Sarah's Bag Beirut

As stated in their story, Sarah's Bag aims to empower the women who wear them and who create them as well. It's a Lebanese fashion house launched in 2000 and its main cause is to help women from underprivileged backgrounds, from poor rural areas or who are imprisoned. All the designs are handcrafted and inspired by Lebanese and oriental art and culture. You can find funky affordable cloth clutches and bags such as pouches shaped like a typical Lebanese juice box, or one shaped like Kaakeh, a type of Lebanese bread, or a manoushe clutch, which looks exactly like a kind of typical Lebanese breakfast. As for me, I like the ones inspired by Beirut's street signs or carrying famous slogans or posters in Arabic.

The prices for the cloth designs range from $45 for a "juice box" to $125 for a "street sign". More sophisticated designs use mother of pearl and wood -- some others are shaped like the locally popular board game Tawleh (backgammon) and can go for more than $900.

I like this spot for getting original, useful, local-inspired gifts. It's not like just giving someone an ordinary bag -- rather, it is a bag with a story and an original design with an oriental touch. I always bring them as gifts to my friends in Europe, and they love them.

You can find Sarah's bag shop located in Achrafieh or their products available in Lebanese malls such as ABC. They have an online shop delivering abroad as well.