Kozan

Kozan is wearable art you can actually live in — sophisticated, a little edgy, and extremely comfortable. It makes a statement without overwhelming the wearer. The line has a strong European influence: beautiful textures, unusual fabrics, interesting shapes, and pieces you can layer and style in so many different ways. It's for the woman who wants something different from what she sees everywhere else but still wants to feel comfortable and confident. Melis Kozan describes the collection as an evolution of the international approach she developed working in Italy — inspired by European travel, jacquard fabrics, and art.

Melis Kozan is the designer behind Kozan and Isle by Melis Kozan. Born and raised in Istanbul, she began her career at Diesel in Italy, where she learned her craft with a very international approach to fashion. In 2005, Melis and her husband Chad combined her design background with his family's textile roots and created Isle. Their designs and original prints draw on their travels, art, photography, film, and the fabric markets of Italy, France, and Turkey.

That international background shows in her work: her clothing never looks like it was designed by following one season's trend — there's always something artistic and unexpected about it.

Kozan is one of the most fabric-driven collections we carry. With some designers you notice the silhouette first; with Kozan, I often touch the garment first — the textures, crinkles, jacquards, and knit combinations are that important to the design.

Kozan also understands how to make an artistic garment wearable. You can have an unusual pant, an asymmetric tunic, or a dramatic jacket, but once you put it on, it makes sense. And I love the layering — one Kozan piece can completely change another piece you already have in your closet.

This is one of the things I love most about Kozan. The knits are soft, comfortable, and forgiving. The jacquards have texture and substance — they look expensive and interesting without feeling stiff. The French terry gives you that wonderful comfortable feeling, but it doesn't look like ordinary sweatshirt fabric — Kozan turns it into fashion. And the crinkled, textured fabrics are lightweight, move beautifully, and many have stretch.

I tell customers: Kozan gives you texture without weight, and comfort without looking casual. It's also why so many Kozan pieces are wonderful for travel.

Isle is the collection Melis and her husband Chad launched in 2005, and it shows Melis's fun, playful side — it became especially known for its prints and the famous Cha-Cha Dress. I see Isle as more playful, feminine, and print-driven, while the main Kozan collection feels more sophisticated, architectural, and texture-driven. Both share that Melis Kozan personality: interesting fabrics, unexpected details, and clothing for a woman who doesn't want to look like everyone else.

We've carried Kozan for about four years, and there's a reason I keep buying it. After decades in the fashion business, I don't bring in a line just because it looks good on a hanger — I want clothing that works on a real woman's body. Kozan gives me that combination of fashion, comfort, and individuality. I can take a customer who wants something unusual but is nervous about wearing an artistic look, show her how to put it together — and once she sees herself in it, she understands Kozan. I'm always looking for pieces that don't look like everything else being sold online.

Overall, true to size to slightly generous — but it depends very much on the style. Many of the tunics, jackets, and dresses are intentionally relaxed and quite forgiving; the pants depend more on the particular fabric and silhouette. That's why I never tell a customer "you're always a medium in Kozan" — I look at the actual garment, the fabric, whether it stretches, and how Melis intended it to fit. As a general reference, Kozan's standard sizing runs approximately XS 2–4, S 6–8, M 10–12, L 14–16, and XL 16–18, though individual styles vary.

Our Kozan selection currently ranges from XS through 3X depending on the style, plus some One Size pieces. Something I especially appreciate about Kozan: being able to offer these artistic styles in extended sizes. Fashion shouldn't suddenly become boring because a woman wears a larger size — some of my best-dressed customers wear extended sizes and look and feel every bit as wonderful in Kozan.

I particularly love the tunics, flowing tops, relaxed dresses, and pull-on pants for a forgiving fit. Look for draping, asymmetrical hems, ruching, stretch fabrics, and silhouettes that skim rather than cling.

The Ryan Tunic is a great example — beautiful ruching and texture with a relaxed silhouette that drapes over the body instead of hugging it. The Alvin Pant is another favorite: its silhouette has movement and gives you that fashion-forward look without sacrificing comfort.

Don't automatically size up because the garment looks unusual on the hanger. Kozan uses volume, draping, and asymmetry as part of the design — a customer sometimes sees all that fabric and thinks she needs a larger size, but often she doesn't. Start with your normal size, then look at the specific cut and fabric. A flowing tunic or relaxed jacket gives you plenty of room; with a more fitted pant or top, pay closer attention to the measurements and stretch.

Kozan is one of my favorite collections for travel. Many of the fabrics are lightweight, textured, or wrinkle-resistant — you can pack them and they come out looking wonderful. The crinkled pieces are the best travelers, because you never have to worry about pressing them perfectly.

For care, always follow the label on each garment, since Kozan uses many different fabrications. Many pieces wash in cold water on a gentle cycle, then hang or lay flat to dry. I avoid excessive heat — it's the easiest way to shorten the life of a beautiful fabric. The Alvin Pant, for example, machine washes cold on gentle and lays flat to dry.

Very well, especially when cared for properly. So many of Kozan's fabrics are chosen for performance as much as appearance — they keep their shape, texture, and drape beautifully over the years. My advice: treat designer clothing like designer clothing. Wash gently, avoid unnecessary heat, and don't put everything in a hot dryer just because you can.

The Suki Top, Simona Dress, Jade Pant, Mila Topper, Jane Jacket, Dawn Jumpsuit, Aria Jacket — and more! The Suki Top is one of those pieces Kozan keeps reinventing in different fabrics and prints; wear it with a statement pant, or simplify it with a solid bottom. And the Simona Dress is a wonderful example of what Kozan does well: an interesting silhouette, comfortable stretch, and enough personality that you don't need to over-accessorize it. It's one of our customers' favorite styles.

The Simona Dress. You can wear it from day into evening just by adding accessories — layer it with a jacket, scarf, or shawl and change the jewelry, and it becomes a completely different look.

For a special occasion, I let one Kozan piece be the star. Take a dramatic Kozan jacket over a simple black dress or pant, or a beautiful textured Kozan pant with a clean solid top and statement jewelry. What you don't want is to compete with the garment — Kozan already gives you shape, texture, and interest. For a woman who doesn't want a traditional cocktail dress, it's a wonderful way to look special, sophisticated, and different while staying comfortable.

Absolutely — that versatility is one of the reasons I love the collection so much. Take an Alvin Pant with a simple Suki Top: during the day, a comfortable shoe and simple jewelry; for dinner, a beautiful shoe, statement jewelry, and perhaps one of Kozan's dramatic jackets. You haven't changed the outfit — you've elevated it. Melis designs with exactly that day-to-evening lifestyle in mind.

The repeat purchases are the pieces where a customer already knows and loves the silhouette. Pants are especially strong — once a customer finds a Kozan pant that works for her, she wants another fabrication or another color. The Vita Pant is a perfect example: pull-on, stretch, a flattering drape, and currently one of our best-selling Kozan pants.

The Alvin Pant, Suki Top, and Simona Dress work the same way, because Kozan reinvents its recognizable silhouettes in new fabrics, textures, and prints. And the Jane Jacket is a go-to — customers often buy more than one and keep one at their vacation home.

Kozan arrivals come in throughout the season rather than all at once — that's why our "NEW KOZAN" emails matter. When a shipment lands, certain styles, colors, and sizes can sell very fast. If you see a Kozan piece you absolutely love, especially in an unusual fabric or print, don't assume it will still be available in your size a few weeks later.

At this time we ship within the United States only, including free U.S. delivery on qualifying orders. We know Kozan has admirers searching from Canada, the UK, Ireland, and beyond — and we appreciate that interest tremendously — but our current shipping program focuses on U.S. customers.

Because with us, you're not simply buying a Kozan garment. We carry one of the largest Kozan selections anywhere — including styles in fabrics you won't see anywhere else. But selection is only part of it. I've spent decades in this industry, and my job isn't just putting clothing on a website: I look at the fit, the fabric, and the woman who's going to wear it — which pant goes with which top, which jacket completes the outfit, which silhouette flatters which body.

If you don't know your Kozan size, call us or use our live chat. If you want measurements, styling suggestions, or help deciding between two styles, that's what we're here for. When you buy designer clothing online, that personal service makes all the difference.