British Designer Antony Price, Renowned for Designing for Bowie and Duran Duran, Dies at 80.
Fashion legend Antony Price, the groundbreaking style architect who crafted a series of unforgettable images worn by artists from David Bowie to Roxy Music and even royalty like Queen Camilla, has died at the age of 80.
Price was best known for his architectural shapes and dramatic aesthetics, such as the pastel suits that appeared in rock band Duran Duran's seminal music video for "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 presented his most recent collection in London, his first in more than 30 years. Artist Lily Allen walked in a dress evoking the notorious black velvet "revenge dress" made famous by Princess Diana.
A Pioneering Career
A native of Yorkshire, born in 1945, Price moved to London at the start of the 1960s to attend the esteemed Royal College of Art.
A year after graduating, he started his work in menswear at Stirling Copper and was behind the tight, button-detailed trousers that rock legend Mick Jagger famously wore during the iconic group's Gimme Shelter tour in the late sixties.
He established his eponymous line in 1979 and staged his first fashion show a year later. The show featured as its opener looks from model Jerry Hall, who was also seen in the bridal gown Price created for her for her nuptials with Sir Mick Jagger.
Working with Legends
A long-time collaborator of musical chameleon David Bowie, Price was the mind behind the iconic jacket the star wore for his "the song As The World Falls Down" music video in 1986.
His characteristic talent to blend menswear and womenswear along with his expert craftsmanship in crafting sculptural silhouettes cemented his status as a "genuine original," in the words of the British Fashion Council.
In the 1990s, he began working on outfits for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, including a number of outfits for her American tour after assuming the title.
Following a profession lasting half a century, Price staged what would be his last show in London recently in conjunction with the label 16Arlington.
- Defined Shapes: A hallmark of his work.
- Performative Style: Defining an era of music fashion.
- 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 fashion world laments the passing to a authentic original whose legacy on the visual landscape of music remains indelibly etched.
