Despite Conflict, Italy’s Kartell Plans Riyadh Opening, ‘Most Significant Milestone’ in International Strategy

MILAN — Kartell, the contemporary Italian family-run firm that has been making design-forward plastic furniture and more since the 1960s, is steadfast in its plans for the Middle East.

On Monday, the firm said that it plans to open in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by the end of the year, following key openings already this year in New Delhi; Cape Town; Brussels; Buenos Aires; Quito, Ecuador, and Lugano, Switzerland.

“The expansion will continue in the coming months with the opening of the new flagship store in Riyadh, one of the most significant milestones in the brand’s international strategy,” the brand said in a statement. A spokesperson for Kartell added that the Riyadh opening is slated for the fall of 2026 and that the new flagship will be positioned within King Abdullah Financial District, also known as the KAFD, shopping area.

“Each new opening represents one piece of a broader project that continues to bring our idea of design into increasingly diverse cultural and geographical contexts, while maintaining a strong and recognizable identity,” said Kartell’s global brand director Lorenza Luti. She is the granddaughter of Kartell founders Anna Castelli Ferrieri and Giulio Catelli and the daughter of its current owner, Claudio Luti.

Before the dawn of the conflict, the Saudi Arabian market was considered key in the international growth strategies of Kartell’s design peers.

Minotti, known for its sleek furniture designs by Rodolfo Dordoni, Hannes Peer and Marcio Kogan, also opened its doors in downtown Riyadh in October — a 6,673-square-foot space in KAFD, the same place where fellow Italian design company Molteni&C is expected to open its showroom later this year. Boffi|DePadova and Giorgetti are also planning to open in Riyadh in 2026.

Fendi Casa opened there in October 2024, while Roche Bobois, a French family business, was a pioneer in the region, opening in 2007, and now has stores in both Jeddah and Riyadh.

Salone del Mobile.Milano is expected to host its first Saudi event in the same complex Nov. 26 to 28, though organizers have yet to issue an update on whether they will proceed with those dates. The event is expected to feature leading luxury design brands including Molteni&C, Cassina, Porro, Poliform, Minotti, Giorgetti, Visionnaire and Artemide.