British Designer Antony Price, Renowned for Creating Looks for Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
Fashion legend Antony Price, the groundbreaking UK-based designer responsible for a series of unforgettable images favored by artists from David Bowie to Roxy Music and even royalty like Queen Camilla, has died aged 80.
His reputation was built on his defined forms and performative fashion, such as the pastel suits that featured in the pop-rock group Duran Duran's seminal music video for "Rio".
"They honored him as a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' the group posted a remembrance across their platforms."
This news arrives less than a month after he unveiled his newest line in London, marking his return to the runway after over three decades. Singer Lily Allen modelled a dress evoking the famous black velvet "dress" made famous by the late Princess Diana.
A Pioneering Career
A native of Yorkshire, born in 1945, Price moved to London at the start of the 1960s to study at the prestigious Royal College of Art.
Upon completing his studies, he started his work in menswear at the label Stirling Copper and was the creator of the tight, button-detailed trousers that Sir Mick Jagger wore during the iconic group's Gimme Shelter tour in 1969.
He established his eponymous line in 1979 and staged his first fashion show a year later. The show was launched by creations worn by model Jerry Hall, who later wore the bridal gown Price specifically designed for her nuptials with Sir Mick Jagger.
Working with Legends
A frequent collaborator of David Bowie, Price designed the memorable jacket the artist wore for his "the song As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His trademark skill to merge tailoring for all genders along with his masterful technique in crafting body-hugging looks established him as a "one-of-a-kind talent," as stated by the UK's fashion authority.
By the 1990s, he commenced designing ensembles for Camilla, now Queen Consort, such as several ensembles for her tour of the United States following her marriage.
After a career spanning over fifty years, Price presented his final runway show in London last month in collaboration with the fashion brand 16Arlington.
- Architectural Forms: Central to his design philosophy.
- Performative Style: Influencing music videos and stagewear.
- Gender-Fluid Fashion: Blurring lines between clothing for men and women.
- A Client List from Rock to Royalty: From David Bowie and Mick Jagger to Queen Camilla.
Design circles mourns the loss to a authentic original whose influence on style and culture remains profoundly felt.
