The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2026 - Issue 39

bitedesignerprofile suits, crisp shirt‑dresses, and gowns so light they seemed to move ahead of the models. Costelloe treated linen with the precision usually reserved for silk gazar or fine wool, cutting jackets with clean architectural lines, shaping skirts with volume, and allowing dresses to skim the body with effortless clarity. Movement became the defining quality of these shows. The design- er’s gowns floated rather than swung, their hems catching air with a cinematic lightness that made the garments feel alive. This inter- play between structure and fluidity allowed linen to behave like a couture fabric without losing its natural charm. The collections reinforced his Irish heritage in a forward‑looking way rather than a nostalgic one. Critics praised the freshness of his approach, noting his refusal to rely on embellishment or theatrics. Instead, it offered clarity, craftsmanship, and innovation. In the mid‑1990s, Costelloe’s collections became inseparable from the evolving public image of Princess Diana, marking one of the most defining periods of his career. As the people’s princess embraced a more streamlined, confident, and modern style, the designer’s runway reflected that shift with refined, architectural, and feminine silhouettes. Softened shoulders replaced the sharper lines of the late 1980s, and his clean, structured, and elegant dou- ble‑breasted coats became emblematic of the poised independence Diana embodied during this time. His coats and jackets framed the body without overwhelming it, moving with the wearer in a powerful and approachable way. Dresses maintained the same architectural clarity, favouring clean lines, subtle shaping, and silhouettes that skim rather than cling. Luxurious wools, silks, and linens structured the garments while maintaining fluidity, and his palette of soft neutrals, creams, navy, and muted pastels aligned seamlessly with Diana’s wardrobe. Costelloe’s modern‑heritage era in the 2000s saw his lifelong de- votion to Irish textiles take on a renewed sense of play, confidence, LFW AW22