Bob Mackie obituary traces a career shaping spectacle, glamour and comedy

Bob Mackie, the American designer whose costumes helped define the public images of Cher and other entertainers, died aged 87, according to the Guardian’s obituary published on 24 September 2026. His clients included Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler and Elton John. He tailored designs to performers’ movements and personalities, combining elaborate embellishment with exacting construction.

His work also made costumes central to comedy, notably Carol Burnett’s Scarlett O’Hara parody featuring a curtain pole across her shoulders. With his personal and professional partner Ray Aghayan, Mackie established a California atelier in 1968. His honours included seven Emmys, a fashion-industry lifetime achievement award and a Tony for The Cher Show.

The obituary places Mackie’s influence across television, concerts, fashion and drag performance, rather than within couture alone. Burnett’s curtain costume entered the Smithsonian’s collection, while younger stars sought his archive pieces. These examples show how garments designed for individual performances acquired a wider cultural life beyond their original appearances.