Fashion and costume designer Bob Mackie, who made stars sparkle, dies at 87

By Jacqui Palumbo, Zoe Sottile, CNN

(CNN) — The legendary fashion and costume designer Bob Mackie, who dressed divas from Cher to Diana Ross in glittering, eye-catching designs, has died at age 87, according to his social media accounts.

“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,” read a post on his Instagram account. “His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.”

Mackie became known for his glamorous designs after collaborating with Cher, dressing her on television and on tour. He also served as the costume designer for “The Carol Burnett Show,” responsible for Burnett’s entire wardrobe. Nicknamed the Sultan of Sequins, the Rajah of Rhinestones and the Guru of Glitter, Mackie’s ostentatious, flattering looks became instantly recognizable over the course of his career and made him a go-to designer for stars who weren’t afraid to stand out. His bedazzled designs have been worn by Dolly Parton, and Tina Turner, among other larger-than-life stars.

The designer first made a splash when he dressed Cher for the 1974 Met Gala in a barely-there, sheer illusion dress, her arms and legs swathed in white feathers.

“People were horrified,” he later recalled to Interview Magazine. “They thought, that’s not fashion, she’s just naked at the Metropolitan.”

Nude illusion looks — often ornamented with glitter, feathers, and other Mackie motifs — became a staple look for the designer. His penchant for drawing attention paid off: Cher’s Met Gala look was featured in Vogue, then in Time.

Mackie’s popularity continued into the modern day, with his archive coveted by a new generation of stars. Miley Cyrus wore an archival Mackie dress, covered in strings of crystals, to perform at the 2024 Grammys.

Mackie said he was happy to see younger stars excited about his work. Today, “the performers are younger and braver and they’ve watched a lot of the old stuff,” he told Interview. “That’s how all these young Disney girls, these famous girls who’ve been wearing some of my old clothes discover me.”

For his stage and screen work, Mackie won nine Emmys, an induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and three Academy Award nominations. In 1999, he received a retrospective at the Museum at FIT. More recently, he won a Tony Award for the musical “The Cher Show” and a lifetime achievement award by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Fern Mallis, former executive director of CFDA and founder of New York Fashion Week, credited him with many of the red carpet trends we continue to see today.

“When he did fashion shows, they were so spectacular and theatrical,” she told CNN in 2019. “He invented the naked dresses with the strategically placed beads. Now everyone who walks the red carpet, or designs for the red carpet, owes him a debt of gratitude, whether they know it or not. He’s a treasure; he’s one of a kind.”

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