UKFT is saddened to learn of the death of Paul Costelloe, aged 80, a longstanding figure in British and Irish menswear and womenswear whose catwalk shows opened virtually every London Fashion Week.

Born in Ireland in 1945 into a tailoring family, Costelloe’s career saw him graduate from the Grafton Academy of Fashion Design to become a regular feature of the London and international catwalk circuit. In 1979, he founded his own label, Paul Costelloe Collections, which would grow into a multi-faceted house spanning womenswear, menswear, accessories, homeware and more. His was one of the first Irish and British collections to show menswear at SEHM Paris and womenswear at Paris Fashion Week.

Costelloe was a great family man and over the past decade his wife and seven children have supported him and the business through thick and thin at every London Fashion Week launch, rolling up their sleeves to get the collections made and the show on, assisted by the wonderful team at Trace Publicity. The shows were always met with rapturous applause by the family’s many friends and supporters in the industry and Paul was always delighted to welcome everyone backstage after the show.

He was always kind and generous and had a wonderful sense of humour. UKFT’s Paul Alger recalls being tapped on the shoulder one evening by a waiter in Putney. The waiter had been sent to deliver a bottle of champagne with the compliments of a family on another table. When he looked across the crowded restaurant, he saw Paul and his entire family waving, laughing and smiling.

Paul Alger said: “Paul Costelloe was a kind and generous person, and always fun to be around. He was deeply loved and respected for his design talent, as well as his commitment to using Irish and British textiles wherever possible. For those of us fortunate enough to call him a friend, Paul was also known for his warm smile and the unmistakable twinkle in his eye.

Paul Costelloe passed away peacefully in London, surrounded by his wife Anne and seven children.

The team at UKFT extends our deepest condolences to his family, his colleagues and all those whose lives and wardrobes were touched by his vision, professionalism and style – and that warm Irish smile.