British Designer Antony Price, Famed for Creating Looks for Iconic Acts Like Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
The British designer Antony Price, the influential style architect responsible for many legendary styles worn by David Bowie, Roxy Music, and Queen Camilla, has sadly died at 80 years old.
He was celebrated for his architectural shapes and performative fashion, such as the light-hued ensembles that became famous from rock band Duran Duran's seminal music video for "the song Rio".
"In a tribute, they called him a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' the band released a statement online."
His passing follows just weeks after he presented his most recent collection in London, his first in more than 30 years. Singer Lily Allen modelled a dress evoking the famous black velvet "revenge dress" historically worn by Princess Diana.
An Enduring Influence
Hailing from Yorkshire, where he was born in 1945, Price relocated to London in the early 1960s to enroll at the prestigious Royal College of Art.
A year after graduating, he began designing men's fashion at the company Stirling Copper and was responsible for the body-hugging, buttoned trousers that The Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger sported 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 opened with outfits on supermodel Jerry Hall, who was also seen in the marriage dress Price specifically designed for her marriage to Sir Mick Jagger.
Collaborations with Icons
A key creative partner of the late David Bowie, Price designed the memorable jacket the singer wore for his "As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His trademark skill to fuse menswear and womenswear along with his masterful technique in crafting body-hugging looks established him as a "genuine original," in the words of the British Fashion Council.
During the nineties, he started creating outfits for Camilla, now Queen Consort, including various looks for her American tour after assuming the title.
After a career spanning over fifty years, Price presented his final runway show in London last month in conjunction with the design house 16Arlington.
- Sculpted Silhouettes: The core of his aesthetic.
- Performative Style: Influencing music videos and stagewear.
- Gender-Fluid Fashion: Creating a unique, androgynous style.
- A Client List from Rock to Royalty: Including music legends and the future Queen Consort.
The industry mourns the loss to a true visionary whose legacy on the visual landscape of music remains profoundly felt.