Honoring the life and legacy of Bob Mackie, the iconic designer whose extraordinary creations graced the biggest celebrities. Learn about his impact on fashion and Hollywood glamour.
We all were stunned to learn that the legendary designer Bob Mackie has passed away at the age of 87. He had the privilege of creating some of the most extravagant and glamorous outfits for some of the most dazzling celebrities.
For me, as a kid, I fondly remember his incredible talent in dressing the legendary actress Carol Burnett for eleven seasons on her show, as well as her many guest appearing in his designs.
Let’s take a moment to celebrate his remarkable life and career in fashion. We also. want to thank Wikipedia and many other sources for providing the information I’m sharing with you. It’s truly wonderful to be able to access details quickly, especially after the sudden passing of a celebrated figure.
Bob Mackie:
Robert Gordon “Bob” Mackie was born March 24, 1939, in Monterey Park, California. His parents divorced when he was young, and he spent part of his childhood being raised by his maternal grandparents in nearby Alhambra. Later, he lived with his father in Rosemead.
Interestingly, Mackie didn’t begin with the idea of becoming a celebrity fashion designer. He was an artist and illustrator who had an extraordinary ability to draw the human figure and, particularly, clothing.
He attended Pasadena City College and then the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, where he studied fashion design. He didn’t finish either program because an opportunity came along that changed his life: he began working as a sketch artist at Paramount Studios, drawing designs for costume designer Frank Thompson.
His Hollywood education was extraordinary
One of the fascinating things about Mackie’s beginnings is that he learned from some of Hollywood’s greatest costume designers.
He eventually worked alongside legendary designers including Edith Head and Jean Louis. That put a young Mackie inside the machinery of classic Hollywood at a time when movie stars and television performers were treated almost like royalty. El Pais
Mackie absorbed the fundamentals of:
- Designing for the human body
- Creating costumes that told a story
- Understanding lighting and television cameras
- Using color, feathers, beads, rhinestones and sequins
- Making clothing move dramatically on stage
- Understanding that a costume could become part of a performer’s identity
That last point became the foundation of his career.
Then came television
Mackie’s breakthrough came through television.
He became deeply involved with The Judy Garland Show, and then became the costume designer for The Carol Burnett Show. He designed costumes for the show’s entire 11-year run. The Television Academy credits his work on the program with helping make television and fashion history.
And this is where Mackie’s genius really became apparent.
He understood something many designers didn’t:
Clothing could be funny.
It didn’t always have to be elegant.
It could exaggerate a character.
It could make an audience laugh before the actor even spoke.
The famous Carol Burnett curtain dress
One of his most famous creations was the ridiculous—and brilliant—curtain dress Carol Burnett wore while parodying Gone With the Wind.
The costume literally looked like a curtain, complete with a curtain rod and valance functioning as a hat.
It became one of the most recognizable costumes in television history and is now part of the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Various sources
His legacy
Bob Mackie’s career lasted more than six decades. His official biography describes a five-decade career that included nine Emmys, three Oscar nominations, the Television Academy Hall of Fame and his Tony-winning work on The Cher Show.
His death today isn’t simply the loss of a fashion designer.
It is the loss of one of the people who helped create the visual language of American entertainment.
And perhaps the most fitting thing about Mackie’s life is that his own team said he spent his 87 years fulfilling the dream he had from the beginning: to be a fashion and costume designer. People.com
As I close out, and on a St. Louis note, the late great Tina Turner also figures in his fashionable equation:
Tina Turner was one of Bob Mackie’s important celebrity collaborators. Mackie specifically recalled designing Tina’s famous stage looks, including the high-slit, highly theatrical costumes that became part of her visual identity.
There isn’t one authoritative list containing every person who ever wore a Mackie design, because his career covered television, film, Broadway, concerts, awards shows and fashion. But the following is a well-documented list of major stars he designed for.
⭐ Bob Mackie’s celebrity roster
The major icons
- Tina Turner
- Cher
- Diana Ross
- Carol Burnett
- Barbra Streisand
- Bette Midler
- Liza Minnelli
- Judy Garland
- Marilyn Monroe
- Elton John
- Madonna
- Diahann Carroll
- Dolly Parton
- Whitney Houston
- Bernadette Peters
- Ann-Margret
- Lucille Ball
- Mitzi Gaynor
- Marie Osmond
- Joan Rivers
- RuPaul
- Barbara Eden
- Lola Falana
- Carol Channing
- Cyd Charisse
- Marlene Dietrich
- Dinah Shore
- Debbie Reynolds
- Pia Zadora
- Vanna White
- Angela Lansbury
- Pink
The Television Academy specifically lists Mackie’s entertainment icons as Joan Rivers, Cher, RuPaul, Barbara Eden, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Tina Turner, Carol Burnett and Mitzi Gaynor.
A broader retrospective from BroadwayWorld adds Lucille Ball, Beyoncé, Diahann Carroll, Carol Channing, Cyd Charisse, Marlene Dietrich, Lola Falana, Whitney Houston, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Pink, Debbie Reynolds, Dinah Shore and Pia Zadora, among others.
And there is a fascinating second generation
Mackie’s influence continued well beyond the original stars. His designs and aesthetic have been associated with or worn by Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Zendaya and Sabrina Carpenter, showing how his theatrical approach continued into younger generations.
Marilyn Monroe is especially important
There’s an important distinction with Marilyn Monroe: Mackie did not design her entire wardrobe. Early in his career, while working as a sketch artist for Jean Louis, Mackie made the original sketch for the famous gown Monroe wore when she sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to John F. Kennedy in 1962.
That means Mackie’s career literally touches Marilyn Monroe at the beginning of his career and Tina Turner, Cher and Diana Ross at the height of his career. Broadway World
