British Designer Antony Price, Celebrated for Designing for Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
Antony Price, the groundbreaking British fashion designer responsible for many legendary styles favored by musical icons like Bowie and members of Roxy Music, as well as Queen Camilla, has sadly died at 80 years old.
His reputation was built on his defined forms and theatrical styles, most notably the soft-colored suits that featured in rock band Duran Duran's landmark music video for "the song Rio".
"In a tribute, they called him a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' the group posted a remembrance across their platforms."
Price's death comes shortly after he debuted his latest collection in London, marking his return to the runway after over three decades. Singer Lily Allen walked in a dress inspired by the iconic black velvet "dress" once worn by Diana, Princess of Wales.
A Pioneering Career
Hailing from Yorkshire, where he was born in 1945, Price relocated to London in the early 1960s to attend the esteemed Royal College of Art.
A year after graduating, he started his work in menswear at Stirling Copper and was responsible for the tight, button-detailed trousers that rock legend Mick Jagger famously wore during the iconic group's "Gimme Shelter" tour in 1969.
He founded his own label in 1979 and presented his inaugural collection a year later. The show was launched by outfits on model Jerry Hall, who later wore the wedding dress Price created for her for her wedding to Sir Mick Jagger.
Partnerships with Stars
A key creative partner of the late David Bowie, Price created the distinctive jacket the star wore for his "As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His characteristic talent to fuse elements of men's and women's fashion along with his expert craftsmanship in crafting body-hugging looks made him a "true original," in the words of the British Fashion Council.
In the 1990s, he began working on outfits for the then-Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, including a number of outfits for her American tour 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.
- Architectural Forms: The core of his aesthetic.
- Performative Style: Influencing music videos and stagewear.
- Genre-Blending Design: Blurring lines between clothing for men and women.
- Working with Stars and Royalty: Including music legends and the future Queen Consort.
Design circles says farewell to a genuine innovator whose legacy on the visual landscape of music remains profoundly felt.
