The TASAWAR exhibition, which runs from October 21-24 at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in partnership between Snapchat and the Ministry of Culture on the sidelines of the 1st Riyadh Fashion Week organized by the Saudi Fashion Commission, is preparing to welcome movers and shakers of the fashion world as well as the local community to discover how Augmented Reality (AR) is blending the beauty of fashion design and the power of technology in a series of captivating experiences and activations.
Noha Kattan, Deputy Minister of National Partnerships and Development at the Ministry of Culture said, “The Ministry of Culture is dedicated to enhancing collaboration between the public and private sectors in addition to driving cultural exchange. The TASAWAR exhibition, which is considered a key outcome of our strong partnership with Snap Inc., marks a significant stride forward in enhancing the national cultural scene and propelling the fashion industry into new horizons by integrating it with the world of technology.” She continued, “The Ministry of Culture will move ahead with its efforts to provide a nurturing environment for Saudi talents, support them in building their distinctive businesses and brands as well as equip them with innovations that will allow them to reach global audiences while also highlighting the depth of our culture and its unique attributes.”
Abdulla Alhammadi, Regional Business Lead at Snap Inc. in Saudi Arabia commented: “TASAWAR is our way of giving back to the Saudi community by actively supporting the flourishing local talent, the dynamic creative scene, and the evolving business ecosystem in the Kingdom.” He added, “This Riyadh Fashion Week, we are bringing together our game-changing AR technology, brands, creatives and designers, and most importantly our Snapchat community to discover how fashion and innovation meet in this avant-garde exhibition and witness as we unlock exciting new ways that elevate how we experience fashion.”
TASAWAR will deliver an immersive guest-journey featuring designer showrooms, virtual runways, dress try-ons, headpiece selfie lenses, panel discussions and much more. This includes bringing to life the collections of five talented Saudi designers using augmented reality, transcending the physical and digital worlds to create timeless runways that the whole world can see.
TASAWAR, which means “imagine” in Arabic, is an invitation to the community, fashion celebrities, VIPs and industry stakeholders to embark on a journey of imaginative experiences that ultimately celebrate culture and enrich the senses. It comes at a time when technologies like AR are changing how people shop and experience beauty in Saudi Arabia and beyond by merging experiences from the physical and the digital worlds.
TASAWAR demonstrates how the fashion industry is one step closer towards the digital transformation that every sector in Saudi Arabia is currently witnessing. With over 22 million people already using Snapchat every month in the Kingdom, the AR exhibition also aims to empower local Saudi designers to expand their businesses, share their stories in creative ways and showcase their collections to the world.
