While Showcasing Global Partnerships at Salone del Mobile 2026

Western Furniture Brands, one of the UAE’s leading luxury home and lifestyle retailers in UAE, recently captivated attendees at the prestigious Salone del Mobile 2026 in Milan, the world’s most prestigious design and furniture exhibition. Renowned as a global benchmark for innovation and craftsmanship, the annual event brings together the industry’s most influential brands and design visionaries.

Marking a significant milestone in its growth journey, Western Furniture announced the acquisition of ‘Cierre’, ‘Zanotta’, and ‘Desalto’, the newest addition to its distinguished portfolio in the UAE. This strategic expansion reflects the company’s continued commitment to curating world-class brands and elevating the region’s luxury interiors landscape.

With a rich and diverse portfolio, Western Furniture proudly represents some of the most renowned names in international design, including Tonin casa, Tomasella, Draenert, Cierre, Natuzzi italia, Unopiù, Miniforms, Calligaris, Adriani rossi, and Reflex , each embodying excellence in craftsmanship, innovation, and timeless aesthetics.

A key highlight of this year’s participation was Natuzzi Italia, exclusively represented by Western Furniture in the UAE for over 15 years. The brand, which operates a flagship store in Dubai, showcased its latest collections, reaffirming its leadership in contemporary Italian design.

Mr. Mikdad Babhrawala, CEO of Western Furniture LLC, expressed his pride in the longstanding partnership, emphasizing its strength and continuity. He noted that Natuzzi Italia, as a globally recognized brand with a rich heritage, has maintained a strong and enduring presence in the UAE market for many years.

Mr. Mikdad continue “the presence of our brands at Salone del Mobile reflects our long-term vision to continuously bring the finest global design experiences to the UAE. The addition of ‘Cierre’, ‘Zanotta’, and ‘Desalto’,  to our portfolio marks an exciting new chapter, reinforcing our commitment to innovation, exclusivity, and growth. We take great pride in our enduring partnerships with globally respected brands like Natuzzi Italia, which have played a pivotal role in shaping the luxury interiors landscape in the region.”

Milano by Danube, a leading global lifestyle and home solutions brand, has introduced its new “Global Direct” logistics strategy at this year’s Canton Fair, responding proactively to ongoing geopolitical tensions and disruptions across key shipping routes impacting global trade. Global Direct model stands as the most agile logistics strategy that allows the brand to ship products directly from its international hubs to partners across global markets and bypass traditional transit routes.

The move comes at a time when conflict-driven disruptions across major shipping corridors have created delays, rising freight costs, and operational uncertainty for businesses that rely heavily on conventional shipping networks. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Milano has adapted quickly by restructuring its supply chain model to ensure uninterrupted deliveries for its partners worldwide.

Through its Global Direct approach, orders placed at Canton Fair are fulfilled directly from Milano’s global hub in China and routed straight to destination markets, eliminating dependency on congested Middle Eastern transit points and significantly reducing delays which will ensure faster and more reliable deliveries.

Speaking about the strategy, Mr. Sahil Sajan, Director of Milano, said, “The current global environment has made businesses rethink how they operate and move products across borders. We recognized early that waiting for traditional shipping channels to stabilize was not an option. Our Global Direct model ensures that our partners continue receiving products on time while maintaining cost efficiency and supply continuity.”

Milano’s presence at Canton Fair received an overwhelmingly positive response from international traders, distributors, and partners who are increasingly exploring alternative logistics solutions to sustain their businesses amid growing uncertainty.

The company observed a significant shift in conversations at the event, with traders from across regions actively seeking dependable alternatives to conventional shipping routes in order to avoid prolonged delays and operational disruptions.

Despite ongoing geopolitical challenges, this year’s Canton Fair witnessed remarkable global participation. The event remained as vibrant and crowded as ever, drawing visitors, buyers, and business leaders from across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and beyond, underscoring the resilience of global trade and the determination of businesses to adapt.

Mr. Anis Sajan, Vice Chairman of Danube Group, added, “What stood out at Canton Fair this year was the resilience of global businesses. The fair was packed with buyers from around the world, and a common concern among many was finding faster, more reliable ways to keep their businesses operational. Our Global Direct strategy directly addresses that need and positions Milano as a reliable partner during uncertain times.”

As businesses continue to navigate an evolving global trade landscape, Milano’s strategic shift reflects its commitment to innovation, adaptability, and ensuring that partners remain competitive regardless of external challenges. With Global Direct now in motion, Danube Group’s Milano is reinforcing its position not just as a leading lifestyle and home solutions brand, but as a business partner equipped to solve modern supply chain challenges.

Sobha Furniture, part of Sobha Group, announces the introduction of Flaer, its new premium furniture brand, during Milan Design Week 2026.

An independent, design led brand from the house of Sobha Group, Flaer enters the international design arena as a global design brand with a distinctive identity rooted in Italian and European design culture and shaped by advanced manufacturing in the UAE.

Flaer draws on more than five decades of expertise in interiors, bespoke furniture, and integrated manufacturing. It is underpinned by the Group’s pioneering backward integration model, recognised globally as a Harvard Business School case study. Creative direction is led from Milan, while production takes place in the UAE through Sobha Furniture’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem, built on Industry 4.0 technologies, European engineering standards, and rigorous quality control.

Flaer reflects the mindset of a globally minded, culturally fluent, and future facing audience. At its core is Soft Elegance, an elevated approach to contemporary living rooted in balance, restraint, and emotional resonance. Expressed through fluid forms, refined proportions, tactile materials, and carefully calibrated colour palettes, it defines a design language that is both timeless and forward looking.

The first collection, conceived as the initial expression of the brand’s vision, introduces Flaer’s design language through seating systems with soft architectural lines, sculptural tables, refined chairs, and lounge pieces designed for enveloping comfort. Together, these pieces form a coherent design grammar rooted in Soft Elegance.

While Flaer makes its official debut in Milan, its foundation lies firmly in the UAE. More than a brand launch, this moment reflects Sobha Furniture’s long-term vision and the strength of the industrial ecosystem behind it.

Despite all challenges, Sobha Furniture has continued to move forward with clarity and commitment. Its facilities remained fully operational, with manufacturing and deliveries continuing without interruption. The decision to introduce Flaer at Milan Design Week is therefore not only strategic, but symbolic, reflecting resilience, confidence, and belief in what is being built from the UAE for the world.

“Flær represents our vision of what a contemporary design brand can be today: globally minded, culturally grounded, and uncompromising in execution,” said Ravi Menon, Chairman, Sobha Group. “By uniting Italian creative heritage with our advanced manufacturing capabilities in Dubai, we have built an ecosystem where design and engineering operate as one. This launch is our boldest step yet, setting a new benchmark for luxury furniture on the global stage.”