The Sultan of Sequins: Remembering Bob Mackie's Most Iconic Looks

For more than six decades, Bob Mackie bedazzled Hollywood's biggest stars with sequins, feathers, and dramatic looks. Here’s a look at the Sultan of Sequins’ most memorable creations.

After more than six decades dressing some of the biggest stars in entertainment, Bob Mackie said goodbye to the sequins, feathers, and his flair for drama when he passed away on September 14, 2026 at the age of 87.

A statement shared on the legendary fashion designer’s Instagram account confirmed the news. "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 post read. "His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world."

Known as the "Sultan of Sequins" for his passion for rhinestones, feathers, and bugle beads, as well as his penchant for the most elaborate, over-the-top looks in Hollywood, Mackie famously said, "A woman who wears my clothes is not afraid to be noticed."

His signature style leaned into slinky, flowing silhouettes, sometimes sheer, with sequins, crystals, and feathers, all designed with the stage in mind. “When you're designing for performers, you have to think about what does the audience want to see them look like — especially if they're playing big theaters or stadiums,” he told Vogue in 2024.

That’s exactly what he set out to do, dressing famous stars from Cher to Sabrina Carpenter.

The designer, born Robert Gordon Mackie in Monterey Park, California, began his career in the costume department of Paramount Studios before he met and assisted designer Ray Aghayan, who would become his partner for more than 50 years.

He broke into the fashion industry after actress and dancer Mitzi Gaynor tapped him to design her Las Vegas show, marking the beginning of decades of collaboration with some of entertainment’s biggest divas.

Among Mackie’s most notable creations was the dazzling dress Marilyn Monroe wore when she famously sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.

He also designed all the costumes for “The Carol Burnett Show” from 1967 to 1978, including her memorable “Gone With the Wind”-inspired gown.

Mackie’s most defining legacy was his long-standing collaboration with Cher, who wore his creations in her shows and on the red carpet. He designed for “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” and her solo variety programs.

But it was a two-piece black-feathered “revenge” dress that Cher wore to the 1986 Academy Awards that made quite the statement. According to Mackie, the dress was in response to Cher being upset that she wasn’t nominated for her film, “Mask.” Reacting to people criticizing the ensemble for being unfashionable, he told the New Yorker, “Of course it's not fashion. It's a crazy getup for attention. And it did get attention — people talk about it still."

Reflecting on her relationship with Mackie, Cher told Vogue in a 2019 interview that when she met the designer at 19, "It was truly love at first sight.” She added, “Sometimes we don't even have to talk, we just know. We're like two mischievous kids getting into trouble."

Among other looks that Mackie popularized with the help of Cher was the naked dress. Cher wore a nude mesh gown embellished with crystals and feathers at the 1974 Met Gala.

Through the years, his famous clients also included Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Bernadette Peters, Donna Summer, and Dolly Parton.

He would go on to dress the younger generation, including Miley Cyrus, who wore his creation when she performed “Flowers” at the 2024 Grammy Awards.

Sabrina Carpenter wore a vintage Mackie gown, originally worn by Madonna, on the red carpet of the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.

Zendaya’s crisscross cutout gown, reminiscent of one of Mackie's Cher designs, also turned heads at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Mackie earned nine competitive Emmys, two Academy Award nominations, and a Tony Award for his costume designs for “The Cher Show,” which ran on Broadway from 2018 to 2019. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2002.