The Fashion Icon Antony Price, Celebrated for Designing for Bowie and Duran Duran, Passes Away at Age 80.
The British designer Antony Price, the influential UK-based designer behind some of the most iconic looks favored by musical icons like Bowie and members of Roxy Music, as well as Queen Camilla, has died at 80 years old.
He was celebrated for his architectural shapes and dramatic aesthetics, most notably the pastel suits that became famous from the pop-rock group 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,' Duran Duran shared a message on social media."
This news arrives less than a month after he debuted his latest collection in London, marking his return to the runway after over three decades. The performer Lily Allen walked in a dress evoking the famous black velvet "revenge dress" historically worn by the late Princess Diana.
An Enduring Influence
A native of Yorkshire, born in 1945, Price headed for London in the early 1960s to study at the esteemed Royal College of Art.
Upon completing his studies, he began designing menswear at Stirling Copper and was behind the tight, button-detailed trousers that Sir Mick Jagger famously wore during the band's "Gimme Shelter" tour in the late sixties.
He founded his own label in 1979 and staged his first fashion show a year later. The show featured as its opener creations worn by model Jerry Hall, who later wore the marriage dress Price designed for her for her wedding to Sir Mick Jagger.
Partnerships with Stars
A frequent collaborator of the late David Bowie, Price was the mind behind the distinctive jacket the singer wore for his "As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His trademark skill to fuse elements of men's and women's fashion along with his masterful technique in designing form-fitting garments established him as a "one-of-a-kind talent," as stated by the British Fashion Council.
During the nineties, he commenced designing outfits for Camilla, now Queen Consort, such as a number of outfits for her American tour after assuming the title.
Following a profession lasting more than five decades, Price presented his final runway show in London just last month in partnership with the fashion brand 16Arlington.
- Architectural Forms: The core of his aesthetic.
- Performative Style: Shaping the look of rock and pop.
- Boundary-Pushing Tailoring: Creating a unique, androgynous style.
- Working with Stars and Royalty: From David Bowie and Mick Jagger to Queen Camilla.
The fashion world laments the passing to a genuine innovator whose legacy on the visual landscape of music remains profoundly felt.
