A former personal fashion designer to Diana, Princess of Wales has said she was “so warm” and “so genteel” to work with.
Paul Costelloe told BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs that going to Kensington Palace to meet her while he was designing clothes for her was “one of the most amazing experiences” of his life.
Costelloe worked as a personal designer for Diana from 1983 until her death.
When asked what Diana was like to design for, Costelloe said: “So genteel, so feminine, so warm, so humorous.”
He said that as he sat in the drawing room of Kensington Palace he “couldn’t believe” he was there.
“It was one of the most amazing experiences in my life,” Costelloe added.
He also reflected on seeing photographs of Diana meeting Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti in one of his dresses after being caught in a downpour during a concert in Hyde Park.
“She just looked so happy and she just did me so proud and I’m so grateful to have that image of her and I’m nearly shedding a tear at this moment, because it was such a special time and I still cherish every moment,” he said.
Costelloe also said Netflix royal drama The Crown did a “nice rip-off of my yellow linen printed dress” during one of the episodes featuring Diana.
“Not as good as the original, I might add,” he said.
He was also asked whether he thought post-pandemic people would turn away from fast fashion.
He replied: “Unfortunately, probably not. I still think there’s that customer out there who wants immediate gratification and then throw it away.
“We are human beings and at the end of the day, we will change briefly but I think we will probably be back again to some bad, bad habits.
“They don’t just go away overnight. Never expect too much from human nature.”
Costelloe’s episode of Desert Island Discs will be broadcast at 11am on Sunday.
