British Designer Antony Price, Celebrated for Designing for Iconic Acts Like Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
The British designer Antony Price, the visionary British fashion designer behind some of the most iconic looks worn by artists from David Bowie to Roxy Music and even royalty like Queen Camilla, has sadly died aged 80.
Price was best known for his architectural shapes and dramatic aesthetics, such as the soft-colored suits that appeared in the iconic band Duran Duran's seminal music video for "their hit Rio".
"In a tribute, they called him a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' Duran Duran shared a message online."
His passing follows less than a month after he unveiled his most recent collection in London, which was his first major show in over 30 years. Singer Lily Allen modelled a dress inspired by the notorious black velvet "revenge dress" made famous by Diana, Princess of Wales.
An Enduring Influence
A native of Yorkshire, born in 1945, Price relocated to London in the early 1960s to attend the esteemed Royal College of Art.
A year after graduating, he began designing men's fashion at Stirling Copper and was responsible for the tight, button-detailed trousers that The Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger wore during the band's Gimme Shelter tour in 1969.
He founded his own label in 1979 and staged his first fashion show a year later. The show was launched by outfits on the famed model Jerry Hall, who also wore the wedding dress Price designed for her for her nuptials with Sir Mick Jagger.
Working with Legends
A key creative partner of musical chameleon David Bowie, Price was the mind behind the iconic jacket the artist wore for his "the song As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His characteristic talent to merge menswear and womenswear along with his masterful technique in designing body-hugging looks made him a "one-of-a-kind talent," according to the UK's fashion authority.
By the 1990s, he started creating outfits for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, which included several ensembles for her American tour after becoming Duchess.
After a career spanning over fifty years, Price held his ultimate fashion presentation in London just last month in partnership with the design house 16Arlington.
- Architectural Forms: The core of his aesthetic.
- Theatrical Flair: Shaping the look of rock and pop.
- Boundary-Pushing Tailoring: Merging menswear with womenswear.
- A Client List from Rock to Royalty: Including music legends and the future Queen Consort.
The fashion world says farewell to a true visionary whose influence on fashion and music remains deeply ingrained.
