Egypt Fashion Week launches first edition in Cairo

DUBAI: Saudi entrepreneur Shahad Geoffrey is reinventing how girls within the area store. In 2021, she launched her AI-powered personal-styling platform Taffi, in partnership together with her cofounder Pradeep Bisht. The concept behind Taffi was to democratize private styling, which is commonly related to excessive net-worth people, and make on-line procuring a extra personalised and seamless expertise.    

Due to her father, Jeddah-born Geoffrey was uncovered to startups at a younger age. “My father launched a tech-startup, so I’m very accustomed to the uncertainty and the ups and downs that include the territory. I’m additionally very keen about know-how, innovation, and style,” she says.  

In 2012, Geoffrey moved to France to pursue her Bachelor’s diploma from INSEEC in Paris. She ended up staying within the French capital for a while. “After graduating, I labored for a males’s cosmetics startup in Paris earlier than it was acquired by a UK investor, after which I continued to work with them remotely for a while,” she explains.  

In 2019, she relocated to the US for a five-week entrepreneurial program at Draper College. “It was life-changing,” she says. “They linked us with main startup entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley. I realized loads of the basics at Draper, and it grew to become a possibility to begin one thing.” She began working for a enterprise capitalist agency within the US, the place she realized the artwork of networking, a talent which she believes is crucial if you wish to create your individual enterprise.  

Throughout her time there, she and her household had been planning a trip to Hawaii, and he or she began taking a look at personal-shopping companies on-line as she didn’t have time to purchase what she wanted for the vacation.  

“I checked out Sew Repair and Trunk Membership and was very impressed by their options. I questioned why we didn’t have one thing related in our area,” she says. So she determined to come back again to Saudi and fill that hole. 

Combining her love for styling, her work expertise, and her problem-solving abilities, Taffi is an internet styling platform that makes use of algorithms and human stylists to advocate seems for purchasers which can be shoppable immediately from their web site by way of a number of retailers, together with Ounass and Farfetch.  

The styling journey begins with a complete quiz the place clients are requested to enter their measurements, pictures, and funds for garments and equipment. Moreover, they’re prompted to pick from numerous pictures that enable the algorithm to higher perceive the client’s private type, coloration preferences and life-style.  

“AI then provides suggestions to our onboard stylists, that are introduced to the consumer, so the human issue isn’t eradicated,” Geoffrey explains. “The shopper can arrange an appointment with the stylist for a extra personalised session by way of a video name or WhatsApp, for which we cost a price.” Alternatively, you’ll be able to store the initially advisable seems with out the stylist price.  

“Procuring on-line takes a lot time since you see so many merchandise that aren’t related to you — the belief issue is lacking. The issue we’re fixing is recommending merchandise based mostly in your attributes and preferences. If we distribute this answer to shops and types, then customers can expertise the service.”  

Taffi’s newest function, Amira, which is able to launch quickly, is one more recreation changer, in response to Geoffrey. Via Amira, you skip the human stylist and get immediate and hyper-personalized suggestions. Amira makes use of superior machine-learning algorithms to investigate clients’ private knowledge and may pull up suggestions that align with the client’s type and funds.  

“Amira is completely AI. When you end your quiz, you’ll be able to ask Amira questions and get immediate suggestions by way of ChatGPT and visuals. For instance, say you wish to discover a gown on your sister’s wedding ceremony in Japan. The engine will use developments, climate, your profile, and quite a few knowledge units and immediate the patron with a number of choices,” she explains. 

Geoffrey additionally believes it could be “revolutionary” for on-line retailers to have Amira on their websites, immediately linked to the shop’s stock database, making certain clients obtain up-to-date product suggestions from the newest collections and inventory.  

Amira will initially launch as a part of the Taffi internet app, however Geoffrey says it is going to be delivered to “numerous shops” by the tip of this month.