Bob Mackie, Dress Designer to the Stars, Dies at 87
Categoria: Musica
The "Guru of Glitter"'s legendarily glitzy gowns were the go-to for stars including Cher, Carol Burnett, Miley Cyrus, Tina Turner and Barbra Streisand.
Por Billboard | 14/09/2026
Bob Mackie, the dress designer to the stars known as the “Rajah of Rhinestones” thanks to his legendarily glittery, flashy designs for the likes of Cher, Elton John, Bette Midler, Carol Burnett and Barbra Streisand has died at 87. Related Inspired By U2, Oprah Winfrey Bringing Immersive, Star-Studded 'AHA' Experience to Las Vegas' Sphere Pop Stars Paying Homage to Bob Mackie: See the Classic Looks Then and Now 'KPop Demon Hunters' Continues Blind Box Trend With New Phone Huggers A statement on Mackie’s Instagram page on Monday morning (Sept. 14) announced the news, reading , “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today. He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do. His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.” The post was accompanied by a photo of the designer flashing his signature smile while seated at his drafting table surrounded by colored markers and sketches. Born in Monterey Park, Calif. on March 24, 1939, Mackie dropped out of Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and began working as an apprentice designer at Paramount Studios before renowned film costume designer Edith Head took him under her wing as a sketch artist. One of his first gigs out of college was the iconic skin-tight mesh dress covered in crystals worn by Marilyn Monroe when she serenaded President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in 1962; Kim Kardashian wore the dress at the 2022 Met Gala. His attraction to the glitz and glamour made sense, as he told People in 1994 that his grandparents, who raised him after his parents divorce when he was two, encouraged his love of the arts. “I sat in the theater totally mesmerized watching Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth,” he said at the time. “Then I went home and drew what I’d seen.” The combination of his sketching skills, eye for attention-grabbing looks and love of Hollywood glamour helped land Mackie — also known as the “Sultan of Sequins — his first big break when singer/actress Mitzi Gaynor hired him to design the costumes for her Las Vegas revue, and then later for her TV specials, which earned him Emmy awards in 1976 and 1978. He also scored another major gig early in his career when he was tapped to be the costumer for The Carol Burnett Show , a hugely popular weekly sketch series that ran from 1967-1978, for which he cranked out dozens of outfits per week. The gig helped make Mackie the go-to designer for some of the eras biggest stars. In fact, he met Cher on the set of the Burnett show and began a long friendship and professional collaboration with the singer that included him becoming the official costumer for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and, later, one of the singer/actresses’ favorite designers. Over the years, their creative partnership wo