The whole history of mankind is a dialogue of cultures, which permeates all our lives. The interaction of cultures, their dialogue – the most favorable basis for the development of interethnic, interethnic relations. It is such an interaction between bearers of different values, when the best values become the property of representatives of another culture. Thanks to the dialogue of cultures there is interpenetration and mutual enrichment of cultures themselves, spiritual rapprochement of large cultural regions. For this purpose, developed countries organise international events in the field of culture, crafts and Fashion.

One of the famous fashion events is the international project “ASPARA FASHION WEEK”.The project was created by one of the world’s authoritative fashion designers Aidarkhan Kaliyev in early 2017. Thanks to his activities, for the first time in Kazakhstan, international fashion shows were organised and continue to be held with the participation of not only Kazakhstani and Central Asian designers, but also specialists from almost all over the world. Aspara Fashion WEEK is the world’s first official fashion week, which did not stop working even during the two-year pandemic, continued to function online.

From 25 to 28 April Taraz will host the XIII season of ASPARA FASHION WEEK under the motto “DIALOGUE OF CULTURES”. For the last 12 seasons ASPARA FASHION WEEK has become popular not only in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, but also all over the world. ASPARA FASHION WEEK has partnerships with more than 20 major fashion weeks in the global world. ASPARA FASHION WEEK is proud of and appreciates partnerships with SERBIA FASHION WEEK, MAD MOOD FASHION WEEK MILANO, AFWEU FASHION WEEKS, DIVERSITY FASHION WEEK, CZECHIA FASHION WEEK, ASEAN INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK, TENUN FASHION WEEK, EURASIA FASHION WEEK, FASHION WEEK BULGARIA, BRIDAL FASHION WEEK, GLORIA FASHION WEEK, STOCKHOLM INTERNOTIONAL FASHION FAIR, ETHNOPODIUM RUSSIA, TAJIKISTAN FASHION WEEK, SILK ROAD FASHION LONDON, FASHION WEEK ISTANBUL, MARBELLA FASHION WEEK, TRANSILVANIA FASHION FESTIVAL, FASHIONHALL-FASHION WEEK BERLIN.

Over 700 designers from more than 50 countries took part in the previous 12 seasons. ASPARA FASHION WEEK has been featured in major fashion publications: American TV channel FNLNetwork, ELLE magazine, MERCURYʼS, GazzettaItalia, FashionCollection, BusinessEmirates, DFashionmagazine, ZOOM, ASPAN, Tengri, GazzettaTribune, FABUK , Pulse 2. 0, Features, WorldFashionMediaNews, Dailymail24, Albidda, Akhbar1, Albraq, Yaf3press, Misr-Alan, KhabarAgency,EurasiaTVChannel, TelekanalCTC, 31 channel, KazakhTVchannel, KAZINFORM, etc. Thanks to this millions of views in social networks. A large number of visits to the shows by foreign and Kazakhstani experts from the world of fashion.

The new season of ASPARA FASHION WEEK will continue to breathe in the second life of such a dialogue of culture, in which fashion and cultures of different countries, peoples and continents will be brought closer together. The aim of the XIII season of ASPARA FASHION WEEK is to create an atmosphere of national values and to develop an understanding that one’s own ethno-cultural coexistence is impossible without a respectful and careful attitude to the values of other peoples.

The XIII season of ASPARA FASHION WEEK, as well as the previous ones, continues to glorify the ancient Taraz, revival of national spirit, patriotism, dignity and promote traditions and culture.

Let’s dwell on the highlights of the programmes of previous seasons:

QAZAQANALARY” project. Twelve designers from the regions of the republic took part in its creation. Their task was to create the image of a woman-mother, the keeper of the hearth. A mother who accepted with dignity all the hardships of fate. Mother, multiplying healthy generation of Kazakhstan. The uniqueness of the project was that the clothes of designers were demonstrated by members of the Centre for Active Recreation of Pensioners. The oldest model of the project was born in 1947. Foreign fashion experts and spectators of the show were touched by the stoicism, nobility and dignity of the Kazakh woman. And, today, several years later, the demand for different age groups of models is gaining momentum not only in Kazakhstan, but also all over the world. In the XIII season 5 Kazakhstani designers will present their author’s collections for 5 groups of age models from all over Kazakhstan. Thanks to ASPARA FASHION WEEK, not only Kazakhstani designers but also age models of Kazakhstan have the right to participate in the International catwalks.

A project called “QAZAQ MEN”. A collection of men’s clothing in the neo-folklore style was created to demonstrate the masculinity, brutality and peculiar national identity of the masters of the Great Steppe.

The project entitled “Kazaktyң kelinderi. A collection of women’s clothing in the neo-folklore style is created to demonstrate the femininity, tenderness, wisdom and peculiar national identity of the beauties of the Great Steppe.

Fashion Week programmes usually include free seminars on the projects of International Trade Centre Ready4Trade Central Asia on entering the world market and USAID Trade Promotion Service Providers, on export promotion on a grant basis for domestic producers, master classes, show-rooms, talks with fashion industry experts.

A bright event in the programme of the XIII season will be a fashion show dedicated to the memory of Alla Ilchun (Pearl of Dior) – Kazakh woman, professional model. 15 leading designers of Kazakhstan will present stylised models, which in her time Dior’s muse Alla shone on international catwalks.

The fourth day of the XIII season of the International Fashion Week “ASPARA FASHION WEEK” is dedicated to the show of collections of students-designers of “Aspara” College of Modelling Art and Business. For 25 years of work “Aspara” College has become a brand in the field of education of our country and recognisable in the global world of fashion, as a platform where specialists of fashion industry are trained, as an innovator in education and production. Over the period of its operation, Aspara College has become known for its graduates who promote nomadic culture and traditions in the global fashion. It is in the college that young designers have the opportunity to successfully assimilate the development of the fashion industry of Kazakhstan, learn the ability to co-operate at the international level in the world of fashion, and raise the status of professions related to the production of clothing and traditional crafts.

Also, the students of “Aspara” college for several years have been studying and mastering the most ancient speciality of handicrafts – felting. Making felted cloth is a real art, which can be professionally mastered within the walls of the college. The process of felting itself is not simple and goes through several labour-intensive stages.

Taraz, once known as the “city of merchants” and standing at the crossroads of great trade routes, world civilisations and cultures, is one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan, with a 2000-year history. The dust of centuries has covered many ancient cities, but Taraz, perishing and reviving again, as always, surprises with new facets of applied art. Today, the fashion industry is actively developing in Taraz, where young designers create creative works exploring national trends.
Since October 2022, Taraz was the first and, so far, the only city in Kazakhstan to enter number 56 in the World Network of Crafts Cities in the profile of woolen products and felting and will definitely become one of the centres of tourism in Kazakhstan in the near future.

Such a bright event gives a new impetus to the development of cultural, spiritual and tourist sphere of the region. Now, in the ancient city it is planned to hold large-scale events on tourism development. Support will be given to craft entrepreneurs who intend to work in this direction. To date, there are 3,435 historical and cultural monuments in the region, 5 of them are included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, 25 are of national and 698 are of local importance.

Tulips are the pride of Zhambyl region and deserved attention of tourists.

Every year with the arrival of spring the steppes of Kazakhstan are transformed beyond recognition in red-yellow-orange-white tones and halftones, as if the inspired Creator is painting a fairy tale with his brush, freeing the Earth from winter hibernation. Somewhere you can see light strokes, somewhere his brush lingers longer, and then the whole field, as far as the eye can see, is covered with multicoloured lights.

The steppe is covered with a colourful carpet of flowers – thousands of tulips of different kinds and colours. And by that time people are always happy, because the appearance of these flowers means the arrival of holidays, sun and warmth. For nomads, the tulip symbolised peace, tranquility and renewal. These modest flowers decorate the steppes of Kazakhstan from the end of March to the end of June.

Kazakhstan is the birthplace of tulips. Today this fact is recognised throughout the scientific community. Having appeared here more than ten million years ago, representatives of this genus subsequently dispersed all over the world.

Thus, the ancient city of Taraz, rich in history and culture, is an information and communication platform for the exchange of experience, a centre for the revival and development of fashion, folk crafts and tourism.