Paul Costelloe opens London Fashion Week with a chic and feminine spring collection perfect for Emily in Paris

Though the event took place at the Waldorf Hilton in London’s West End, it was the Left Bank in Paris that Costelloe channelled for a collection that he described as having a look “akin to Emily in Paris”. It’s a city the 79-year-old designer knows well, having been his stomping ground in his younger years.

A master of tailoring, Costelloe has taken a more relaxed approach for spring. The first model to descend the white staircase wore micro shorts and a long, flounced pastel-blue shirt, neatly closed with shell buttons. A three-tiered, frilled dress made for the perfect canvas for a pastel floral print that was designed by Costelloe’s son, and Creative Director, William. An blue off-the-shoulder playsuit with bloomers at the bottom was a particularly fun look and certainly had that Parisian feel.

Elsewhere, Costelloe achieved the impossible by making tweed youthful – nailing a look that many designers have failed at. He showed a jacket cut just below the waist with matching micro mini skirt in pastel pink tweed, paired with thigh-high opaque pink stockings. The look was fun and flirty with an element of old money chic.

Striped stockings were worn with the majority of the looks, paired with strappy and wedged heels, as was iridescent shell- and starfish motif jewellery.

Asked how he has remined successful for 40 years in the fashion industry, Costelloe was typically forthright. “I don’t recognise success, it’s a word that’s used too easily,” he said. “I don’t recognise it in my own career. It’s been a battle of survival, not that I haven’t enjoyed it. It’s still not easy. I was given one gift and that’s painting, so as an artist in fashion you’re always creating.”

From that four decades of creating, Princes Diana remains a stand-out client. “I knocked on the door of Kensington Palace and there she was, waiting for me on the top of the stairs – on which I think I fell!” he said. “I looked out the window onto Hyde Park. She was a delight to fit, she appreciated the clothing. She also made a fantastic cup of tea and scone.”

After the models walked their final looks this morning, Costelloe appeared at the top of the stair case, dressed in his signature navy waistcoat and jeans. As applause rang out, the designer took a bow with his hand on his heart, then and blew kisses to the attendees before jokingly swiping sweat from his forehead.

“Oh it was just so elegant!” was the verdict in the women’s bathroom afterwards, “Very feminine.” And it was. Costelloe is 40 for 40 – another success in the books.