The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022 - Issue 31

bitecatwalk PAUL COSTELLOE I rish-American designer Paul Costel- loe is one of the most established names in British and Irish fashion. Since launching his namesake fashion house, he has remained a leader in hand- crafted, luxurious fabrics combined with cut- ting-edge design, innovation and creativity. Based at his design studio, in the heart of London’s fashion district, Paul works with renowned technicians, suppliers and manu- facturers to deliver collections of the highest quality, texture and comfort. These include his sampling unit in central London and working with a family owned manufacturing unit in the Ancona region of central Italy. In 1984, Paul Costelloe showed his col- lection for the first time at London Fashion Week. Nearly 40 years later, his designs continue to inspire and attract audiences from all over the world. His name encom- passes many collections, including wom- enswear, menswear, bags and accessories, homeware, jewellery, eyewear and chil- dren’s occasion wear. The inspiration for the SS22 collection came from Ancient Celtic Art and illuminated man- uscripts of The Book of Kells (a treasured paper that contains the four Gospels in Latin based on the Vulgate text, which St Jerome completed in 384 AD). The designer reinter- preted the scrollwork design and microscop- ic detailing featured in the 9th-century gos- pel and applied it with bespoke linen fabrics to evoke the feel of the Celtic tradition and culture long past. Each of the designs featured striking graph- ics and natural materials such as printed and woven linens from Ireland’s oldest lin- en fabric mill, William Clark. Also, Emblem Weavers in Wexford, and opulent cotton and woven blends from Italy, all in mesmerising translucent blues. www.paulcostelloe.com VIN + OMI FASHION WEEK LONDON Spring/Summer 2022 I t is no secret that London Fashion Week is one of the most critical weeks in the season for every designer but being able to close the fash- ion week with a bang is a dream every couturier dreams of. Vin + Omi left no doubt they were the perfect choice for such an occa- sion this season. The show was opened by four Team GB Olympic athletes and included Mae fabrics made from nettles sourced from Prince Charles' estate. Vin + Omi's new copper foil fabric crafted from waste copper wire was show- cased for the first time, bouncing across the 65 looks. "We work with a construction company that cuts away all of these wires, and we reinvent them,” the designers said. Vin & Omi were loud and clear about their intentions for the SS22 collection, to defy gravity and pay homage to the untra- ditional. To do so, the models wore hair-dos pointing in the wrong directions and braids go- ing upwards rather than down. The girls wore girly dresses and danced but were very masculine, and the guys in dresses were feminine. The sustainable collection was inspired by the future of flow- ers and the predictions of how natural beauty will morph due to climate change. It featured calf-length poplin dresses and paint-splattered suits paired with ocean-inspired coral necklac- es. The models came down the runway with their faces adorned with rose petals and clothing covered in underwater motifs, dying flowers, unique prints and bright hues. www.vinandomi.com