Gozi Ochonogor was born in Lagos Nigeria on March 8, 1974. She left Nigeria for England at the age of 19 and studied Software Engineering at Imperial College London, graduating with Honors. In 1998, Gozi enrolled at the Central School of Fashion, and studied Ladies Wear Fashion. At college, she concentrated on pattern construction, transforming men's tailoring patterns into sexy ladieswear. While at college, she also worked at the Anthony Reynolds Gallery where she gained inspiration from renowned contemporary British artists such as Mark Wallinger and Turner Prize winners Keith Tyson and Richard Billingham.

In her second year at college, Gozi created her eponymous label which she sold at the funky Portobello Market. She quickly acquired a solid client base and became the go-to gal for stylists and Japanese clients. She also created her first collection for a small Paris shop Lily per Pink.

In July 2003, after she graduated,  Gozi set up her company Gozi Ltd. She launched her brand Gozi at London Fashion Week that year.

Her first catwalk show was very well received in Paris. The fall/winter 2004 collection, Bisous, Josephine was selected by the Federation de la Couture to be showcased On-Schedule at the Carrousel du Louvre; unheard of for a new designer! It also attracted the attention of an impressive group of collaborators and sponsors: Swarovski, Erickson Beamon, and The Park Hyatt to name a few.

Gozi draws influences from a myriad of sources: from science, art and dance, to a love for travelling and learning about new cultures. In each collection, she strives to find harmony between apparently polar opposites. U.Mi-1 (you.me.one) is her second label and includes both mens and ladieswear. The U.Mi-1 brand embodies the similarities between two cultures: Japanese and African, and is her homage to the country she believes is akin to her home Nigeria. The brand aims to create a fashion as art brand through collaborations with home grown artists.

Gozi has been recognised as an enormous talent. She has chaired a panel of fashion designers at the Harvard Business School Africa Conference and is a founding member of the Fashion Business Club in London that provides a forum which fashion entrepreneurs engage with, inspire and support one another.