Fashion influencers can earn a fortune and live the life of a celebrity. But how effective are they, and should brands’ interaction with them be changing?

Sarah Beydoun, the creative director and founder of Sarah’s Bag, is one of the first designers in Lebanon to bring Middle Eastern pop culture into the mainstream, reviving and reinventing the region’s rich traditions of craftsmanship, embroidery, crocheting and textile making. Launched in 2001, her line of handmade handbags has become a must-have for every respected fashionista.In a talk with ArabAd, she reflects on the notion of nostalgia inherent in her product design.