Antony Price, Celebrated for Designing for Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
Fashion legend Antony Price, the influential UK-based designer who crafted some of the most iconic looks worn by David Bowie, Roxy Music, and Queen Camilla, has passed away aged 80.
His reputation was built on his sculptured silhouettes and dramatic aesthetics, most notably the pastel suits that featured in the pop-rock group Duran Duran's classic music video for "their hit Rio".
"They honored him as a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' Duran Duran shared a message online."
This news arrives just weeks after he unveiled his most recent collection in London, marking his return to the runway after over three decades. Artist Lily Allen modelled a dress evoking the notorious black velvet "so-called 'revenge dress'" once worn by the late Princess Diana.
A Pioneering Career
Born in Yorkshire in 1945, Price moved to London at the start of the 1960s to enroll at the renowned Royal College of Art.
Shortly after his graduation, he started his work in clothing for men at the label Stirling Copper and was responsible for the form-fitting, button-fly pants that Sir Mick Jagger wore during The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" tour in 1969.
He launched his own brand in 1979 and held his debut runway presentation a year later. The show featured as its opener outfits on supermodel Jerry Hall, who later wore the wedding dress Price created for her for her marriage to Sir Mick Jagger.
Working with Legends
A frequent collaborator of musical chameleon David Bowie, Price designed the distinctive jacket the singer wore for his "As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His characteristic talent to fuse tailoring for all genders along with his expert craftsmanship in shaping sculptural silhouettes established him as a "genuine original," according to the UK's fashion authority.
By the 1990s, he began working on pieces for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, including several ensembles for her US tour after becoming Duchess.
With a vocation that covered over fifty years, Price held his ultimate fashion presentation in London last month in collaboration with the fashion brand 16Arlington.
- Architectural Forms: A hallmark of his work.
- Theatrical Flair: Defining an era of music fashion.
- Genre-Blending Design: Merging menswear with womenswear.
- Clients from Stage to Palace: Including music legends and the future Queen Consort.
The fashion world mourns the loss to a genuine innovator whose legacy on style and culture remains deeply ingrained.
