British Designer Antony Price, Celebrated for Styling Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
Antony Price, the influential British fashion designer responsible for many legendary styles favored by David Bowie, Roxy Music, and Queen Camilla, has sadly died at the age of 80.
His reputation was built on his sculptured silhouettes and theatrical styles, most notably the soft-colored suits that featured in 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 group posted a remembrance on social media."
Price's death comes shortly after he unveiled his newest line in London, his first in more than 30 years. The performer Lily Allen modelled a dress evoking the iconic black velvet "so-called 'revenge dress'" made famous by the late Princess Diana.
An Enduring Influence
A native of Yorkshire, born in 1945, Price moved to London in the early 1960s to study at the renowned Royal College of Art.
Shortly after his graduation, he commenced his career designing clothing for men at the company Stirling Copper and was responsible for the form-fitting, button-fly pants that Sir Mick Jagger famously wore during the band's Gimme Shelter tour in the late sixties.
He established his eponymous line in 1979 and presented his inaugural collection a year later. The show opened with looks from model Jerry Hall, who was also seen in the bridal gown Price designed for her for her nuptials with Sir Mick Jagger.
Partnerships with Stars
A long-time collaborator of David Bowie, Price designed the iconic jacket the star wore for his "the song As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His characteristic talent to merge elements of men's and women's fashion along with his technical proficiency in shaping sculptural silhouettes cemented his status as a "true original," in the words of the British Fashion Council.
By the 1990s, he began working on pieces for the then-Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, including several ensembles for her tour of the United States after becoming Duchess.
With a vocation that covered over fifty years, Price staged what would be his last show in London just last month in collaboration with the label 16Arlington.
- Architectural Forms: The core of his aesthetic.
- Theatrical Flair: Influencing music videos and stagewear.
- Genre-Blending Design: Blurring lines between clothing for men and women.
- Working with Stars and Royalty: Spanning iconic musicians and members of the royal family.
The industry laments the passing to a true visionary whose influence on the visual landscape of music remains deeply ingrained.
