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Salone del Mobile.Milano Paints Riyadh Red

The “Red in Progress” installation marks a powerful first step toward the city’s full-scale 2026 edition

Riyadh’s skyline takes on a new hue this November as Salone del Mobile.Milano unveils its first Middle Eastern showcase, Red in Progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh, at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD). Conceived as a vibrant prelude to the full Salone Riyadh fair in 2026, the exhibition transforms the district into an immersive red landscape where design meets momentum.

Part installation, part encounter, Red in Progress – presented in strategic partnership with the Architecture & Design Commission at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture – marks a new chapter between Italy’s design heritage and Saudi Arabia’s fast-rising creative scene.

At its heart lies a modular installation by Giò Forma, turning the language of construction into a striking metaphor for a city, and a design culture, in motion. Inside, visitors move through a curated path of 38 leading Italian brands, a cross-section of craftsmanship and sustainable innovation that defines Made in Italy. They might journey through timeless furniture collections that merge industrial precision with elegant restraint, discover how lighting brands sculpt light into atmosphere, or see office-furniture specialists reimagine the workspace with quiet intelligence, while bathroom and wellness design turns function into private ritual, and performance design becomes an aesthetic experience.

Exhibiting companies: Alchymia, Argenteria Schiavon, Arper, Artemide, Bonaldo, Calligaris, Cassina, Citco, Desiree, DGA, Edra, Fantoni, Florim, Flos, Foscarini, Gessi, Giorgetti, Guzzini & Fontana Projects, Henry Glass, LaPalma, Lema, Listone Giordano, Living Divani, Loloey, Minotti, Molteni&C, Nardi, Natuzzi Italia, Officina della Scala, Pinetti, Poliform, Poltrona Frau, Porro, Rugiano, Technogym, Venini, Villari, Visionnaire.

Beyond its business engine, Red in Progress features a series of talks and masterclasses, co-curated with the Architecture & Design Commission, which extend the experience towards the region’s evolving design culture. The Commission will also highlight national initiatives such as Designed in Saudi, which champions local talent and strengthens the Kingdom’s position as a global design destination.

If Red in Progress is a first act, the next one promises to be even bigger. In 2026, Riyadh will host the full-scale Salone del Mobile.Milano Riyadh, a trade fair of international standing, larger in scope, richer in content and deeply attuned to the rhythm of the region.

Event Details
Where: King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) – Financial Plaza, Riyadh
When: 26-28 November 2025 – From 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Admission: Free via registration on Webook.com (from 16 November)
B2B Meetings: Participation via matchmaking platform and pre-approval. To register your interest, email: [email protected]

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