Fashion designer Antony Price, the influential image-maker behind looks for David Bowie, Jerry Hall and Duran Duran, has died aged 80. He passed away on Dec 16; no cause has been disclosed.
- Fast Facts:
- Born in Keighley, West Yorkshire in 1945; studied at the Royal College of Art.
- Career spanned more than five decades as a menswear and womenswear designer.
- Longtime collaborator of Duran Duran; designed the pastel silk suits in the “Rio” video.
- Worked with David Bowie and dressed Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger early in his career.
- Hosted his final London fashion show just weeks before his death in collaboration with 16Arlington.
The Legacy
Antony Price reshaped pop-era fashion with theatrical tailoring and a talent for crafting looks that became inseparable from the stars who wore them. His top, career-defining achievements include:
- Duran Duran’s “Rio” suits: Price conceived and designed the pastel silk suits that became iconic in the band’s 1980s imagery, cementing his place in pop culture.
- David Bowie collaborations: A trusted creative for Bowie across multiple projects, including the jacket worn in the 1986 video “As The World Falls Down.”
- Rock-era styling: Early work included designing the body-hugging, buttoned trousers Mick Jagger wore on The Rolling Stones’ 1969 Gimme Shelter tour; he later launched his own label in 1979.
Across five decades Price combined old-Hollywood glamour with sharp modernity — creating garments intended to command attention and define moments on stage, screen and red carpets. He also became a go-to designer for public figures beyond pop, creating several outfits for Queen Camilla during the 1990s.
Social Proof & Tributes
The response was immediate. Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes posted a heartfelt tribute on the band’s channels, calling Price “a visionary fashion designer, with extraordinary technical skills” and praising his ability to make whoever wore his clothes “get the most attention in the room.” Rhodes added that Price “rarely received the recognition he deserved from the fashion media” but was known among peers as “a genius, a cut above the rest.”
“He never failed to deliver. His swan song fashion show, just a few weeks ago was as spectacular and relevant as the first one I ever saw… I’ll miss you Tone… Nick.” — Nick Rhodes
Guests at Price’s final show included Lily Allen, Adwoa Aboah, Beth Ditto, Philip Treacy and Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes. Reports note Lily Allen wore a dress inspired by Princess Diana’s famous black velvet “revenge dress,” underscoring the designer’s continuing influence on contemporary style.
Antony Price’s death closes a chapter on one of Britain’s most inventive stylists — a designer whose flourishes helped define the visual language of several musical eras. He leaves behind a legacy visible in music videos, stage wardrobes and the lasting silhouettes he created for some of the 20th and 21st centuries’ most recognisable stars.
Source: Bang via AsiaOne
Image Referance: https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/fashion-designer-antony-price-dies-aged-80-styled-stars-david-bowie-and-jerry-hall