“Red in Progress” in Riyadh: Where Italian Design Meets the Ambition of the Future

With “Red in Progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh,” Salone del Mobile.Milano reaffirms its role as a global cultural and business catalyst, opening a new chapter in international dialogue between Italy and Saudi Arabia.

Held from November 26 to 28, 2025, in Riyadh’s prestigious King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), the initiative serves as a prelude to the first Saudi edition of Salone del Mobile.Milano, scheduled for 2026.

Riyadh—a city undergoing rapid and visionary transformation—has emerged as one of the Middle East’s most influential urban and cultural centres. Within this context, “Red in Progress” positions Italian design as a shared language: a synthesis of industrial excellence, artisanal heritage and contemporary vision, perfectly aligned with the ambitions shaping Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030.

Design as a Strategic Asset

More than 200 products from the portfolios of 38 Italian brands were presented as a carefully curated panorama of contemporary design, selected to resonate with the needs of a fast-growing market. The focus extended beyond aesthetics, highlighting functionality, durability and design’s ability to define the identity of spaces—from luxury hotels and residential developments to emerging urban districts and public environments.

As Maria Porro, President of Salone del Mobile.Milano, has underlined, the Riyadh initiative is the result of a strategic partnership between Italian and Saudi institutions that recognise design as a privileged field of cultural and economic cooperation. The objective is not short-term visibility, but the creation of solid, long-lasting relationships between companies, designers and investors.

A Business Platform with a Clear Vision

“Red in Progress” was conceived as a business-first initiative. More than 350 structured B2B meetings facilitated direct dialogue between Italian manufacturers and key Saudi market players, including developers, architectural studios, hospitality groups and investors. This format positions Salone del Mobile.Milano not merely as a trade fair, but as an active enabler of international economic and creative exchange.

A central role was played by the Business Lounge designed by Lissoni & Partners, envisioned as a sequence of contemporary piazzas—spaces for encounter, conversation and negotiation—where design becomes the framework for meaningful business dialogue.

Red as an Architectural Statement

The visual identity of the event bears the unmistakable signature of Giò Forma, which transformed the KAFD through a striking urban installation in Salone’s iconic red. The modular structure, wrapped in a semi-transparent red veil, reinterprets the aesthetics of the construction site and turns it into a temporary architectural landscape—at once a scenography, a landmark and a symbolic announcement of Italian design’s arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Far from being a simple exhibition backdrop, the installation functions as an immersive environment that dissolves boundaries between design, city and narrative, offering visitors an experience rather than a conventional display.

Riyadh as a New Agora for Contemporary Design

The initiative was enriched by an extensive cultural programme curated under the direction of Annalisa Rosso, featuring talks, panel discussions and masterclasses with leading voices from the international design scene. Topics ranged from sustainability and urban regeneration to new models of living, hospitality design and the role of artificial intelligence in contemporary creative processes.

Through “Red in Progress,” Riyadh temporarily transformed into a modern agora—a space for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and visions—where design emerged as a cultural, economic and social force.

A Prelude to What’s Next

“Red in Progress” is more than a preview of a future fair; it is a clear statement of long-term commitment. Through this initiative, Salone del Mobile.Milano demonstrates how design can act as a bridge between cultures, markets and values—and how Made in Italy naturally aligns with the ambitions of one of today’s most dynamic regions.