This Ivorian Designer who Dressed Beyonce

Her name is Rebecca Zoro. She is a designer from Ivory Coast. In 2015, she created the brand Yhebe. 3 years later, Beyonce wore one of her designs. Rebecca was over the moon. 

Beginnings

Rebecca was born and raised in Ivory Coast. She had a deep fascination with clothing from childhood. In 2009, she decided to take a training course in making clothes. She earned a diploma and left Ivory Coast for Morocco where she enrolled at LaSalle Collège to study fashion design. 

Yhebe Design

Rebecca returned to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, after completing school in Morocco. She wanted to start her own clothing brand. She settled on "Yhebe", an endearing name that her grandfather used to call her father when he was a child. She started small business initially sawing by herself with one sewing machine. The brand grew with time and now has an online presence and an online shop. 

The brand represents romanticism, love, and sensitivity. This vision is included in the muse and emblem of the brand: the rose. 

Yhebe's aesthetics originate from the 1920s and include a lot of straight cuts and feminine, geometric lines that are softened by fluid and delicate fabrics. The brand does not shy away from its Africanness either, with models' faces often painted in traditional African markings. The designs and fabrics are also inspired by African culture, especially Gouro culture which Rebecca is part of. 

"The idea behind Yhebe is to highlight the African woman, the Ivorian woman."

Beyonce

In December 2018, Beyonce attended and headlined the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She wore clothing by African designers for the trip to highlight the African fashion industry. One of the famous looks from the trip is the Adjoua skirt she wore by Yhebe Designs. 

"Beyonce wore a piece of clothing I made!" Exclaimed Rebecca in an interview with BBC Africa. "I still can't believe it."

Beyonce's photos are now part of the online shop's catalogue. When you go to buy the Adjoua skirt on Yhebe's online shop, it is Beyonce's photo you see. 

Rebecca hopes to expand Yhebe Designs to have a worldwide presence. 

Header Image Credit: Fallinmode.com