Words by: Molly Boniface

On February 17th, 2023, encased in the opulence of the Waldorf hotel ballroom, Paul Costelloe’s Autumn/Winter 2023 show set London Fashion Week in motion. Soaked in the natural light of the morning, Sinead O’Connor’s rendition of Molly Malone, Dublin’s ‘unofficial anthem’ blared as the first model descended the steps to the catwalk. She wore a top hat, her tailored suit jacket emblazoned with cross emblems; trailblazing Costelloe’s fervent ode to Dublin, "The Town I loved so well".

Irish modernist novelist James Joyce was a huge source of inspiration for Costelloe’s collection. Inflected with Joycean imagery, Costelloe payed homage to Ulysses and the landscape of his hometown. Fabric from Ireland and Italy, the homes of Joyce dressed the models; with woven cloth of silver by William Clarke of Derry, coats, skirts and structured fitted jackets from Magees in Donegal, and Emblem Weavers in Wexford. Fitted tweet jackets with Guipure lace sleeves encapsulate Costelloe’s modern rendering of Joyce’s Dublin. The statement Celtic style jewellery pieces from Pebble London paired with the slouchy wear of the Paul Costello satchel and chunky knitwear against tweed suits were reminiscent of early 2010s accessory trends.

The Pogue’s A Rainy Night in Soho accompanied the next leg of the show, it was particularly moving with the reference to a ‘ginger lady’ in the rousing love song. The models walked with distinct ginger wigs, evocative of Ulysses’ Molly Bloom and, whether or not it was intentional, suggested an ode to the late fashion legend Vivienne Westwood who died in December. The second half of the show saw an array of jacquard dresses, plunging necklines, dramatic puff sleeves and gathered skirts with overstated flapped-patch pockets.

The closing looks saw scenes from Ulysses woven in silver onto majestic off the shoulder black ballgowns. A fitting finale honouring the literary inspiration behind the collection. I felt the strongest looks were undoubtably the highly structured tweed pieces that defined the first quarter of the show. The weakest were the garish apple and floral print designs on structured black dresses; paired with the overstated jewellery it felt somewhat heavy-handed. Overall though the show was an incredibly moving tribute to home from Costelloe, infused with nostalgia and longing.