From banking to bespoke – a dreamer’s journey
Sudeshna started her career as an accomplished banker.
A banker with degrees in Geography, Sudeshna caught onto the discipline of the corporate sector soon after college. With her career highly flourishing in banking, she was anywhere but close to even dreaming about Koza – but they say after all, how all that’s meant to be will certainly find a way to you! Our founder recalls how her love for textiles and embroidery always found her like a long lost friend in a crowd of strangers; on lunch breaks, Sudeshna would often sneak out for exploring crafts instead of addas. Before she knew, these escapes to textiles became her safe haven of peace and passion- one that would bring a dream to reality.
First designs from Sudeshna, for the Chandrakanta Khadi Silk Emporium.
Taking the leap of faith
In 2009, while Sudeshna was at the peak of her banking career, she took her first step towards the adventure of a lifetime. Leaving almost a decade worth of corporate achievements in the blink of an eye, our founder began her research in textiles and crafts- sourcing fabrics and sampling designs extensively. Fascinated by her elan, Chandrakanta Khadi Silk Emporium, Dakshinapan, Kolkata, reached out to her with a request of five designs. These five designs opened up to extreme appreciation and demand from customers, earning Sudeshna her very first designing order of 50 pieces. Those few designs have multiplied to thousands over years, forging a friendship between Khadi Silk Emporium and Koza today, that runs deeper than the warp and weft of textiles.
First designs from Sudeshna, for the Chandrakanta Khadi Silk Emporium.
The birth of Koza
While designing for Khadi earned her expertise, our founder’s designing hat found newer feathers in designing projects for movies, productions and events in the Tollywood film industry. Sudeshna’s designs were getting accolades in the top names of print media, while she began working on a project with the Kolkata Knight Riders team in IPL– it was during this time, that Ashok babu from Khadi suggested to her that it was about time to give a permanent name to her designs.
Sudeshna’s project with the Kolkata Knight Riders team in IPL.
Sudeshna, with Ashok babu from Khadi who had suggested creating a brand for Sudeshna’s work.
With a bid to finally be recognised for her creations, Koza was brought to life in the summer of 2013. Deriving its sensibility from the Sanskrit word ‘Koshaha’, meaning a sheath for the self- KOZA was born out of a devotion to the purity of kapaas, or cotton.
The journey for Koza… telling stories through textiles.
Where we are now after a decade….
It fills us with gratitude while we recall our journey today, standing at the threshold of the years passed by, looking into the future. Koza is today ten years old, almost blooming like a young, intelligent girl, for all the weavers, karigars and every single member of the team who work relentlessly to bring every single piece to you! Through our signature embroideries and craft techniques, we have carved a niche that has earned us the greatest reward of all – the members of our Koza Tribe.
We’re humbled, proud and hopeful to have you in this journey beside us, as we strive to keep telling stories through textiles in the coming days.
The journey for Koza… telling stories through textiles.
