Antony Price, fashion guru to UK pop stars, dies at 80
The fashion world paid tribute Thursday to British designer Antony Price, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 80. Renowned for crafting sharp, stylish looks for pop icons such as Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Duran Duran, Price left an indelible mark on the fashion and music industries.
Fashion house 16Arlington, which collaborated on Price’s final show, described him as “a singular creative force and one of the most influential British designers of his generation.” His last collection, presented in November, featured singer Lily Allen wearing a striking black velvet dress reminiscent of Princess Diana’s famed style. The collection, consisting of 16 looks, now holds special significance as his final project.
Price, often called the “Rock Couturier,” was celebrated for his bold and glamorous designs that defined pop culture in the 1970s and 1980s. He created iconic looks for UK stars such as Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music, and the heartthrobs of Duran Duran. Nick Rhodes, Duran Duran’s keyboardist, praised him on Instagram: “He was a visionary fashion designer, with extraordinary technical skills. Nobody did glam better than Antony.”
Born in Keighley, Yorkshire, in 1945, Price studied at Bradford School of Art before attending the Royal College of Art’s Fashion School, graduating in 1968. A year later, he designed figure-hugging trousers for Mick Jagger for the Rolling Stones’ 1969 “Gimme Shelter” tour. His designs blended technical mastery with theatrical flair, creating clothes that were both innovative and visually striking.
From sharp suits for Ferry and Roxy Music to the pastel-colored silk ensembles worn by Duran Duran in their “Rio” video, Price’s work shaped the era’s pop aesthetic. Industry.fashion described him as “a pivotal figure in the fusion of fashion and music,” noting that he “revolutionized fashion by integrating style into music, creating iconic visuals for bands.” 10 magazine called him “a criminally overlooked talent, whose impact on fashion, taste, and popular culture far outweighed his name recognition.”
Price launched his eponymous label in 1979 and staged his first fashion show in 1980, with Jerry Hall modeling some of his creations. He even designed Hall’s wedding dress for her marriage to Jagger. More recently, he became a favorite designer of Queen Camilla. British Vogue hailed him after his November show as “the image shaper who helped rock stars look like rock stars in the ’70s.” Price’s legacy endures as a transformative figure who fused fashion and music into iconic cultural statements.
