Our vision
To be a premier destination for empowered creators, HELPING OUR YOUTH build the confidence
to shape a future with innovation, imagination, and purpose.
Our Founder’s Story
Durga’s journey to founding DesignX was driven by a deep passion for creativity and education—marked by bold decisions, collaboration, and a constant desire to reinvent. Durga grew up surrounded by creativity and making—spending summers at her grandfather’s textile mill. The massive industrial machines and the ingenuity involved in making things, left an indelible mark on the growing mind. Durga launched as a leather garments designer for the International Conglomerate TATA Exports where she built an even deeper appreciation for the creative and manufacturing/making process—subsequently earning an MS in Apparel Design and Manufacturing from Virgina Tech. She sees design as an act of both problem-solving and expression—grounded in a firm belief that hands-on, tactile experiences are essential for developing creativity and critical thinking in young minds—no matter the tools or the end product.
Exposed to Silicon Valley culture as a young mom in the early 2000s, Durga observed the diminishing opportunities for hands-on creative learning for children following the 2008 recession. In 2009, Durga co-founded DezignKidz—offering hands-on programs in fashion design for children ages 7 to 10. The programs were welcomed by families and students alike. With increasing dominance of digital technology in the ensuing years and the calling for creativity and hands-on making that she saw in her own two children, Durga felt a pull to evolve and launched DesignX in 2017 — taking creative education to the next level. The program was a success, attracting a new generation of designers and makers across the Peninsula and beyond.
Durga has continuously pushed the DesignX mission further to thoughtfully meet and exceed the standards of innovation in Silicon Valley—developing new programs that combine skills in design with cutting-edge ideas, tools and techniques—exploring next-gen textiles that help reduce textile waste to integrating current social and cultural concepts into design education. Her goal is simple yet powerful: to offer safe spaces that unleashes the creativity of young minds, where students thoughtfully explore ideas and concepts in a modern context, listen to their unique voice and unlock their highest creative potential through fashion, product, toy design and architecture. The skills developed are far reaching — and learning experiences transformative.
DesignX has empowered over 7,000 young designers and makers over the last decade, inspiring them to think critically, problem-solve confidently, and embrace their creative potential to the fullest. It is a testament to Durga’s belief that creativity is the engine for innovation—and that the future belongs to those who dare to not just DREAM IT but also MAKE IT!
OUR TEAM
DesignX is proud to hire a diverse cohort of thoughtful up-and-coming talent, from schools local and away including Parsons, USC, Stanford, San Jose State, SFSU, UC Berkeley and many more. We are honored to put our students in the hands of those creating the future of our designed world!
DesignX Values
Purposeful Creativity
We nurture curiosity through design experiences that are both playful and rigorous, guiding students to transform imagination into meaningful creations in the physical world.
Empowerment Through Completion
From sketch to final product, every student completes a tangible project. The discipline of finishing builds resilience, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment that endures.
The Joy of Discovery
True creativity lives in the spark of realization. We celebrate the moment when a child connects the first idea to the finished work — and feels the delight of making something real.
Craft and Learning First
We hold space for process. By protecting time for exploration, problem-solving, and making, we honor the integrity of hands-on learning and the craft of design.
Commitment to Every Learner
Whether in a class of five or fifty, each student receives our full care and attention. We foster a community rooted in inclusivity, collaboration, and respect for every voice.
Staying True to Our Vision
We stand apart with conviction. In an age of virtual and digital, we champion creativity grounded in the physical world, thoughtful design, and the confidence to shape a purposeful future.