Irish-American fashion great Paul Costelloe has died aged 80. His family announced this in a statement on Saturday. He was the late Princess Diana’s personal designer for over a decade.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Paul Costelloe after a short illness,” his family said. He died in London in the presence of his wife and seven children.
The luxury womenswear designer was one of Ireland’s most famous stylists. He has been a fixture on the opening day of London Fashion Week since the show’s inception in 1984.
Costelloe was born in Dublin in 1945. He trained as a design assistant at French luxury houses in Paris before moving to British retailer Marks and Spencer in Milan.
He was appointed Princess Diana’s personal stylist from 1983 and remained in the role until her death in 1997. He told Irish State Broadcasting he felt he had ‘made it’ when he was asked to be her designer. “She was very human, she didn’t act like a princess… She made a very good cup of tea and scones,” Costelloe told RTE earlier this year about his most famous customer.
Costelloe was known for his romantic, bespoke designs. His collections combined old-school styles with new, innovative touches. They were often characterized by splashes of color, tweed patterns and floral elements.
Costelloe once compared the job of a fashion designer to that of a tireless ‘athlete’. In September he presented his latest 1960s-inspired spring/summer collection entitled ‘We stroll down Rodeo Drive’ at London Fashion Week.
His brand is also a family business. As design director, his son William is responsible for the prints and backdrops of his collections.
“My goal is to eventually retire from fashion,” Costelloe told Vogue in 2024. “Rent an old car, drive around France and paint.”(AFP)
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