Must-follow Fashion Influencers in the Middle East

​There have been various lists about fashion influencers in the Middle East such as who is the best, who wields the most power amongst their followers or who's getting paid the most per post. This is not one of those lists. These are simply the must-follow fashion influencers who are essential to your follow list. They are a mix of models, brand ambassadors, fashion designers and boss ladies who inspire in terms of fashion, beauty and lifestyle and have the power to brighten any newsfeed.

​Nouraridaofficial Followers: 278K
Beirut based Nour Arida is goals in so many ways. We all have a thing for women who prove through hard work and focus that anything is possible. Nour started as a sales associate for a clothing brand, Aishti, worked her way up to fashion buyer and then went on to become a brand manager for various luxury fashion labels. She has since gone on to start and establish her fashion blog N for Nour - launched a day before she gave birth and has also graced the covers of prestigious magazines such as Elle Arabia and Emirates Woman. 

​Karenwazenb Followers: 418K
Beautiful Karen Wazen Bakhazi's feed is the perfect balance of family, glamour and womanhood. Her photos include the cutest snaps with her adorable three kids and husband while jetsetting to the hottest fashion and beauty events with power social media players like xeniaoverdose as well as  a very open, honest account of her challenges as a mother and woman, having recently revealed that  she was diagnosed with vitilligo.

​Ascia Followers: 2.3million
No list on Middle Eastern fashion influencers would be complete without including Kuwaiti-American Ascia who blogs and vlogs with her husband through their youtube channel, The Hybrids. She's the face of Riva Middle East and has worked with brands like Dior, Chanel, Net-a-Porter and Tory Burch. Ascia is also a fashion designer who has collaborated with various brands, the latest being Haadesigns for an exclusive Ramadan collection.

​Halima Aden Followers: 584K
This Somali Model-Activist might not be from the Middle East herself but Halima is has been a huge influence on the Middle East and in the west by being the first woman to wear hijab in a beauty pageant. It’s impossible not to get swept up in her adventures as a fashion activist, educating the world while jetsetting globally and smashing stereotypes in the world of fashion. 

​Nadya Hasan Followers: 159K
Nadya Hasan aka thefierce_nay is an Emirati style blogger who also happens to take travel photos which will get your mind wondering off to exotic destinations from the comfort of your office chair. As a self-confessed shoe addict, she has also designed her own she collection and runs the lifestyle blog, thefiercediaries.com, which document her fashionable adventures.  

​Sara Almadani Followers: 105K
While the other influencers on this list mainly made their mark through social media, Sara Almadani was already successful before the "influencer boom" and would, without a doubt still have been successful even without social media. She’s a mother, an entrepreneur, an activist, a fashion designer and a restaurateur. Added to this, she was also selected by Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi as a board member of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I’m a huge fan of the messages in her instastories which consist of messages of inspiration, spirituality, success and just all round good advice brought across in a very open and frank way.  

​Ola Farahat Followers: 501K
Described as one of the UAE's quintessential "it" girls, Ola is more than just a pretty face. Her latest accolades include being a Grazia style award winner as well as featuring in a spread for Dolce & Gabbana. Ola has also followed her dreams and combined her passion for putting outfits together with her business acumen and started online boutique ownthelooks.com. The website allows people to shop the looks that are styled by their favourite fashion influencers. 

​Elnaz Golrokh Followers: 1.2 million
She might describe herself as a professional makeup artist but her feed is just so much more than that. Besides her pro make up tips, you will also see this 32 year old, Iranian, fashion and beauty blogger working her magic at glamorous events in Dubai with her husband, Hamid Fadaei who also happens to be and international model.   

Who are your favourite fashion influencers in the Middle East? Let me know in the comments if there is anyone brightening up your newsfeed.

Images: Instagram
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