The Fashion Icon Antony Price, Famed for Designing for David Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
The British designer Antony Price, the visionary UK-based designer who crafted some of the most iconic looks associated with musical icons like Bowie and members of Roxy Music, as well as Queen Camilla, has passed away at 80 years old.
He was celebrated for his architectural shapes and performative fashion, such as the pastel suits that appeared in the pop-rock group Duran Duran's seminal music video for "their hit Rio".
"They honored him as a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' Duran Duran shared a message across their platforms."
Price's death comes less than a month after he debuted his most recent collection in London, his first in more than 30 years. Artist Lily Allen walked in a dress that paid homage to the famous black velvet "so-called 'revenge dress'" made famous by the late Princess Diana.
A Lasting Legacy
Born in Yorkshire in 1945, Price relocated to London at the start of the 1960s to study at the esteemed Royal College of Art.
Shortly after his graduation, he began designing men's fashion at the company Stirling Copper and was the creator of the form-fitting, button-fly pants that rock legend Mick Jagger sported during the iconic group's Gimme Shelter tour in 1969.
He founded his own label in 1979 and held his debut runway presentation a year later. The show was launched by looks from model Jerry Hall, who was also seen in the wedding dress Price created for her for her nuptials with Sir Mick Jagger.
Collaborations with Icons
A frequent collaborator of musical chameleon David Bowie, Price was the mind behind the memorable jacket the singer wore for his "As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His trademark skill to merge tailoring for all genders along with his technical proficiency in shaping sculptural silhouettes cemented his status as a "one-of-a-kind talent," in the words of the British Fashion Council.
By the 1990s, he began working on outfits for the then-Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, such as several ensembles for her American tour after becoming Duchess.
After a career spanning over fifty years, Price staged what would be his last show in London just last month in partnership with the design house 16Arlington.
- Sculpted Silhouettes: Central to his design philosophy.
- Dramatic Impact: Defining an era of music fashion.
- Boundary-Pushing Tailoring: Creating a unique, androgynous style.
- Working with Stars and Royalty: Including music legends and the future Queen Consort.
The industry laments the passing to a genuine innovator whose influence on fashion and music remains indelibly etched.