One of the most established names in Irish and British fashion, Paul Costelloe, passed away on November 21st at the age of 80. Surrounded by his wife and children, he passed peacefully at his home in London following a short illness. In a statement issued on that Friday, his family shared: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Paul Costelloe.”
Born in Dublin in 1945, as the youngest of seven children, Costelloe grew up in a household deeply rooted in craftsmanship. His father, originally from Limerick, owned a raincoat manufacturing company, exposing him to fabrics, textiles, and the discipline of design from an early age. His mother, who shared ties with the United States, contributed to his broader outlook, an influence that would inspire his future designer imagination and tailoring abilities. These early experiences shaped Costelloe’s broader perspective on Irish fashion and laid the groundwork for his success, which would define his career.
Costelloe’s career began at the Grafton Academy of Fashion Design, which shortly equipped him with the skills and capabilities to move to Paris and begin at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris as an assistant designer to Jacques Esterel. Costelloe later moved to Milan to work as a designer for luxury department store La Rinascente. Costelloe’s talents carried him through multiple major fashion capitals of the world, including New York and London.
In 1979, he established Costelloe Collections, later opening a store in Knightsbridge, London. The brand became known for the classical, elegant tailoring and the regular use of Irish textiles. Costelloe would return home from London and source linen from Wexford and tweed from Donegal, incorporating Celtic-inspired designs back in his studio. These choices allowed him to honour his Irish roots while expanding his talents to an international stage.
His collections were frequently inspired by time spent with family and holidays in Italy with his wife, Anne, whom he married in 1979. Costelloe had seven children of his own: Jessica, William, Robert, Gavin, Justin, Paul-Emmet and Nicholas. He cherished his family very deeply, reflected in his attributed work. One of his proudest moments, he once shared, was designing his daughter Rebecca’s wedding dress a few years ago.
Costelloe’s creations resonated with audiences because he listened to what people wanted to wear and designed clothes for real people. His work ranged widely across his career, from uniforms of Aer Lingus and the Irish Olympic Team, to occasion wear for the wives of the Ryder Cup and young girls’ communion dresses. More recently, Costelloe’s collaboration with Dunnes Stores exposed his creations to a wider audience, featuring womenswear, menswear, bags and accessories, homeware, jewellery, eyewear and children’s occasionwear.
One of his most prestigious accomplishments was his appointment as Princess Diana’s personal stylist in 1983, a role he held until her death in 1997. In an interview with RTÉ earlier this year, Costelloe reflected fondly on his interactions with Diana: “She was very human, she didn’t act like a princess… She made a very good cup of tea and some scones.” As a result of Diana’s flourishing global influence, Costelloe was invited to show at London Fashion Week in 1984. Last year, he celebrated a remarkable 40-year run as a fixture of the event. The British Council paid tribute to his work, noting their reliance on Paul Costelloe for many years, as he had the remarkable ability to “create the drama with his silhouettes, with his colour.”
Costelloe leaves a profound legacy on Irish and British fashion, expressed through his dedication to craftsmanship, heritage fabrics, and family. He demonstrates an exemplar for future Irish designers, illustrating how to successfully incorporate strong design and balance creative and commercial sensibility.
In 2010, to recognise Costelloe’s contribution to the Irish fashion industry, he was one of six contemporary Irish fashion designers featured on a set of Irish postage stamps issued by An Post. The stamps also included other Irish designers, including Louise Kennedy, Lainey Keogh, John Rocha, Philip Treacy and Orla Kiely.
Tánaiste Simon Harris paid tribute to Costelloe in a statement on Saturday, noting the designer’s “abiding pride in his Irish roots” and his role in elevating Irish fashion to a global stage. “He leaves behind a body of work that shaped modern Irish fashion and will continue to shape it in the years to come. He will be greatly missed and warmly remembered,” Harris said.
Costelloe also served as the closing designer for Ireland’s first Fashion Week in October this year. The show honoured emerging Irish designers as well as current established industry voices. The organisers of Ireland Fashion Week said Mr Costelloe leaves behind an “unmatched legacy,” a testament to his influence on generations of designers.
