Bob Mackie, “Sultan of Sequins,” dies at 87
Bob Mackie, the fashion designer whose glittering creations defined an era of stage and screen, has died at age 87. Mackie died Monday, according to a post on his Instagram account.
“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 post said.
“His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.”
Dubbed the “Designer to the Stars,” Mackie won nine Emmy Awards, a Tony Award and was nominated for three Oscars, including one for Barbra Streisand’s “Funny Lady,” in which she wore a sheer batwing gown.
The first to win an Emmy for costume design in 1967, Mackie was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Science’s Hall of Fame in 2002.
He designed gowns for Madonna, Streisand, Sharon Stone, Diana Ross and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and concert costumes for Pink.
When Marilyn Monroe delivered a breathy, seductive take on “Happy Birthday” at a fundraiser for President John F. Kennedy and the Democratic National Committee, she did it in a sheer, beaded gown that Mackie dreamed up in a sketch.
Mackie also created outfits for artists like Liza Minnelli and Tina Turner.
He was the costumer on the 11-season hit television show “The Carol Burnett Show,” which ran from 1967 to 1978.
His influence can also be seen in the styles of Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid.
Archival pieces by Mackie are worn today by Anya Taylor-Joy, Miley Cyrus and Zendaya.
Zendaya wore a Mackie gown to honor Cher at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
When Taylor Swift wanted to look like a showgirl on the cover of her 2025 album “The Life of a Showgirl,” she turned to some Mackie originals.
Sequins and embellishment were natural tools for Mackie. Other nicknames included the Sultan of Sequins, the Rajah of Rhinestones and the Guru of Glitter.
He had a simple motto: “You don’t try to change anybody, you just try to make them look better than ever,” he told The Associated Press in 2018.
On Broadway, Mackie dressed the casts of “On the Town” in 1971 and “Moon Over Buffalo” in 1995.
He also created costumes for Burnett in the revue “Putting It Together,” Debbie Reynolds in “Debbie” in 1976, Liza Minnelli in “Minnelli on Minnelli” in 1999 and, most recently, the cast of “The Cher Show,” winning his Tony Award.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
