Iconic Irish fashion designer Paul Costelloe dies aged 80

Kenneth Fox

Paul Costelloe, one of the biggest names in Irish fashion, has died at the age of 80.

For more than 40 years, Costelloe spearheaded his family-run, eponymous fashion label. He is survived by his wife Anne and their seven children.

Famed for classical, elegant tailoring, Costelloe was a designer for the likes of Princess Diana, Wedgwood and British Airways. For the last 20 years, he partnered with Dunnes Stores to produce a range of menswear, womenswear, homeware and more.

The Irish Times reports, Costelloe was born in Dublin in June 1945 to a Limerick father and a New Yorker mother.

He was the youngest of seven children, and his father owned a raincoat factory in Dublin, exposing him to materials and fabrics from an early age.

Having trained in the Grafton Academy, Costelloe’s career in the fashion industry began in the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris. He was appointed design assistant to Jacques Esterel, before moving to Milan where he worked as a designer for luxury department store La Rinascente.

Four years in New York followed, and then came the establishment of his label, Paul Costelloe Collections, in 1979. He married his wife the same year, and the couple went on to have seven children – Jessica, William, Robert, Gavin, Justin, Paul-Emmet and Nicholas.

In 1983, Costelloe was appointed as a personal designer for Princess Diana, with whom he is often associated. The pair collaborated until her death in 1997.

As a result of Diana’s flourishing brand, 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.

He and his wife divided their time between Putney in London and Monkstown, Co Dublin. Costelloe continued designing through his later years. In September 2024, he launched his first bridal collection, Primavera.

Costelloe’s family announced his passing following a short illness. He was surrounded by his wife and children and passed peacefully in London.