Bob Mackie, designer who dressed Cher and defined Hollywood glamour, dies at 87

Bob Mackie, the costume designer known as the "Sultan of Sequins" for his flamboyant, show-stopping creations for Cher, Carol Burnett, Diana Ross and Tina Turner, died Monday in Palm Springs. He was 87. A statement on his Instagram account announced the news: "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."

Mackie's publicist confirmed to the Associated Press that the cause of death was pneumonia. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert "Robin" Mackie Jr., and his longtime partner, fellow costume designer Ray Aghayan, who died in 2011. Over a career spanning more than five decades, Mackie won nine Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and received three Oscar nominations.

He designed for The Carol Burnett Show for all 11 seasons, creating more than 17,000 pieces for the series, including the iconic "curtain rod" dress worn by Burnett in the "Went With the Wind!" sketch. His partnership with Cher began on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour and produced some of the most memorable red carpet moments in history, including the sheer, feathered "nude illusion gown" she wore to the 1974 Met Gala and the black, belly-baring outfit with a giant feathered headdress she wore to the 1986 Academy Awards. Taylor Swift wore one of his original Jubilee! cabaret costumes on the cover of her album The Life of a Showgirl, Sabrina Carpenter wore his designs at the MTV Video Music Awards, and Miley Cyrus paid an undisclosed sum to buy the tasseled mini dress she wore to perform at the 2024 Grammys.

His early work included sketching the flesh-colored beaded dress that Marilyn Monroe wore when she sang "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy in 1962. "My dear Bob has gone up to heaven. Knowing him, he's bringing Sequins, Beads, & his sketch pad. Good nite sweet Prince." Elton John wrote on Instagram that Mackie was "one of the most courteous, incredible people I ever had the pleasure of working with."

Sabrina Carpenter said she felt "so lucky to have met Bob," and Pink described him as "loving, wickedly funny and an absolute genius." Mackie was born Robert Gordon Mackie on March 24, 1939, in Monterey Park, California. He began his career as a sketch artist for costume designer Edith Head and later for Jean Louis, with whom he worked on Monroe's famous dress.

He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2002 and received the Geoffrey Beene CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.