Irish fashion designer Paul Costelloe, personal stylist to Princess Diana, dies at 80

Dublin-born Irish fashion designer Paul Costelloe, who was also the personal stylist to the late Princess Diana, passed away at the age of 80. The news of his demise was confirmed by his family in a statement on Saturday, quoted by local media.

Costelloe became Diana’s personal designer in 1983, soon after launching his own label, Paul Costelloe Collections, and their partnership lasted until her tragic death in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Who was Paul Costelloe?

Paul Costelloe was born in Dublin in 1945, where he gained his initial training before moving to Paris to study at the revered Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, and then to another fashion capital, Milan.

Costelloe also spent some time in New York, where he established his own label. Later, he moved to London, where his partnership with Princess Diana flourished. His collections now span womenswear, menswear, accessories, homeware, and jewellery.

“Paul led a remarkable life as a leading figure in Irish, UK and international fashion and business for decades. He built a hugely successful business through incredible talent, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to quality,” Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris said in a statement.

“His was and is a quite remarkable Irish success story.”