Antony Price, Famed for Creating Looks for David Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
Antony Price, the visionary British fashion designer responsible for a series of unforgettable images worn by musical icons like Bowie and members of Roxy Music, as well as Queen Camilla, has died at the age of 80.
Price was best known for his architectural shapes and dramatic aesthetics, most notably the pastel suits that featured in rock band Duran Duran's landmark music video for "the song Rio".
"They honored him as a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' Duran Duran shared a message on social media."
Price's death comes just weeks after he debuted his most recent collection in London, marking his return to the runway after over three decades. The performer Lily Allen modelled a dress evoking the iconic black velvet "revenge dress" once worn by Diana, Princess of Wales.
A Pioneering Career
Hailing from Yorkshire, where he was born in 1945, Price moved to London during the sixties to attend the renowned Royal College of Art.
A year after graduating, he commenced his career designing men's fashion at the label Stirling Copper and was the creator of the body-hugging, buttoned trousers that The Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger wore during the band's Gimme Shelter tour in 1969.
He launched his own brand in 1979 and held his debut runway presentation a year later. The show featured as its opener looks from supermodel Jerry Hall, who was also seen in the wedding dress Price specifically designed for her nuptials with Sir Mick Jagger.
Partnerships with Stars
A key creative partner of David Bowie, Price was the mind behind the memorable jacket the singer wore for his "the song As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His characteristic talent to blend tailoring for all genders along with his expert craftsmanship in designing form-fitting garments made him a "one-of-a-kind talent," in the words of the British Fashion Council.
By the 1990s, he started creating outfits for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, which included several ensembles for her tour of the United States after becoming Duchess.
With a vocation that covered over fifty years, Price presented his final runway show in London just last month in collaboration with the fashion brand 16Arlington.
- Defined Shapes: The core of his aesthetic.
- Performative Style: Defining an era of music fashion.
- Boundary-Pushing Tailoring: Creating a unique, androgynous style.
- A Client List from Rock to Royalty: Including music legends and the future Queen Consort.
The industry says farewell to a authentic original whose legacy on fashion and music remains deeply ingrained.
