For the first time in its storied history, the world’s leading design fair lands in the Middle East. With Red in Progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh — delivered in strategic partnership with the Architecture and Design Commission at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture — the event will transform Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District into a vibrant stage for design, dialogue, and business exchange this November.

At the helm is Maria Porro, the first woman to serve as President of Salone del Mobile.Milano. In our conversation, she shares what to expect from this milestone debut, how design fosters cultural dialogue, and why Italy and Saudi Arabia are now building a creative bridge together.

— Maria, Salone del Mobile.Milano is making its Middle East debut this November with “Red in Progress.” How did this collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s Architecture and Design Commission come together?

— It was born from a shared vision rather than a single meeting. The Architecture and Design Commission and the Salone both believe that design is a bridge between culture and industry. We aligned on four pillars — excellence, education, sustainability, and long-term impact — and from there built a partnership capable of creating tangible outcomes: knowledge-sharing, professional standards, and real projects. Saudi Arabia today is where ideas become built environments; we wanted to be part of that moment.

— What drew you — and the Salone — to Riyadh as the next destination for cultural dialogue in design?

— Riyadh is moving from vision to delivery. It is a city in construction — literally — and that energy resonates with us. Vision 2030 has turned design into a national conversation about quality of life, craft, and innovation. For the Salone, this means an opportunity to transform potential into projects — pairing Italy’s manufacturing discipline with Saudi Arabia’s velocity and ambition.

— What does it mean for Riyadh to host the Salone for the first time?

— It is a signal to the world that Saudi Arabia is ready to join the global design conversation on equal footing. We hope to inspire a generation of creatives and to equip the market with tools — standards, methods, and partnerships — that translate vision into quality projects.

— Why “Red in Progress”? What does the title mean to you?

— Red is our unmistakable code — it stands for energy, welcome, and decision. Giò Forma translates that into space through a semi-transparent red scaffolding that turns the raw language of the construction site into a cultural stage. “In Progress” acknowledges the truth of where we are: this is a beginning, a prototype for a relationship we want to build step by step.

— Do you see this as a one-time project or the start of a long-term relationship between Italian and Saudi design cultures?

— Long-term, without question. "Red in Progress" is just the opening chapter of a journey that leads to the full Salone del Mobile.Milano Riyadh in 2026. We are building a lasting bridge — shared training, B2B platforms, and mentorship for emerging talent — so that cultural dialogue becomes real business, real opportunities, and long-term collaboration.

— What should visitors expect from Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh?

— Think citywide takeover — Riyadh in red. At King Abdullah Financial District, Giò Forma turns the skyline into an immersive portal. Inside, 38 standout Italian brands show what quality, innovation, and sustainability look like when they are not just talked about but built. You don’t “walk” the show — you navigate a storyline: furniture, lighting, surfaces, each stop pairing bold ideas with real-world solutions.

Need deals, not just inspiration? The Business Lounge by Lissoni & Partners is where designers meet product leads and CEOs for targeted B2B. And the talks and masterclasses — co-curated with the Architecture and Design Commission — mix Italian craft with Saudi momentum. It is not a showcase. It is a live engine for making things happen.

— What do you hope people — especially young designers in the region — will take away from this event?

— A sense that design is a living culture they can join — and grow. We want young creatives to leave with new ways of thinking, practical learnings they can use on Monday morning, and real contacts inside companies that make things happen. The goal is to turn curiosity into capability and conversations into collaborations — studio visits, internships, co-design sprints, and pilot projects that plug emerging talent directly into production networks. If they walk away inspired, connected, and equipped to take the next step, we have done our job.

— You are the first woman to lead Salone del Mobile.Milano. I want to ask you as a person, not as a president: what was it like in the beginning? And how does it feel now?

— At first, it was both an honour and a responsibility. I came from a family of craftspeople, so I have always seen design as a human practice. In the beginning, there was pressure — expectations, tradition, the scale of the Salone — but now I see it as a collective project built with an extraordinary team. What matters is keeping the human temperature at the centre.

— You once said, “We must not lock ourselves in our golden towers — we need to ask better questions.” What are you asking yourself now?

— How can we make design more useful — to people, to the planet, to future generations? How can we measure what we do so that beauty and responsibility advance together? These are the questions that keep the Salone alive and relevant.

— You also said that “fear is the worst companion we can have,” because it stops us from investing in research and culture. Thinking back to the early days of your career — did you ever experience that fear yourself? Were there moments you had to overcome it to keep moving forward?

— Of course. When I moved from theatre to design and then to leadership, there were moments of doubt. But fear can be a teacher if you walk through it with curiosity. In our industry, fear stops innovation — it is why I insist on research and cultural investment as the antidote.

— Also, your words: "I think we have a responsibility to more clearly tell why design is important." So, why is design important?

— Because it translates how we want to live. Design turns abstract values — care, comfort, beauty, efficiency — into tangible forms that shape daily life. It is not decoration; it is civic infrastructure.

— In your view, what is the next big frontier for design?

— The human one. Technology and materials will keep evolving, but the real frontier is empathy — understanding how spaces and objects can improve well-being, inclusion, and our relationship with the planet. Design will be measured not only by what it creates but by what it improves.