Knoll Designer Bios

Dorothy Cosonas

b. New York, 1961

Dorothy Cosonas developed an interest in design at a young age — her mother was an accomplished calligrapher and architectural renderer, and her grandfather was a painter and fabric merchant. Her passions led her to pursue degrees in both fine arts and textile design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

While still in school, Cosonas interned at Unika Vaev, a contract textile firm directed by distinguished textile designer Sina Pearson. Under Pearson, Cosonas continued to develop her design sensibilities and, in 1994, succeeded her as the company’s Director of Design. In 1999 she was named Vice President of Design at Unika Vaev.

In 2005, Dorothy Cosonas came to Knoll as the Creative Director of both KnollTextiles and KnollLuxe. Her inaugural collection was awarded a Best of NeoCon Gold award, as were three of her subsequent offerings. Her work is highly influenced by her passion for fine art and international fashion. Devoted to modern design, Cosonas is known for combining clean, clear color with elegant patterns and textures.