Bob Mackie dies aged 87, celebrated designer behind Cher’s iconic Oscar look

Robert Gordon Mackie has died at the age of 87, his Instagram account announced, ending a six-decade career as a celebrated fashion and costume designer best known for dazzling stage and awards-show looks for stars such as Cher, Elton John, Tina Turner and Dolly Parton.

The statement said Mackie “lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer.” It noted his legacy includes a Tony Award, nine Emmys and three Oscar nominations and said his designs will continue to bring beauty into the world.

Mackie played a defining role in Cher’s public image and created her now-iconic plumed mohawk outfit worn at the 1986 Oscars, a revealing showgirl-inspired look that exposed Cher’s midriff and became widely remembered as her “revenge” dress after she was not nominated that year. In the 2024 documentary Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion, Cher said she dressed that night “for a kind of revenge.”

Mackie also designed signature stage and performance costumes for Sir Elton John, including a bedazzled Dodgers baseball outfit John wore at Dodger Stadium in 1975. Elton John posted on Instagram that Mackie’s costumes were “works of art” and called him “one of the most legendary designers ever in Hollywood.”

Artists across generations wore Mackie’s creations: Pink shared tributes recalling outfits from her 2009 Funhouse tour, while Sabrina Carpenter and Miley Cyrus wore his designs at recent award shows, including the 2024 Grammy Awards and last year’s MTV Video Music Awards.

Born in Monterey Park, California in 1939, Mackie began his career as a sketch artist for French-American designer Jean Louis and contributed early work such as sketches linked to Marilyn Monroe’s 1962 “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress. He married Lulu Porter in 1960 and they had a son, Robin, who later died from an AIDS-related illness. Mackie was in a long-term relationship with designer Ray Aghayan from 1963 until Aghayan’s death in 2011.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The announcement confirms Mackie’s passing at 87 and highlights his influence on stage and awards-show fashion, his awards and nominations, and the continued visibility of his designs through contemporary performers who wore his creations at recent shows and ceremonies.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Bob Mackie, legendary fashion and costume designer, has died at 87, confirmed on his Instagram account.
• He won a Tony Award, nine Emmys and earned three Oscar nominations during his career.
• Mackie designed Cher’s 1986 Oscars mohawk “revenge” outfit and costumes for Elton John, Pink, Miley Cyrus and Sabrina Carpenter.