From Township Threads to Cultural Footprints: Lessons from Nelisiwe Cossa and Cossen Brand
From Township Threads to Cultural Footprints: Lessons from Nelisiwe Cossa and Cossen Brand. When Nelisiwe Cossa launched Cossen, she did more than design fashionable footwear, she created a cultural movement rooted in Johannesburg’s East Rand. Her journey from Etwatwa to a national artisan brand is a powerful example of building identity through craftsmanship, visibility, and community focus.
Discovering Purpose Through Personal Passion
Nelisiwe’s entrepreneurial spark came from her love for African prints and a desire to reclaim township identity through design. She founded Cossen, a shoe and apparel brand based in Benoni, specializing in handmade leather sandals and accessories inspired by African textiles. Built initially from small orders in Etwatwa, Cossen sought to inspire and empower township residents.
Her decision to construct a brand from community values gave Cossen authenticity, a rare quality in mass-market fashion.
Defining Brand Identity through Cultural Craft
At its heart, Cossen is about connecting heritage with everyday style. Each pair of shoes features bold African prints, handcrafted from leather, and customized for men’s, women’s and children’s styles. By choosing to own shoe production in Benoni, Nelisiwe ensured local quality control and community job creation.
This intentional combination of material and narrative made Cossen resonate, customers were not just buying footwear, they were investing in cultural expression.
Early Turning Points that Sparked Growth
- A key boost came when Nelisiwe was featured on Ourlives Marketplace, where she shared her vision as a township-based fashion entrepreneur. The interview accelerated her visibility beyond local circles.
- In 2024 Nelisiwe celebrated her first flagship Cossen boutique launch, bringing her workshop to retail life and elevating brand trust.
- Her Instagram reels, detailing every step from design through shoemaking, drew widespread appreciation for transparency and craft, solidifying follower loyalty.
These milestones cemented Cossen as a growth brand driven by narrative and craftsmanship rather than mass marketing.
Navigating Challenges with Resilience and Resourcefulness
Running a production line in a township meant limited capital, supply chain challenges, and niche market exposure. Nelisiwe managed these constraints with ingenuity. She cycled through Etwatwa’s streets to meet suppliers and customers, saving on logistics while building personal branding.
When raw material orders delayed production, she pivoted quickly, securing local fabric stock and layering custom print straps onto simpler styles. That flexibility ensured reliability without sacrificing aesthetics.
Innovation Rooted in Story and Sustainability
Cossen innovates not through trends but through longevity. Each piece is crafted for comfort and durability, pairing real leather with timeless African prints. This sustainable philosophy rejects fast fashion in favor of pieces that age gracefully and represent more than a trend.
Beyond product, Nelisiwe also built community through employment, mainly hiring local women artisans, creating both skills and economic opportunities in her home township.
Actionable Lessons for Growing Your Own Brand
Here are key takeaways from Nelisiwe’s journey:
- Build from cultural roots. Cossen thrives because it reflects township stories, fabrics, and identity.
- Own production if possible. Local manufacturing ensured quality and brand integrity.
- Tell your story visibly. Features and storytelling reels built trust far faster than ads.
- Stay lean and innovative. When material delays occur, pivot creatively to keep momentum.
- Invest in community. Prioritizing local jobs and training creates brand loyalty and social good.
- Use soft launch strategies. Rolling out small-batch designs before dilation refined craft and demand.
- Think long term. Cossen values heritage and durability, not passing fashion fads.
A Path Forward Built on Legacy and Craft
Today Cossen is more than a boutique label, it is a living symbol of township innovation, cultural pride, and female-led enterprise. Nelisiwe Cossa demonstrates how rooted storytelling, community empowerment, and design excellence can combine into a brand of lasting impact.
For entrepreneurs ready to start from humble origins, her journey offers a blueprint: focus on what makes your identity unique, craft products with care, tell your story well, and build the future stitch by stitch.
