Paul Costelloe takes centre stage among his models at his London Fashion Week show in September 2005. Photo / Getty Images
Paul Costelloe, the former designer to Diana, Princess of Wales, has died at the age of 80.
A statement from his fashion brand, which carries his name, said the Dublin-born couturier died surrounded by his family in London, following a short illness.
Costelloe’s creations helped make Princess Diana one of the most glamorous women in the world and put a regal spin on British fashion in the 1980s.
He began designing for the Princess in 1983 after one of her ladies-in-waiting spotted his designs and continued to dress her until her death in 1997, mostly for formal occasions.
One of his most memorable outfits for her was a chiffon skirt that became slightly see-through when backlit, causing much discussion at the time.
He designed the dress Princess Diana wore when meeting Luciano Pavarotti, the Italian tenor, during a downpour at his free Hyde Park concert in July 1991.
During an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs in 2021, Costelloe described the Princess as “so genteel, so feminine, so warm, so humorous”, saying that going to Kensington Palace to meet her was “one of the most amazing experiences” of his life.
Their partnership began when the Princess’ lady-in-waiting walked into Costelloe’s small outlet in Windsor, where she spotted what she thought would be some suitable designs.
A meeting in Kensington Palace was arranged, at which Costelloe brought along “seven or eight garments”.
He said later: “I met the boys at the top of the stairs, and Princess Diana, and we went into the front room, the drawing room. I looked out at Hyde Park and I said: ‘God, this is it, Paul, you have made it’.”
Sarah Bailey, the acting fashion director of the Telegraph, said: “Costelloe was known for his clean, feminine tailoring with bold shoulders. When the Princess visited the Venice Biennale in 1995, she wore a light-green jacket and polka dot skirt and blouse by the Irish-American designer, which was typical of his aesthetic.
“Polka dots were a favoured motif for the Princess and the designer. A navy-and-white polka dot dress, worn with a cream jacket with polka dot details on the lapels, was another memorable outfit.”
Born in Dublin in 1945, to a father from Limerick and a mother from New York, Costelloe began his career at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, amid the glamour and chic of 1960s Paris.
He went on to become design assistant to designer Jacques Esterel, before moving to Milan to support Marks & Spencer in their drive to enter the Italian market.
Marks & Spencer’s move into Italy was unsuccessful, but Costelloe remained in Milan as designer for the luxury department store La Rinascente, before moving to the US, where he worked for the influential fashion label Anne Fogarty in New York. He then established his own label, Paul Costelloe Collections.
His brand continues to sell collections including womenswear, menswear, bags and accessories, homeware, jewellery, eyewear and children’s occasion-wear.
Costelloe, whose father had been a tailor, also established a successful business designing clothes for multinational companies and sports teams, including British Airways, Delta Airlines and the Irish Olympic team.
His brand presented a show at this year’s London Fashion Week, which was judged to be the epitome of his work over the past four decades.
With the title Boulevard Of Dreams, the collection was an ode to the bold and vibrant streets of Rodeo Drive in 1960s Beverly Hills. Costelloe continued to lead the design team for his company until his death.
The statement which confirmed his death read: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Paul Costelloe following a short illness.
“He was surrounded by his wife and seven children and passed peacefully in London. We kindly ask that you respect the privacy of the family during this time.”
In 2010, Costelloe was one of six contemporary Irish fashion designers featured on a set of Irish postage stamps issued by An Post, alongside Louise Kennedy, Lainey Keogh, John Rocha, Philip Treacy and Orla Kiely.
Along with Kennedy, he was a celebrity guest judge for the 2013 final of RTE Television’s Craft Master show.
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