Bob Mackie, fashion designer to the stars, dies at 87
Celebrity designer Bob Mackie, who created looks for stars including Cher, Diana Ross and Carol Burnett, has died at the age of 87, according to a statement posted Monday on his Instagram page.
"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," the statement said. "His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world."
Mackie's extensive and award-winning career spanned over 60 years.
The California native started his career as a sketch artist for film costume designers before he became the costume designer for actress and singer Mitzi Gaynor's Las Vegas Review shows in the 1960s.
He went on to design costumes for "The Carol Burnett Show" for 11 years, an experience he described as "fabulous."
The show's star, comedian Carol Burnett, remembered Mackie in a tribute on social media Monday, writing about his death, "Sadness doesn't come close to how I feel."
"I loved him very much," Burnett continued. "As for his genius, there are fashion designers who don’t do costumes and there are costume designers who don’t do fashion. Bob did it all. There was no one like him."
Mackie was celebrated widely for his work, earning nine Emmy Awards, three Oscar nominations and a coveted spot in the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2002, during his lifetime. He also was recognized for his contributions to "The Cher Show" with a 2019 Tony Award.
Cher was one of Mackie's most prolific collaborators, designing gowns and costumes for her for everything from her television shows to concert tours, awards shows and more.
The music star previously told People that she and Mackie met in 1971 and were a "match made in heaven."
"I see this guy over my shoulder walking in the door and he's beautiful. I turned around and there's this tall, kind of Adonis-looking guy with curly blonde hair and a suntan,” Cher told People of their first meeting. “And I went, ‘Oh my God, you're so much younger than I thought you'd be,’ He said, ‘You're so much thinner than I thought you'd be.’ And it was kind of like that from then on.”
In a 2024 interview on "Good Morning America," Mackie described the thought and planning that he said went into each costume he designed.
"When you're a costume designer, you better understand what that person does," Mackie said in the interview about his documentary, "Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion." "'What, as a performer, what kind of timing do they have? How do they move if they're a dancer?' It's all you have to think about that. You don't just send them out in a sweet little dress and hope for the best. It doesn't work that way."
His costumes also graced many theater stages, from "Lorelei" in 1974 with Carol Channing, to 1999's "Minnelli On Minnelli" with Liza Minnelli.
Mackie launched his ready-to-wear Mackie label in 1982 and even collaborated with Mattel to design stylish outfits for the toy company's iconic Barbie dolls.
Mackie was known for his choice in bright colors, glamorous designs with intricate beadwork and feathers and most notably, his "nude illusion" dresses with mesh paneling that matched wearers' skin tones.
Look back at some of Mackie's designs over the years.
