Salone del Mobile.Milano to Make Its Middle East Debut in Riyadh
The world’s most influential design fair, Salone del Mobile.Milano, is set to make its Middle East debut with Red in Progress, taking place from 26 to 28 November 2025 at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh.
Organized in strategic partnership with the Architecture and Design Commission at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, and supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and ITA – Italian Trade Agency, the event will highlight the growing synergy between Italian craftsmanship and Saudi Arabia’s design ambitions. The upcoming edition will bring together more than 35 leading Italian brands alongside Saudi designers, transforming KAFD into a hub for creativity, collaboration, and business exchange.
According to Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission, Red in Progress will strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position on the global design map. “The event will act as a bridge between Saudi and international designers,” she notes, “opening new avenues for collaboration and reinforcing the Kingdom as a destination for creativity and innovation.”
Maria Porro, President of Salone del Mobile.Milano, adds, “Riyadh is the place where vision becomes city. With Red in Progress, we are bringing the design culture of the Salone and the exhibiting companies to this country, not as a showcase, but as a space where collaboration and content meet, and ideas become places.”
Red in Progress will serve as a preview of the larger Salone del Mobile.Milano Riyadh, scheduled to launch in 2026. With its focus on sustainability, innovation, and cross-cultural dialogue, this inaugural edition will set the stage for long-term collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Italy.
As Giò Forma Studio aptly summarizes, “In Saudi Arabia, everything speaks of construction and the future. Red in Progress gives shape to this energy, connecting Italian design know-how with the Kingdom’s evolving urban vision.”