The Fashion Icon Antony Price, Renowned for Styling David Bowie and Duran Duran, Passes Away at Age 80.
The British designer Antony Price, the visionary UK-based designer who crafted some of the most iconic looks associated with artists from David Bowie to Roxy Music and even royalty like Queen Camilla, has sadly died at the age of 80.
Price was best known for his sculptured silhouettes and performative fashion, including the pastel suits that featured in the pop-rock group Duran Duran's seminal music video for "the song Rio".
"They honored him as a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' the group posted a remembrance online."
Price's death comes less than a month after he debuted his most recent collection in London, which was his first major show in over 30 years. Artist Lily Allen modelled a dress that paid homage to the famous black velvet "dress" made famous by the late Princess Diana.
A Pioneering Career
Hailing from Yorkshire, where he was born in 1945, Price relocated to London during the sixties to study at the renowned Royal College of Art.
A year after graduating, he started his work in men's fashion at the label Stirling Copper and was responsible for the tight, button-detailed trousers that The Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger sported during the band's "Gimme Shelter" tour in 1969.
He launched his own brand in 1979 and staged his first fashion show a year later. The show was launched by creations worn by supermodel Jerry Hall, who was also seen in the bridal gown Price specifically designed for her marriage to Sir Mick Jagger.
Working with Legends
A key creative partner of musical chameleon David Bowie, Price created the memorable jacket the artist wore for his "As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His trademark skill to merge elements of men's and women's fashion along with his masterful technique in shaping form-fitting garments made him a "one-of-a-kind talent," in the words of the British Fashion Council.
In the 1990s, he began working on outfits for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, such as several ensembles for her US tour following her marriage.
After a career spanning more than five decades, Price staged what would be his last show in London recently in collaboration with the label 16Arlington.
- Architectural Forms: A hallmark of his work.
- Theatrical Flair: Shaping the look of rock and pop.
- Genre-Blending Design: Creating a unique, androgynous style.
- Clients from Stage to Palace: Including music legends and the future Queen Consort.
Design circles mourns the loss to a authentic original whose legacy on fashion and music remains deeply ingrained.
