How AI is transforming the fashion retail experience in the Middle East

Special How AI is transforming the fashion retail experience in the Middle East
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Updated 17 January 2025
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How AI is transforming the fashion retail experience in the Middle East

How AI is transforming the fashion retail experience in the Middle East
  • AI innovations in fashion promise smarter inventory management, sustainability, virtual try-ons, and enhanced sales
  • Billed as a virtual personal stylist, Amira by Taffi Inc. offers search assistance, outfit pairing, and conversational commerce

RIYADH: Once the preserve of the rich and famous, personal styling services are now accessible to everyone thanks to strides in generative artificial intelligence, helping shoppers find the look best suited to their body or special occasion.

With its latest creation, Amira, Riyadh-based AI-powered fashion marketplace Taffi is revolutionizing the shopping experience across the Middle East and North Africa, while showcasing how AI is redefining consumer engagement.

A personal stylist powered by generative AI and machine learning, Amira’s advanced algorithms, trained on a comprehensive dataset inspired by the Middle East’s latest fashion trends, delivers personalized and trend-driven styling recommendations.

Launched in September, Amira has been trained by a network of more than 180 expert fashion stylists from across the region. These professionals have contributed tens of thousands of recommendations, reflecting local tastes and cultural preferences.

Taffi co-founder and CEO Shahad Geoffrey described Amira as “the best friend who knows your style better than you do, eliminating all the guesswork in shopping.”

The AI stylist “engages users at every relevant touchpoint along their shopping journey to help them make better and faster decisions,” she added.

Amira’s search assistant allows users to find complete styles directly from the store’s search box, eliminating the need to sift through irrelevant items. The AI stylist’s discovery assistant recommends relevant new products, while the product stylist pairs items with complementary upsell suggestions.

Geoffrey said that Taffi’s AI stylist “is available through a floating chat widget for conversational commerce,” providing “real-time expert advice and tailored shoppable style recommendations based on individual profiles and preferences to help customers quickly find their best styles via their natural language.”

The AI technology customizes the shopping experience to each customer’s individual needs and preferences, turning it into an assisted commerce journey.

This innovation is revolutionizing how shoppers discover new products, find purpose-driven outfits and complete tasks more efficiently — saving time, offering trusted recommendations and providing access to great deals.

“AI delivers real-time, hyper-personalized suggestions based on style preferences, lifestyle, size, physical attributes, budgets and existing wardrobe,” Geoffrey said. “It also inspires shoppers by offering ideas for mixing and matching outfits and exploring new trends.

“By reducing choice overload and creating customized product bundles based on user queries, AI ensures a more enjoyable, efficient and seamless shopping journey.”

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Saudi Arabia’s fashion industry is expected to see cumulative annual growth of 48 percent from 2021 to 2025 as the Kingdom diversifies its economy, according to a 2024 report by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority.

The report also highlighted that the total value of the fashion sector in Saudi Arabia, including international brands, was $24.6 billion in 2022.

Taffi’s Amira was born from Geoffrey’s own frustration with the endless sea of fashion choices and the “static, impersonal shopping experiences.

“I always dreamed of having a virtual fashion assistant that truly understood my needs and preferences, finding personalized clothing effortlessly,” she said.

“Taffi was born to bring that vision to life, empowering shoppers with an AI fashion assistant that simplifies the shopping journey, making it seamless to discover and find outfits and tailor experiences to their unique preferences.”

Founded in 2021 by Geoffrey and Pradeep Bisht, the AI-powered fashion-focused shopping platform uses machine-learning, ChatGPT-4 and generative AI to provide users with styling recommendations based on their preferences, occasion and budget.

According to the company’s figures, users who engaged with Taffi had a 15 percent sales conversion rate — compared to just 0.67 percent for those who did not. This resulted in a 22-fold increase in sales conversions.

Additionally, Geoffrey highlighted that the average order value for purchases made through Taffi was 55 percent higher than those made without the platform




Taffi co-founder and CEO Shahad Geoffrey

This success underscores the challenges in today’s e-commerce landscape. Originally designed decades ago to sell books, e-commerce has become an outdated experience.

Fashion e-commerce, in particular, has struggled to evolve beyond a generic shopping journey filled with impersonal choices, causing 75 percent of shoppers to leave sites without making a purchase. In fact, just 1-2 percent of visitors ever convert into buyers.

Frustrated customers often receive no response from overwhelmed customer support teams and return items at alarming rates. This creates a cycle of dissatisfaction for consumers while putting businesses under strain.

Amira, however, has received positive feedback from brands that have integrated the widget into their platforms.

Geoffrey said customers have described Amira as an innovative and highly useful feature for e-commerce, noting that it has significantly uplifted their brand image and dramatically enhanced the customer experience.




(Illustration courtesy of taffi.com)

She predicts that AI will reshape the fashion industry by designing garments, streamlining manufacturing processes, enabling smarter inventory management and driving greater sustainability in fashion.

“AI will also transform the shopping experience — from discovery to checkout — empowering brands to cater to diverse markets, optimize supply chains, and elevate the retail experience with innovations like virtual try-ons and real-time fashion assistants,” she said.

Moreover, “AI enables brands to drive higher revenue, significantly reduce costs and enhance key business performance metrics, paving the way for a more prosperous, inclusive and efficient fashion industry.

“AI has immense potential to shape and revolutionize the fashion industry, spanning from retail to supply chain and manufacturing. What we see in AI today is just the beginning — a mere drop in the ocean.”
 

 


Saudi Arabia conducts military exercises with 15 countries at Air Warfare Center

Saudi Arabia conducts military exercises with 15 countries at Air Warfare Center
Updated 04 February 2025
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Saudi Arabia conducts military exercises with 15 countries at Air Warfare Center

Saudi Arabia conducts military exercises with 15 countries at Air Warfare Center
  • Forces from Presidency of State Security, Saudi Arabian National Guard taking part
  • Military drills called Spears of Victory 2025

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is conducting military exercises called Spears of Victory 2025 at the Air Warfare Center, involving forces from 15 countries.

Some of the Kingdom’s prominent military branches are participating in the drills, including forces from the Presidency of State Security and the Saudi Arabian National Guard.

The drills started this week at the Air Warfare Center, a military air facility located at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran in eastern Saudi Arabia.

Maj. Gen. Pilot Mohammed bin Ali Al-Omari, the exercise commander, said that the drills would consist of lectures and missions for air, technical, and support crews, to improve readiness and combat capability.

Al-Omari added that Spears of Victory 2025 will enhance the planning and implementation skills of participating forces, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It involves 10 days of conducting combat maneuvers and flights, as well as mixed tactical operations, some of which are conducted jointly with the forces of other countries to enhance cooperation, the SPA added.


Kazakhstan envoy on strengthening Saudi ties in politics, trade, food security

Madiyar Menilbekov, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. (AN photo by Laoi ElKellawy)
Madiyar Menilbekov, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. (AN photo by Laoi ElKellawy)
Updated 03 February 2025
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Kazakhstan envoy on strengthening Saudi ties in politics, trade, food security

Madiyar Menilbekov, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. (AN photo by Laoi ElKellawy)
  • The envoy reflected on his arrival in the Kingdom as an ambassador in May 2024 and how impressed he had been with both the country and its Vision 2030 initiatives

RIYADH: Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Madiyar Menilbekov, has said his mission will be dedicated to furthering Saudi-Kazakh ties in politics, trade, culture, tourism and agriculture.

“As ambassador extraordinaire of the country of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I received instructions from our president to develop bilateral relations, first on the political side,” Menilbekov told Arab News.

“Thanks to our very strong relations in the political field, we had organized a working visit of our president to Riyadh in December of last year,” he added. The trip was President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Riyadh, during which he participated in the One Water Summit.

The ambassador said around 7,000 Saudis visited Kazakhstan each year, with more than 20,000 Kazakhs making the opposite journey. (AN photo by Laoi ElKellawy)

The ambassador said his secondary focus would be trade.

“I’m focusing on the development and the strengthening of trade and economic relations and, of course, the implementation of investment projects,” he said, adding he was working closely with the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce. This year, two missions will be organized with entities from both countries paying a visit.

Menilbekov explained the Saudi delegation would make the trip in the first quarter of 2025, with the Kazakhstan delegation visiting the Kingdom at a later stage.

Saudi Arabia is fast-growing and implementing all tasks in Saudi Vision 2030, and (it is a) big achievement to host Expo 2030 and (the 2034) World Cup.

Madiyar Menilbekov, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Speaking about tourism, the envy said he hoped to enhance relations in this sector, pointing out the number of Saudi and Kazakh tourists was increasing annually.

“Before, it was a visit for pilgrims to Jeddah and Madinah, but last year and in 2023, I found a number of Kazakh tourists who are visiting Riyadh in big numbers, as well as AlUla and Madinah,” said Menilbekov.

The ambassador said around 7,000 Saudis visited Kazakhstan each year, with more than 20,000 Kazakhs making the opposite journey.

“Kazakh people love sports and events in Riyadh during Riyadh Season and other activities also,” he said, extending an invitation to all Saudis to visit Kazakhstan, whose key features include nature, mountains and historic cities.

Asked where immediate results of cooperation between the two countries could be seen, the ambassador pointed to renewable energy and food security/agriculture.

He cited cooperation with ACWA Power Co. to implement a common investment project in Kazakhstan with a 1 gigawatt wind power capacity.

On the topic of agriculture, the ambassador said Kazakhstan had plans to start investment projects with Saudi companies: “Taking into account the importance of food security in the near future, I think we can implement and start joint investment projects in agriculture. We want the situation to be win-win — one project in Kazakhstan and one project in Saudi Arabia.”

During the interview, the ambassador applauded the Kingdom for holding high-caliber summits and forums such as the Future Minerals Forum, the FII and LEAP Forum that brought world leaders and influential figures together in one hub.

It presented “a big opportunity to gather all decision-makers and all shareholders of this industry in one place,” he said.

During the recent Future Minerals Forum, he said, the Kazakhstan minister of industry met a lot of Western and US companies in Riyadh and said he could find other gatherings to meet such people.

“That’s why Riyadh is providing a good platform and good opportunity to meet other people,” Menilbekov added.

The envoy reflected on his arrival in the Kingdom as an ambassador in May 2024 and how impressed he had been with both the country and its Vision 2030 initiatives.

“My first impression was very positive; it was very nice. I have known Saudi Arabia for a long time; it is a very rich country in culture, heritage, and religion, and also the biggest economy in the Arab world,” he said.

Menilbekov first visited the Kingdom in 2003, during a trip to Umrah. He returned in 2012, accompanying Kazakhstan Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Kazykhanov to Riyadh, and in 2017 when he was consul general in Dubai and attended the first Arab, Islamic and US summit. He has also visited various provinces and cities, including Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Dammam and Tabuk.

“There are huge reforms and big changes in Saudi Vision 2030, big changes in economic social life, in tourism, in sport,” he said.

“Saudi is fast-growing and implementing all tasks in Saudi Vision 2030, and (it is a) big achievement to host Expo 2030 and (the 2034) World Cup.”

 


Riyadh to host second Human Capability Initiative Conference in April

Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan speaks at the Human Capability Initiative Conference in 2024. (SPA)
Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan speaks at the Human Capability Initiative Conference in 2024. (SPA)
Updated 03 February 2025
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Riyadh to host second Human Capability Initiative Conference in April

Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan speaks at the Human Capability Initiative Conference in 2024. (SPA)
  • Conference will bring together over 12,000 experts, officials, and decision-makers
  • Education Global Exhibition will showcase leading local and international universities and institutions

RIYADH: Under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Riyadh will host the second Human Capability Initiative Conference on April 13–14 under the theme “Beyond Readiness.”

In collaboration with the conference, the Ministry of Education will hold the Education Global Exhibition from April 13–16.

The themes of the event focus on learning, belonging, and action, addressing the critical need to develop human potential in an era of unprecedented global change.

Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan said: “The convening of the second edition of Human Capability Initiative is an affirmation of the importance of harnessing efforts and enriching global dialogue in a way that contributes to the development of the future of human capabilities.”

Expanding on the Education Global Exhibition, Al-Benyan added: “The exhibition will provide opportunities for local and international universities and leading companies to explore cutting-edge technologies, practices, and innovative educational programs, including advancements in artificial intelligence, thereby creating new investment opportunities to achieve the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.”

The conference will bring together over 12,000 experts, officials, and decision-makers and feature more than 300 speakers from governmental, private, and nonprofit sectors, global think tanks, and international organizations. They will share insights, best practices, and inspiring success stories from around the world.

Meanwhile, the Education Global Exhibition will showcase leading local and international universities and institutions, highlighting the latest technological advances and innovative programs shaping national and global education systems.

It will also feature workshops aimed at fostering knowledge exchange, sharing success stories among participants, and facilitating the signing of strategic agreements with prominent global educational institutions.


Deputy minister meets ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia

Deputy minister meets ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia
Updated 03 February 2025
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Deputy minister meets ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia

Deputy minister meets ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia
  • They discussed bilateral relations and other issues of common interest

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Finance for International Relations Khalid Bawazier recently met with Ambassador of India to the Kingdom Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and other issues of common interest, the Indian Embassy wrote in a post on X on Monday.

Meanwhile, Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, the governor of Jeddah, held cordial discussions with Consul General of India in Jeddah Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

 


Saudi crown prince receives Germany’s president in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Al-Yamamah Palace Monday
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Al-Yamamah Palace Monday
Updated 04 February 2025
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Saudi crown prince receives Germany’s president in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Al-Yamamah Palace Monday
  • Crown prince and Steinmeier discussed relations between their countries and ways to support them
  • Steinmeier arrived in the Kingdom on Sunday evening

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday. 

The two leaders held an official session of talks after the crown prince hosted a reception ceremony in honor of the president. 

Prince Mohammed and Steinmeier discussed relations between their countries and ways to support and enhance them, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

Regional and international developments and efforts made with regard to them were also discussed. 

Steinmeier arrived in the Kingdom on Sunday evening.