Portinari (awarded two Michelin stars for the fourth consecutive year in the 2012 guidebook), Matteo Baronetto (awarded two Michelin stars; the alter ego of Carlo Cracco), and Aurora Mazzucchelli (currently preparing to collect the title of "Best Chef of Italy" 2012, awarded by the guidebook Identità Golose).
