Tesslo is a design house built on craftsmanship, resilience, and reinvention. It is an evolving story that began over two decades ago in a Lagos atelier and continues today in the United States.
Founded in 2005 by designer Tessy Oliseh-Amaize, the brand started with a bold vision to elevate the depth, discipline, and sophistication of African creativity onto a global stage. Born into a family of celebrated footballers in Nigeria, Tessy charted her own path, pursuing a career in fashion. After earning a fashion design degree from Middlesex University in London, she returned to Lagos and launched Tesslo, quickly gaining recognition by winning Nigeria’s Best Fashion Designer Award at the prestigious Nigeria Fashion Show in 2006.
The acclaim marked a beginning, not an arrival. From Lagos to Paris, from D.C. to Los Angeles, Tesslo’s work has appeared on runways and red carpets across continents, celebrated for its meticulous construction, sculptural silhouettes, and distinct point of view. Over the years, the brand has demonstrated its craft across diverse aesthetics, embracing a design language rooted in structure, proportion, and exceptional tailoring.
Our Journey
The Tesslo story is shaped by the places that have influenced its founder:
Nigeria, a birthplace of cultural richness and diversity, where discipline, artistry, and identity first took form.
The United Kingdom, where Tessy refined her technical expertise, graduating magna cum laude in Fashion Product Management from Middlesex University, and exploring how music influences fashion through her B.A. thesis.
The United States, where a challenging period of exile in New York City became a catalyst for reinvention and resilience.
This journey across continents has sharpened Tesslo’s design lens—grounded in cultural depth yet driven by a global approach to craftsmanship, structure, and contemporary design.
The Tesslo Aesthetic
Tesslo represents a design philosophy that is timeless yet contemporary, sophisticated yet bold. The brand’s signature is rooted in world-class craftsmanship: clean lines, structural details, and iconic silhouettes. Every piece is crafted with a commitment to thoughtful design rather than trend-driven noise.
The giraffe, Tesslo’s emblem, embodies this ethos. Graceful, elevated, and quietly commanding, it mirrors the brand itself: confident, refined, and effortlessly distinctive.
It's so great to see what our past students are getting up to. Just look at these incredible designs by fashion alumni @TessyOliseh – she even designed her own wedding dress 😍 https://t.co/C5JAEfx6cn
— Middlesex University (@MiddlesexUni) March 15, 2019
Tesslo Just Jackets
In 2025, Tesslo introduced Just Jackets, a focused exploration of the jacket as an object of design.
At a time when fashion is saturated with fast cycles, Tesslo returns to discipline, depth, and purpose. Each jacket, handmade in the United States, is designed through the lens of “utility and artistry” that is premium but not out of reach.