In a remarkable celebration for London Fashion Week’s 40th anniversary, Paul Costelloe launched its autumn/winter 2024 collection, infusing traditional design with metropolitan flair and creating a buzz among fashion enthusiasts and industry professionals. The veteran Irish designer, with a legacy spanning over three decades in the industry, showcased a line invoking the spirit of “Where Limerick meets Downtown New York,” a nostalgic nod to his past residences and an homage to classic design’s enduring charm.
The show opens with pure white ensembles and smoothly transitioning into a darker, tweed-heavy segment, the collection combined tailored aesthetics with the relaxed wearability appropriate for New York’s streets. Tactile richness was on display with puffed sleeves for evening wear, establishing a mood of refined yet accessible glamour. The impactful opening, featuring models in white jackets and fluid skirts, set a sophisticated tone, while plaid patterns further communicated the collection’s theme.
Costelloe, absent due to illness, left a poignant message reiterating the timeless nature of classic fashion and infusing the collection with a personal touch through prints reminiscent of his former Manhattan street. These designs bridged his Irish heritage and New York experiences, galvanizing a connection with the audience that transcended time and place. Striking the audience with its thematical depth and emotive undercurrent, the show was brought to life in Lindley Hall, transformed to capture the essence of New York City’s Lower East Side, complete with atmospheric smoke akin to steam from subway grates.
The ambience amplified the collection’s impact, with every piece meticulously crafted to represent Costelloe’s renowned design philosophy and his deep-rooted connection to Limerick and New York. As the British Fashion Council commemorates its four-decade legacy of fostering creativity and innovation, this heralded launch by a celebrated designer like Costelloe sets a high bar for the event’s forward trajectory. The collection’s balanced interplay of design nostalgia and contemporary silhouettes, combined with the enveloping New York-themed atmosphere, left attendees and the global online audience wanting more.
In a powerful narrative of tradition and modernity, Paul Costelloe’s showing at London Fashion Week AW24 proves that classic design has a secure future in the rapidly evolving world of high fashion. With his collection, “Once upon a Time,” Costelloe inspires a renewed appreciation for timeless design while solidifying his brand’s place within the ever-dynamic fashion industry.
