The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2026 - Issue 39

bitedesignerprofile Oversized forms, softened shoulders, and sweeping shapes echoed the film’s visual language, but on the runway they became feminine, powerful, and dramatic. His clean, structured tailoring anchored the volume, ensuring the pieces were never costume‑like. Linen was the heart of the collection, and Costelloe used it with a mastery that would become one of his defining trademarks. In his hands, it became couture‑sharp, sculpted into silhouettes that moved beauti- fully while maintaining their form. His late‑1980s power‑tailoring era marked the full definition of his aesthetic, shaped by the decade’s cultural mood and his growing creative relationship with Diana, Princess of Wales. His collections echoed the same balance of strength and softness that character- ised her evolving public style, resulting in confident, architectural, and deeply elegant womenswear. Broad, sculpted shoulders, clean double‑breasted jackets, and precise tailoring gave his silhouettes authority. Throughout this period, Costelloe refined a sculptural approach to daywear that framed the body. Coats carried structure, skirts held volume, and dresses combined sharp lines with ease, creating a harmony between strength and femininity. Luxurious wools, crisp linens, and structured blends allowed his garments to hold shape while still moving beautifully, and his palette of neutrals and rich, understated tones kept the focus on cut and proportion. The early‑1990s linen couture collections were the foundation for some of his most technically refined work. The fabric became unex- pectedly elevated on the runway through sharply tailored summer LFW SS11 LFW AW20 LFW AW19