Nowadays the face behind any given product, be that a blog, magazine or designer label, is just as important as the product itself–if not more so.

“Consumers today are buying into a lot more than just a commodity,” said Marc Beckman, co-founder of Designers Management Agency which reps Proenza Schouler, Andre Leon Talley and Nicola Formichetti.

Consider Anna Wintour or Karl Lagerfeld–their personal brands are inextricably connected to those of the companies they work for. When people buy a Chanel lego bag, they’re buying into Lagerfeld’s kooky, high-fashion lifestyle almost as much as the brand itself.

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