The Fashion Icon Antony Price, Celebrated for Styling Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
Fashion legend Antony Price, the visionary British fashion designer responsible for a series of unforgettable images associated with musical icons like Bowie and members of Roxy Music, as well as Queen Camilla, has passed away aged 80.
His reputation was built on his defined forms and dramatic aesthetics, most notably the soft-colored suits that became famous from the iconic band Duran Duran's classic 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 across their platforms."
Price's death comes less than a month after he debuted his newest line in London, marking his return to the runway after over three decades. Singer Lily Allen modelled a dress that paid homage to the famous black velvet "so-called 'revenge dress'" historically worn by Princess Diana.
A Pioneering Career
A native of Yorkshire, born in 1945, Price relocated to London in the early 1960s to study at the renowned Royal College of Art.
Shortly after his graduation, he started his work in menswear at the label Stirling Copper and was the creator of the form-fitting, button-fly pants that The Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger wore during The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter tour in the late sixties.
He launched his own brand in 1979 and held his debut runway presentation a year later. The show opened with looks from model Jerry Hall, who also wore the bridal gown Price specifically designed for her wedding to Sir Mick Jagger.
Collaborations with Icons
A key creative partner of the late David Bowie, Price designed the iconic jacket the singer wore for his "the song As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His trademark skill to blend menswear and womenswear along with his technical proficiency in crafting form-fitting garments established him as a "genuine original," according to the British Fashion Council.
By the 1990s, he started creating ensembles for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, which included various looks for her US tour after assuming the title.
After a career spanning half a century, Price presented his final runway show in London recently in partnership with the design house 16Arlington.
- Sculpted Silhouettes: Central to his design philosophy.
- Theatrical Flair: Defining an era of music fashion.
- Gender-Fluid Fashion: Blurring lines between clothing for men and women.
- Clients from Stage to Palace: Spanning iconic musicians and members of the royal family.
Design circles laments the passing to a authentic original whose legacy on the visual landscape of music remains deeply ingrained.
