The designer who shaped rock icons, and why his final show now hits harder

The tributes poured in fast. Friends said Price never played it safe, and you can see that in every sharp shoulder and sculpted waist he sent down a runway. He treated clothes like stage lights, something that could change the whole mood of a room. He built his rise in the 60s, long before Instagram hype. He chased stars early, designing trousers Mick Jagger wore on a 1969 tour. That move opened doors, because back then rock style shaped street style, not the other way around. His signature became unmistakable. He mixed menswear and womenswear until the lines blurred, which gave his looks that tense, pulled‑tight energy. You saw it in the pastel suits in Duran Duran’s Rio video. You saw it again in Bowie’s jacket in As The World Falls Down. You can see his reach in the range of people who called him: David Bowie, Roxy Music, Duran Duran, Queen Camilla. Last month he showed one more collection. He surprised everyone with a new spark, and he even had Lily Allen model a dress inspired by Princess Diana’s black velvet revenge dress. People said it felt like he hit reset, not like he wrapped up a half‑century run. Price’s friends say he never looked back. And now the fashion world is already asking who can take up that space.