Italian Design Conquers Riyadh. The Salone del Mobile event kicks off
For three days, 'Red in Progress' showcases the excellence of 38 Italian companies in the sector through B2B meetings and cultural events
A foretaste, but one with a decidedly intense flavour. The Salone del Mobile di Milano inaugurated an event in Riyadh that brings together design, business and culture and is a preview of the actual trade fair that will be held next year in the Saudi capital thanks to the agreement signed last January by the President of the Salone, Maria Porro, with the Kingdom's Ministry of Culture.
The Furniture Fair in Riyadh
"Red in Progress. Salone del Mobile di Milano meets Riyadh" takes place in the futuristic Financial Dstrict KAFD and presents for three days a very scenographic installation designed by the Giò Forma studio, within which 38 Italian design companies (including the most famous brands of furniture, lighting and marble made in Italy) will exhibit about 200 products and will also meet potential partners and Saudi buyers in 350 B2B meetings with developers, architectural firms, contractors, hospitality operators and investors. A business event, first and foremost, but also an opportunity for culture and education, through 13 appointments in which 30 protagonists of international architecture and design will speak.
"The Riyadh stage is the result of a strategic convergence between the Kingdom and Italian institutions, which recognise design as a privileged area of cultural and economic cooperation," explains Maria Porro. "The Milan Furniture Fair is here as a platform for Sistema Italia, to accompany the supply chain in a market undergoing profound transformation and to build qualified relations between companies, designers and major developers.
An 'Italian System' well represented by the presence, at the inauguration, of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, and of senior Saudi government officials, including the Minister of Investment Khalid al Falih. "Thanks to the preview of the Salone del Mobile Riyadh 2026, we are consolidating the economic ties between Italy and Saudi Arabia," said Minister Tajani. "Italian design, recognised for its ability to combine the richness of the craftsmanship of our territories with extraordinary functionality and quality, offers a fundamental contribution to the major urban, residential and hospitality projects promoted by the Saudi 'Vision 2030' development plan. Through the Export Plan, together with the tools made available to companies through Ice, Sace, Simest, and Cdp, we will continue to support Italian companies in this strategic sector as well'.
The opportunities in the Saudi Arabian market
Riyadh's choice comes at a time of strong growth and diversification of the Saudi economy, thanks to investments under Vision 2030, the country's major development plan launched by the government in 2016. Saudi Arabia is developing new districts, museums, public spaces, tourism infrastructure and housing models that require advanced design, furniture and interior design skills. This makes it one of the most dynamic and interesting markets for the Italian wood-furnishing supply chain: urbanisation at 85%, consumption up 36% by 2020, and over 360,000 new hospitality rooms under development.
