Bob Mackie is greatest costumer and fashion designer of our times. Who doesn’t know wonderful Bob Mackie, 80 years old American designer who created costumes for Joan Rivers, Cher, RuPaul, Barbara Eden, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Liza Minnelli, Tina Turner, Elton John, Ann-Margret, Carol Burnett, Marie Osmond, Lola Falana and Mitzi Gaynor. Many amazing costumes were created for Las Vegas shows.
Robert Gordon Mackie, and as we know him today Bob Mackie was born in California. He started his career as a designer in early 50s, had his experience in Paramount Studios, being an assistant of Edith Head. In Bob Mackie’s early career he worked as a sketch artist for French Haute Couturier Jean Louis, who is noted for crafting stage gowns worn by screen Marlene Dietrich during her career as a cabaret singer.
But the greatest inspiration for Bob Mackie was of course Ziegfeld and his “Ziegfeld Follies”. In 1969, Bob Mackie was hired to design costumes for Diana Ross, The Supremes, and The Temptations in the television special GIT: “On Broadway”.
In 1972, he and Aghayan were nominated for Best Costume Design for Lady Sings The Blues, starring Diana Ross. Bob Mackie and Diana Ross continued their collaborative efforts well into the 21st century, with Bob Mackie designing stage costumes for Diana Ross “2010 More Today Than Yesterday: The Greatest Hits Tour”.
Bob Mackie designed costumes for the Las Vegas Strip-based burlesque shows, “Hallelujah Hollywood” from 1974 to 1980, and “Jubilee!”, which ran from 1981 to 2016. Both productions involve intricate, elaborate costumes and grandiose sets.
But of course Cher was the greatest inspiration for Bob Mackie and his very devoted muse. He created numerous costumes for Cher since 1969 until today. He created the costumes for Cher’s 2008–2011 Las Vegas Cher at the Colosseum residency at Caesars Palace, as well as for her 2017 “Classic Cher” shows in Las Vegas and Washington D.C.
He design famous dress for Madonna in style of Marilyn Monroe, which she wore accompanied by Michael Jackson at Oscars Academy Award in 1991. In 1999 Bob Mackie ones again shocked the public by creating absolutely amazing costume of Queen Elizabeth I for Whoopi Goldberg, who was a host at Oscars Academy Award in 1999.
He designed the exotic ensemble worn by Cher at the March 1986 Academy Awards: black stretch pants, a bejeweled loincloth, knee-high boots, a black chainlink top, and a huge feathered Mohawk headdress that was one and a half times taller than her head. Introduced by Jane Fonda with the words, “Wait’ll you see what’s gonna come out here”. “As you can see,” said Cher, “I did receive my Academy booklet on how to dress like a serious actress.”
Bob Mackie designed costumes for Whitney Houston, especially splashy evening gowns which she wore for many years during concert tours and award shows. He was often referred to as “the sultan of sequins” or “the rajah of rhinestones”, known for his sparkling and imaginative costume designs. He has won nine Emmy Awards for his designs, and has been nominated three times for an Academy Award.
In 2019, Bob Mackie won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Musical for his work on The Cher Show. In 2019 CFDA – fashion federation in New York also gave an award to this great designer. Recent Barbie dolls collection is absolutely amazing and mind blowing .
He is working today and we are all waiting to be surprised by his bright genius.
