DUBAI: Iconic Italian luxury brand Etro, known for its ready-to-wear looks with luxurious fabrics and paisley prints, has added a new bag to its roster and collaborated with fashion-forward influencers from the Middle East to show it off. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle The brand has tapped names from the region — including Karen Wazen, Ola Farahat and Rym Saidi — to advertise its first-ever bag designed by Creative Director Marco de Vincenzo. Other popular faces in the campaign include Saudi beauty influencer Yara Al-Namlah, Iraqi blogger Deema Al-Asadi and Palestinian social media star Julia Hussein. “XOXO gossip girls… There were rumors of a new #EtroVelaBag. Paparazzi say it’s the new age of ‘functionality’ in hand,” posted Al-Namlah on Instagram, along with a few shots of her carrying the bag. “Makin’ my way downtown— in @etro,” posted Wazen, the Lebanese fashion entrepreneur and social media influencer based out of Dubai. The classic bag draws inspiration from the nautical world as “its sharp silhouette and dynamic contours seem to ‘cut through’ the wind like a sail,” according to a press release. The V-shaped closure features a flexible zipper and a chain with a medal engraved with the Etro logo on one side and a Pegasus on the other, made with the same technique used to mint coins. The handbag comes in black, ivory, gianduja chocolate, and seasonal colors. A double detachable shoulder strap allows the bag to be worn on the shoulder or cross-body. Tunisian model Saidi, who turned heads at the recent Dubai World Cup, also took to Instagram to show off the bag. At the Dubai World Cup, the Tunisian model wore a red ensemble by Fendi, which celebrity stylist Cedric Haddad paired with a Virginie.O headpiece. Meanwhile, in a recent interview with the New York Times, new Etro Creative Director de Vincenzo talked about being the first non-family member to lead the Italian luxury label. The previous co-creative directors were second-generation siblings Kean and Veronica. “It was an opportunity to be part of a story,” said de Vincenzo.