Iniobio Esther Thomas is the visionary founder and creative director of Ehbs Couture, a renowned Nigerian fashion brand celebrated for its unique blend of African heritage and contemporary design. Since its establishment in 2017, Ehbs Couture has flourished under Iniobio’s leadership, captivating a global audience and earning international acclaim.
Born in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Iniobio pursued a degree in mass communication and journalism at Sikkim Manipal University. Her passion for fashion design was ignited during her time as an international model, where she graced runways and appeared in prominent commercials. This transformative experience paved the way for the creation of Ehbs Couture.
Ehbs Couture specializes in bespoke and ready-to-wear collections that honor the modern African woman. The brand’s designs beautifully combine traditional African elements with contemporary aesthetics, delivering stylish, high-quality pieces to women around the world. Each year, Ehbs Couture unveils new collections, showcasing the brand’s dedication to craftsmanship and attention to detail—ranging from elegant evening gowns to chic everyday wear. In a significant milestone last year, Ehbs Couture launched an exclusive ready-to-wear line, Ehbinyo, further expanding its offerings.
Since 2019, Ehbs Couture’s biannual collections have been featured in select stores across the United States, United Kingdom, Kenya, and Uganda, broadening its international reach. The brand has also graced prestigious platforms such as Accra Fashion Week and Africa Fashion Week Lagos, solidifying its reputation in the fashion world.
Iniobio’s commitment extends beyond design. Through Ehbs Couture, she actively empowers women by creating opportunities in the fashion industry and fostering growth and success. Her brand also champions environmental sustainability by integrating eco-friendly practices into its production processes, reflecting Iniobio Esther Thomas‘s vision for a better, more inclusive future.
Tell us about your background and how you founded Ehbs Couture.
Starting the brand Ehbs Couture was a conscious decision I had to take in my final year of university, as I was already a model and I had my internship at a print media organization (I did not enjoy my time there at all), also making dresses for myself and my colleagues, and I decided to go for the one I knew I could do for the rest of my life and find joy in doing it.
What lessons did you take from your career as an international model that now inform your work as a designer?
Working with various designers and their different hands-on processes greatly inspired how I started, and even over the years, lessons from how they have also evolved or faded away have kept me in line to remain consistent with my goals and values.
Starting Ehbs Couture in 2017 must have been both exciting and challenging. Can you talk about those early days, the hurdles you faced, and what kept you motivated?
It was mostly challenging, moving back to Nigeria to a new city I was not very familiar with, but the joy in creating pieces, especially years down the line when people still wear them and tell me, I got this from you since 2017, 2017,2018 etc gives me all the satisfaction that I made the right call.
How do you feel your design philosophy has evolved since founding Ehbs Couture in 2017 to now creating your milestone birthday collection?
My design philosophy has not changed but evolved. You can go back to even projects I did back in the day, and there’s always something consistent in our designs, and it is unconscious even, but that has also taught me that being true to your style and being consistent is the best way.
In our new collection, there are a few designs that are the birth of the old, my university graduation dinner dress, for example, has a reborn version in this new collection.
Last year, you launched Ehbinyo, your ready-to-wear line. How does “Her 30s” build upon or differ from that previous expansion?
I would say my 20s were maximized on learning and building. Launching Ehbinyo last year was from a place of clarity, celebrating the 30s milestone now is not just turning the age, but everything done before has been in preparation towards the future.
Looking back at your 20s—from studying mass communication to establishing an internationally recognized brand—what has been your most transformative lesson that informed this collection? Honestly, staying true to yourself and letting yourself evolve. Learning from mistakes and failures has been very fundamental in our growth.
What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?
Do it afraid.
As Ehbs Couture continues to grow, what new directions or goals are you setting for your brand as you step into your 30s?
We have a lot of new international projects and collaborations coming up before the end of the year that we are excited about. In the long run, I want a brand that will outlive me, and this next chapter is mostly about setting up systems for the future.
| Connect with Iniobio Esther Thomas |
| Instagram – estheriniobio |
| Website – www.ehbscouture.com |
