LOS ANGELES, CA. (THECOUNT) — Bob Mackie, the legendary fashion and costume designer whose dazzling creations helped define the looks of Cher, Carol Burnett, Diana Ross and other entertainment icons, has died at the age of 87.
Mackie’s death was announced Sept. 14 in a statement shared on his official social media page.
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“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today,” his team wrote. “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 statement praised Mackie’s “genius and extraordinary designs,” adding that his work would “live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.” A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
Mackie became a household name through his work on The Carol Burnett Show, which aired from 1967 to 1978. Mackie served as the program’s costume designer and was responsible for an extraordinary volume of work.
Mackie described the program as “the perfect show” in a 2019 interview with WWD.
His work with Burnett included some of television’s most recognizable comedic costumes, including the famous curtain dress worn during Burnett’s parody of Gone With the Wind.
Mackie first met Cher while working on The Carol Burnett Show. He soon began designing for the singer and later became the costume designer for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, which premiered in 1971.
Their collaboration became one of the most influential partnerships in entertainment fashion. Mackie’s daring, skin-baring and heavily embellished designs helped establish Cher’s image as a fashion and pop-culture icon.
In 1986, Cher wore one of Mackie’s most controversial creations to the Academy Awards. The outfit featured sequins, dramatic cutouts and a giant feathered headpiece.
Mackie said he initially opposed her wearing the dress to the Oscars, but later defended the choice after critics questioned whether it qualified as fashion.
“Well, it wasn’t meant to be fashion,” he recalled. “She wanted to do it just because it was fun.”
Although Mackie experimented with ready-to-wear and couture collections, he said his true passion was creating costumes for performers and characters rather than simply designing everyday clothing.
During his career, Mackie received 32 Emmy nominations and won nine times for his work with Cher, Burnett and Diana Ross. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2002.
He also earned three Academy Award nominations for his costume designs in Lady Sings the Blues, Funny Lady and Pennies From Heaven.
Mackie worked in Broadway productions and national musical tours, eventually receiving his only Tony Award nomination and win for the 2018 musical The Cher Show. He created more than 450 costumes for the production, which dramatized Cher’s life and career.
His personal life included a 1960 marriage to LuLu Porter. The couple had a son, Robin, before divorcing in 1963. Robin died from an AIDS-related illness in 1993.
In 1963, Mackie began a relationship with fellow costume designer Ray Aghayan, whom he first worked with on The Judy Garland Show. The pair remained together until Aghayan’s death in 2011.
Even late in his career, Mackie continued working in television, theater and fashion. He also became known to a new generation through his designs for celebrities and his work connected to entertainment projects.
In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, Mackie was asked whether he would ever retire.
“I hope not,” he replied.
Mackie leaves behind a legacy of glamorous, theatrical and often humorous designs that helped shape the visual identities of some of the most celebrated performers in American entertainment.
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