Costume designer Bob Mackie, whose name became synonymous with red carpets and opening nights, has died aged 87.
He was famous for creating stage costumes and red carpet gowns for generations of stars including Cher, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton and Elton John, and more recently Sabrina Carpenter, Zendaya and Miley Cyrus.
Mackie began his career in the film industry creating costumes at Paramount Studios. Earlier in his career, he worked as a sketch artist for French designer Jean Louis. One of his first tasks was sketching plans for the dress Marilyn Monroe wore when she sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
As Mackie’s own career took off, he designed outfits to be worn on stage by a wide range of performers including Mitzi Gaynor, Diana Ross and The Supremes, and costumes throughout the entire 11-season run of The Carol Burnett Show.
One of the stars with whom he was most closely associated was Cher, for whom he created many memorable stage and red carpet looks.
Lucille Ball, Carol Channing, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Beyoncé, RuPaul, Bette Midler, Angela Lansbury and many others turned to Mackie for his signature sequins-and-feathers style. Madonna wore a Bob Mackie gown when she delivered a show-stopping performance at the 1991 Academy Awards.
Bob Mackie was married to singer and actress LuLu Porter in the early 1960s, but the couple separated in 1963. The couple remained close after their divorce.
Their son, Robin, died in 1993 at the age of 33. His death was reported to be related to complications associated with substance use and HIV. The former couple later discovered they were grandparents and, later, great-grandparents.
From 1963 onwards, Mackie’s partner was fellow costume designer Ray Aghayan. The pair remained together until Aghayan’s death in 2011 at the age of 83.
