Michael Costello
Michael Costello (born January 20, 1983) is an American fashion designer and reality television personality. He appeared on the eighth season of Project Runway and the first season of Project Runway All Stars.
Michael Costello

Hpeterswald · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Michael Costello
- Born
- 20 January 1983
- Birthplace
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- fashion designer
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Michael Costello (born January 20, 1983) is an American fashion designer and reality television personality. He appeared on the eighth season of Project Runway and the first season of Project Runway All Stars.
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Michael Costello (born 1983) is an American fashion designer. The fashion designer was born in Sherman Oaks. Michael Costello lived in Palm Springs. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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Documentary evidence
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wikidata · Q20065320
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Michael Costello • Born — 20 January 1983 • Birthplace — Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Early life
Early life
Michael Costello was born on January 20, 1983, in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. Costello's father is Italian-Hungarian and his mother is Greek Romani and Russian. At the age of 15, he moved to Palm Springs, California.
Career
Career
Costello started designing clothes at the age of two by drawing dresses on his bedroom walls. At the age of 15, he opened his first store at 286 North Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. It was at his first store in Palm Springs where Costello started making custom pieces for celebrities including Céline Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Toni Braxton, Barry Manilow, Suzanne Somers, Faye Dunaway, Florence Henderson, and more. Costello made headlines for designing a matching hat and dress for rapper Cardi B for Paris Fashion Week. Kylie Jenner wore one of his dresses for her birthday magazine cover and Costello has partied with Lady Gaga. In 2015, Nicki Minaj wore one of his dresses at the American Music Awards. He collaborated with Essie nail polish and designed his own lipstick and eyeshadow shades for Inglot Cosmetics.
Project Runway
Project Runway
In 2010, Costello appeared on the 8th season of Project Runway. Costello placed 4th place, and became best friends with fellow contestant Mondo Guerra. In 2012, Costello competed as part of Project Runway All Stars and finished as the 1st runner up to Guerra.
Grammys
Grammys
On January 26, 2014, Costello garnered nationwide attention by dressing Beyoncé in a white lace dress for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. Costello credits that moment as the turning-point of his career. Since then, Costello has continuously dressed her for On the Run Tour, The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, the Grammy-sponsored Stevie Wonder tribute, the Wearable Art Gala at the California African American Museum, and more. On February 15, 2016, Costello dressed Meghan Trainor at the Grammys. Costello's designs for Beyoncé, Meghan Trainor, Tamar Braxton, Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys, Maren Morris, and more are on display at the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. Costello offered to dress Bebe Rexha for the Grammy's after designers called her "too big".
Television
Television
In 2016, Costello collaborated with award-winning costume designer Lou Eyrich to design gowns for Lady Gaga for the TV series American Horror Story, leading up to the team's Primetime Emmy Award win for Outstanding Costumes For a Contemporary Series, Limited Series or Movie. On July 12, 2016, Costello appeared on Good Morning America and won a nationwide fashion challenge. The following day, he worked with Kim Kardashian in creating a red carpet dress for the ESPY Awards. The styling session was filmed for E! Entertainment Television's Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Costello has appeared as a fashion guest for television shows like Wendy, Steve Harvey Show, Good Day LA, Good Day NY, and more.
Achievements
Achievements
On March 18, 2017, Costello received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. The presentation was held by Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon, who also gave Costello the key to the City of Palm Springs and declared March 18 as the "Michael Costello Day".
Controversies
Controversies
Costello has had multiple feuds with African-American women, in which he has been accused of stealing designs and calling them racial slurs. Chrissy Teigen threatened him. British singer Leona Lewis accused him of bullying her after not fitting in one of his dresses. Asian-American model Shereen Wu accused Costello of changing her race to white by using AI.
Personal life
Personal life
Costello has two children Giovanni and Coco from an arranged marriage that ended in 2006. He is openly gay.
Identity
Identity
Michael Costello is recorded with the occupation fashion designer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1983
Michael Costello born at Sherman Oaks.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Palm Springs
Residences
Sherman Oaks.
Birth place
Literature
Literature
Literature
Costello, Michael (‘The Amazing Blondini’), Dictionary of Irish Biography, 2009
Costello, Michael Joseph (‘Mickey Joe’), Dictionary of Irish Biography, 2009
Scholarly footprint
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Brassart, Scott. Fashion designer Michael Costello reveals intimate details of his life and his "Project Runway" experience. San Diego Gay & Lesbian News. November 22, 2010.
- 2.Bailey, Alyssa. Here's Cardi B Literally Peacocking In A Massive Michael Costello Dress At Paris Fashion Week. Elle Magazine. September 25, 2018.
- 3.Hoffman, Ashley. Designer Michael Costello on Strong Women, Partying With Gaga and the Evolution of Kylie Jenner. RunwayRiot. May 25, 2016.
- 4.Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj in Michael Costello at AMA.
- 5.Cummings, Faith. Michael Costello on His Affordable Fashion Collaboration DesigNow. Teen Vogue. May 31, 2017.
- 6.Peiffer, Kim. Remember His Name: Meet Designer Michael Costello, the Man Behind Beyoncé's Gorgeous Grammy Gown. InStyle. January 28, 2014.
- 7.Samotin, Perrie. From 'Project Runway' to Dressing Beyoncé: 5 Things To Know About Designer Michael Costello. Style Caster.
- 8.Michael Costello. beyonce.com.
- 9.Acevedo, Angelica. Michael Costello Says He Will Dress Bebe Rexha For The Grammys. Billboard. January 23, 2019.
- 10.Primetime Emmy Awards. Outstanding Costumes For A Contemporary Series Limited Series or Movie. July 13, 2016.
- 11.Peters, Erin. Rising Star. Palm Springs Life. March 18, 2017.
- 12.Sola-Santiago, Frances. Michael Costello's Controversies, Explained. Refinery29. June 21, 2021.
- 13.D'Zurilla, Christie. The Chrissy Teigen fallout ramps up as L.A. Designer alleges 'most inhuman treatment'. Los Angeles Times. June 15, 2021.
- 14.Minton, Melissa. Leona Lewis calls out Michael Costello for bullying, sizeism. Page Six Style. June 15, 2021.
- 15.Michael Costello offers apology to Leona Lewis over fashion show. BBC. June 16, 2021.
- 16.Project Runway faces backlash for allegedly altering model's ethnicity. The Times of India. November 5, 2023.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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