TERESA SI COUTURE – “Wear your story”
Teresa Scognamiglio is the founder and creative director of Teresa Si Couture. Her journey began in Italy, where she studied fashion design before building an international career spanning Italy, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Over the past fifteen years, she has contributed her craft to renowned couture houses including Ralph & Russo, Elie Saab, Vivienne Westwood, and Catherine Walker.
Drawing on this experience, she launched her own label—Teresa Si—a couture and luxury womenswear brand rooted in timeless elegance, exclusivity, and meticulous craftsmanship. The brand blends modern innovation with traditional artisan techniques, guided by her belief that the pursuit of perfection and the art of handmade tailoring make each creation truly unique.
Today, we are delighted to explore her story, her philosophy, and the world she has built through couture.
Teresa, your brand was born from a love of art, design, and fashion. Can you recall the moment—or series of moments—that compelled you to transform that love into your own couture house?
It wasn’t one defining moment, but rather a series of small realisations. While working for other houses, I often felt I couldn’t fully express my creativity or truly respond to what clients were dreaming of. I remember a bride who looked at herself during a fitting and quietly said, I wish this dress felt more like me.
I knew exactly what she meant, yet I didn’t have the freedom to create the gown she envisioned. That moment stayed with me. I realised I wanted to build a space where a woman’s personality and my artistic vision could come together naturally. That desire—to create pieces that feel deeply personal—is what gave life to my couture house.
You have worked with some of the most prestigious couture maisons—Ralph & Russo, Elie Saab, Vivienne Westwood, Catherine Walker. What was the single most influential lesson you carried from these experiences into Teresa Si?
Working inside those maisons taught me two lessons that shape everything I do today: the value of people and the power of craftsmanship. As a seamstress, I learned what it truly means to build a gown from the inside out—every stitch, every adjustment, every hour matters. That experience helps me guide my team with clarity, respect, and an authentic understanding of their work.
The greatest lesson I took with me is this: excellence isn’t created through pressure, but through collaboration. Treat people fairly, communicate openly, and beauty will follow.
Your creations are often described as “wearable pieces of art.” How do you balance artistic expression with the practical expectations and emotions of the clients who will ultimately wear your gowns?
For me, couture is a dialogue, never a monologue. My creative vision may be the starting point, but it only becomes “art” when it meets the client’s emotions—her story and how she wants to feel in the world. I always listen deeply before sketching anything. A gown must make a woman feel radiant, comfortable, and entirely herself.
The balance comes naturally: I bring my artistic language, and she brings her lived experience. When the two align, the dress becomes more than an object—it becomes a part of her. My greatest joy is seeing a client look in the mirror and recognise beauty she didn’t know she had. That moment guides every artistic choice I make.
Your brand celebrates diversity and global collaboration. Can you share a moment when cultural differences directly influenced the design or creation of a particularly memorable gown?
When I worked as a designer in Melbourne, I found it challenging at first to adapt to such a different style and culture. I decided to fully immerse myself in the community to understand how to merge my background with this new environment. I met the chief of an Aboriginal tribe and several local Aboriginal painters, which inspired me to create printed patterns based on their artworks.
The result was a stunning ready-to-wear line that beautifully blended Aboriginal art with Australia’s modern yet relaxed aesthetic.
Your bespoke process is immersive—from consultations to sketches, fittings, and up to 1,000 hours of craftsmanship. Which part of this journey resonates most deeply with you, and why?
The most emotional moment for me is the very first fitting. It’s when the design, after living in my mind, on paper, and in fabric pieces, finally takes shape on the client’s body. There is something magical and intimate in that moment. I can see her posture shift, her eyes brighten, her confidence grow.
That first fitting is when the gown stops being “my creation” and begins to become hers. It’s the moment when all the hours of craftsmanship suddenly have a heartbeat. Couture is slow, delicate, and deeply human—this moment reminds me why I chose this path.
You speak about a “craving for perfection in every detail.” In an age of fast fashion and digital shortcuts, what does perfection mean to you—and how do you protect it in your creative process?
Slow fashion is at the heart of couture. Everything we create at Teresa Si is handmade and tailored to each client’s preferences. We rely on traditional techniques that allow us to shape the dress on every woman individually, and we design unique pieces for each of them. Even the embroidery and appliqué are hand-stitched by experienced artisans.
We embrace a philosophy of slow but flawlessly executed craftsmanship—creating gowns meant to last for years and be passed down through generations.
You have lived and worked in Italy, Australia, and the UK. How have these environments shaped the aesthetic and spirit of the Teresa Si woman?
Living in different parts of the world taught me that femininity isn’t a fixed idea; it’s a spectrum shaped by culture, rhythm, and daily life.
From Italy, I carry a love for craftsmanship, timeless beauty, and the belief that an impeccably made garment can empower a woman from within. Italy taught me that elegance is emotional—it lives in the details, in the hands that create, in the heritage behind every stitch.
Australia gave me a sense of freedom, lightness, and openness. The Teresa Si woman learned there to embrace movement, authenticity, and a relaxed confidence. It reminded me that luxury can also feel effortless.
London, with its diversity, energy, and bold individuality, has shaped my brand more than anywhere else. Here I discovered women who express themselves fearlessly through style—who blend cultures and identities in unique ways. London taught me that couture doesn’t need to be confined by tradition; it can evolve, adapt, and speak to a global woman with her own voice.
Today, the Teresa Si woman is a blend of all these places: Italian in craftsmanship, Australian in spirit, and unmistakably Londoner in her individuality.
Teresa Si embraces modern innovation alongside traditional techniques. Which innovations excite you most today—and how do you ensure they enhance rather than overshadow the timeless craftsmanship at the heart of couture?
AI is becoming useful in many industries, and for us it’s a tool that helps translate and communicate our vision more clearly. Not everyone can visualise an idea easily, and AI allows us to present concepts more effectively. Design software is also incredibly helpful for illustrating new collections or creating mood boards that articulate the brand’s identity.
For us, innovation is valuable only when it supports creativity and makes the couture process more accessible—never when it replaces the craftsmanship at its core.
In the cover:
A Teresa Si Couture creation worn by Alessia Rietti
Images courtesy of Teresa Scognamiglio
