Emma Fakwade

Emma Fakwade, engineer-turned-designer and HIBT Podcast guest, is founder, creative director and fashion engineer of Toronto-based luxury made-to-order label ISRAELLA KOBLA. The British-born Ghanaian designer's brand redefines minimalism with structured, boldly feminine pieces, now at Nordstrom.

Emma Fakwade's path to fashion was anything but traditional. Before founding ISRAELLA KOBLA, she trained as an engineer, bringing a disciplined, technical mindset to a industry often driven by intuition alone. That background became her competitive advantage. As founder, creative director, and fashion engineer of the Toronto-based luxury made-to-order label, she treats garment construction the way an engineer treats a system: every seam, silhouette, and structure is intentional.

ISRAELLA KOBLA redefines minimalism with structured, boldly feminine pieces. The brand's made-to-order model is not a luxury gimmick — it is a rejection of overproduction. Each piece is crafted on demand, which means the atelier operates closer to a precision workshop than a traditional fashion house. That approach has attracted attention far beyond Toronto. ISRAELLA KOBLA is now stocked at Nordstrom, a milestone that placed the label alongside established luxury brands while preserving its independent design ethos.

Fakwade's British-born Ghanaian heritage informs the brand's narrative, though she resists being boxed in by identity labels. The clothing speaks for itself: sharp tailoring, architectural shapes, and a confidence that appeals to women who want their wardrobes to work as hard as they do. On the HIBT Podcast, she discussed the challenges of building a made-to-order brand in a fast-fashion era, and why engineering and creativity are not opposites — they are collaborators.