British Designer Antony Price, Renowned for Styling Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
Antony Price, the influential British fashion designer who crafted many legendary styles associated with David Bowie, Roxy Music, and Queen Camilla, has passed away at 80 years old.
His reputation was built on his defined forms and theatrical styles, most notably the soft-colored suits that became famous from the pop-rock group Duran Duran's seminal music video for "their hit Rio".
"They honored him as a 'visionary' and a 'kind, intelligent and razor-witted friend,' the group posted a remembrance on social media."
This news arrives shortly after he unveiled his newest line in London, marking his return to the runway after over three decades. The performer Lily Allen walked in a dress evoking the notorious black velvet "so-called 'revenge dress'" made famous by the late Princess Diana.
A Lasting Legacy
Hailing from Yorkshire, where he was born in 1945, Price moved to London during the sixties to enroll at the prestigious Royal College of Art.
A year after graduating, he started his work in clothing for men at the label Stirling Copper and was responsible for the tight, button-detailed trousers that rock legend Mick Jagger wore during the band's "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 outfits on model Jerry Hall, who also wore the bridal gown Price created for her for her nuptials with Sir Mick Jagger.
Working with Legends
A key creative partner of musical chameleon David Bowie, Price designed the distinctive jacket the artist wore for his "the song As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His signature ability to merge menswear and womenswear along with his masterful technique in crafting sculptural silhouettes cemented his status as a "genuine original," in the words of the British Fashion Council.
By the 1990s, he commenced designing pieces for Camilla, now Queen Consort, including various looks for her tour of the United States after assuming the title.
After a career spanning half a century, Price presented his final runway show in London last month in conjunction with the label 16Arlington.
- Architectural Forms: The core of his aesthetic.
- Performative Style: Influencing music videos and stagewear.
- Gender-Fluid Fashion: Merging menswear with womenswear.
- Clients from Stage to Palace: Spanning iconic musicians and members of the royal family.
The fashion world says farewell to a genuine innovator whose impact on style and culture remains indelibly etched.
