KARACHI: Pakistanis were reminded of Italy’s innovative contributions to the world, which they greatly appreciated at the inauguration of an interesting exhibition, ‘The great game of Italian industry’.

Organised by the Italian Consulate in Karachi at LuckyOne Mall on Friday, the exhibition, mostly comprising panel installations lining the mall’s atrium, displayed Italian creativity and design in developing objects that have now become common in our daily life — pasta, coffee makers, footwear, designer clothes, high-speed weaving machines, scooters, electricity meters, paper moulds, etc. The installations had both pictures and historic notes to help people better understand how the innovations took place.

For instance, the machine known as the flying shuttle had nothing to do with space travel. It was actually a high-speed weaving machine, created by John Kay in 1733.

After the Chinese invented paper and Arabs perfected the art of making paper, the Italians invented the paper mould in 1848.

Another panel featured the evolution of electricity meters, from the 1940s coin meter to the 2001 electronic model.

Italian dress and gown designers are world-renowned but they have also done very well in sportswear as Swedish tennis player Bj?rn Borg was shown at the top of his game in 1974 wearing made in Italy pinstriped t-shirts.

And of course, who can forget the Italian scooter manufacturers Vespa? The scooter, with a shield in the front was actually designed for ladies to prevent their skirts from riding up as they drove. Another magnificence of Italian mechanics happens to be the tractor that no farmer anywhere in the world today can do without.

Other than the panels, three mannequins on one side stood dressed in a green gown, a white gown and a red one. These are also the three colours of Italy’s flag.

After inaugurating the exhibition, Italian Consul General Gianluca Rubagotti accompanied Pakistani model Humaira Asghar Ali who was modelling a white bridal gown designed by famous Italian designer Cristina Senter as an art-piece while going around the atrium to view the display.

“The dress worn by Humaira has been designed according to the fashion of the 19th century, the time when Italy was fighting to reunite the country, which we succeeded in doing,” said the consul general. The top of the gown had portraits of Italian musician and opera composer Giuseppe Verdi and renowned Italian poet Dante Alighieri. It also had excerpts from their various works.

“There is information and pictures here of Italian pasta and our coffee makers; but Italy is not just about food,” said Consul General Rubagotti. “There is information here also of our shoes and sandals but we are also not just about fashion,” he added. “So I invite you to read about the things mentioned here on the panels to understand how Italian creativity helped us make useful innovations in daily life items,” he said.

The exhibition will remain open to the public till July 3.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2017