Iconic designer leaves a lasting legacy
Antony Price, one of Britain’s most influential designers since the 1960s, has died at 80. He returned to the London runway just weeks ago in a collaboration with 16Arlington, proving his flair for glamour remained strong.
Price gained fame for his provocative, sensual designs for both women and men. He worked with iconic musicians such as Roxy Music, Lou Reed, and Duran Duran. His designs for Reed’s Transformer and eight Roxy Music albums reached audiences who might not have known his name.
High-profile clients included Jerry Hall, Amanda Lear, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Paula Yates, Kylie Minogue, and Queen Camilla. He helped shape Bryan Ferry’s image as one of the coolest musicians of the 1970s.
Mastery in eveningwear and technical skill
Price became best known for eveningwear. His designs influenced the hyper-sexy fashion of the 1980s and inspired designers like Thierry Mugler, Azzedine Alaia, and Jean Paul Gaultier. He combined bold style with technical mastery, creating anatomy-enhancing cuts that seemed impossible to achieve.
Born in Yorkshire in 1945, Price attended Bradford School of Art at 16. He later studied at London’s Royal College of Art. After graduating in 1968, he joined Stirling Cooper and was hailed by The Times fashion editor as a rising star.
He launched his own label in 1979. By then, his designs had already made a cultural impact through his work with musicians. His aesthetic mixed classic Hollywood glamour with a modern, edgy twist.
Continued impact and late-career achievements
In the early 1980s, Price worked with new wave musicians and staged a televised 1983 Fashion Extravaganza at Camden Palace. He considered himself a theatrical designer first, but his cutting and silhouettes reshaped men’s suiting in the 1980s.
Last month, his collaboration with 16Arlington returned him to the catwalk. The collection showed he retained his signature bold glamour and sexiness.
