From Friendship to Fashion: How Two Kolkata Entrepreneurs Built Knitlly Originals to Redefine Affordable Premium Streetwear

Some brands begin with market research and business plans. Knitlly Originals began with friendship and a shared dream. Founded in November 2025 in Kolkata, Knitlly Originals is a premium oversized t-shirt brand created by childhood friends Soham Basak and Sayan Bose. What started as casual conversations between two friends about building something of their own slowly turned into a real venture. For years, both Soham and Sayan spoke about the idea of creating a clothing brand that felt authentic and relatable to Indian consumers. Over time, that idea grew stronger and eventually became the foundation for Knitlly Originals.

Choosing Passion Over Stability

Before stepping into entrepreneurship, both founders had established careers in the corporate world. Between them they had nearly a decade of professional experience. Yet the idea of building their own brand kept coming back to them. Leaving stable jobs was not an easy decision, but they believed the risk was worth taking. Instead of staying comfortable in their careers, they decided to pursue something they genuinely cared about. Knitlly Originals slowly moved from being a passion project to becoming a serious business venture built on dedication and belief.

Making Premium Clothing More Accessible

One of the key ideas behind Knitlly Originals is simple. Premium clothing should not feel out of reach. The founders noticed that many people love high quality clothing but often hesitate because of high prices. Knitlly Originals aims to change that by offering premium oversized t shirts that combine comfort, quality, and modern streetwear design while still remaining accessible to the Indian middle class. The brand focuses on balancing quality and affordability so that customers do not have to compromise when choosing what they wear.

Transparency and Authentic Quality

Another important principle behind the brand is transparency. Knitlly Originals uses 100 percent cotton fabrics for its products and is prepared to support these claims with lab test reports. In an industry where fabric claims can sometimes be difficult for customers to verify, the founders believe that trust is built through honesty. Their goal is to create a brand where customers know exactly what they are paying for and can rely on the quality being promised.

Creativity Meets Business Experience

The strength of Knitlly Originals also comes from the different strengths that the founders bring to the brand. Soham Basak leads the creative direction, drawing from his experience as a senior graphic designer at Turtle Ltd. His background in design plays a key role in shaping the visual style and identity of the brand.Sayan Bose brings strong business exposure from his years in the corporate world. Over the course of his career he has worked with companies such as Urban Company, MoneyTap, Freo, Ecom Express, and Ethos. His experience across sales, operations, and business development now helps guide the strategic direction and growth of Knitlly Originals.

A Bootstrapped Brand with Big Aspirations

Knitlly Originals is a fully bootstrapped venture that is being built gradually with patience and focus. The founders are not rushing the journey. Instead they are concentrating on building trust, maintaining product quality, and growing their presence step by step. While the brand proudly represents a homegrown label from Kolkata, Soham and Sayan have bigger ambitions. Their long term vision is to expand across India and eventually take Knitlly Originals to global markets. At its heart, the story of Knitlly Originals is not just about fashion. It is about friendship, belief, and the courage to build something meaningful from the ground up.