A Genius in Glitz & Glam, Bob Mackie
By Ella Gallo
Spectacular styles, sparkling silhouettes, extravagant contours, the man who brought Hollywood stars exquisite glitz and glam was none other than, sensational designer Bob Mackie. The rule shattering visionary designed for Hollywood’s greatest, turning them into statues of sequins with his eccentric designs that masterfully provide the “wow” factor to silver screen glamour and had everyone turning heads. With a global effect on current designer collections like Oscar de la Renta and celebrity styling by Ryan Hastings, devoted fashion followers around the world have built their careers, tracing the pioneer's glamoured footsteps.
Even before the aspirational designer’s legacy-building career, Mackie started from the ground up with little to no experience. In an article for Vogue the expert designer revealed, “he only had one year of art school under his belt when he began working for Paramount Studios” in 1960. His imaginative grit continues to model the potential success that grows out of chasing your dreams. Mackie reminds the next generation of aspiring artists to lead your passions, taking your career into your own hands by believing in yourself.
Edited | Bradley Erickson
The charismatic couturier’s dedication to creating art that accentuated the female form was proven in the very early stages of his career. Vogue announced that Mackie’s career opened the floodgates of Hollywood success by simply taking a chance during the early 1960s, as he began to work as a sketch artist for haute couturier Jean Louis. It was during this time that Mackie drew the original sketch of Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress for John F. Kennedy, which would later be worn in 1962. In his early career, the imaginative designer had already been recognized for his handcrafted extravagance, having used his background of creating stage gowns for Cabaret actress, Marlene Dietrich, which helped pave his path to television succession.
This newfound press had stars seeking out his unique expression of the female physique through creative-use fabrics that appeared as liquid sequins. Vogue declared that his impressive capabilities landed Mackie the position of being hired by Mitzi Gaynor, his first star client that he had designed for an entire live show, which kickstarted his career in designing for “a parade of divas.” During the network special, Gaynor would appear in front of cameras broadcasted all around the world, seen in a custom gown that portrayed the illusion of her being nude, utilizing experimental knit fabric, soufflé. The designer displayed creative innovation in his ability to harness fabric technologies that have influenced gown construction ever since.
In the early 1970s, having gained even more traction in his career, Vogue declared that Mackie’s “orbit” of women he designed for had eventually expanded further than he could have ever imagined. Vogue announced a “golden roster of clients” such as Cher, Marilyn Monroe, Beyoncé, and Farrah Fawcett. The article explained that it was during this time the showstopping creator began to design for icons such as Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Carol Burnett, Dolly Parton, and of course, Cher.
According to Business Insider, most famously, Mackie designed Cher’s “Revenge Dress” which was worn to the 1986 Academy Awards. The trailblazing design featured a two-piece black sequin set, with a triangular bra top, exposing her stomach, with a matched triangular skirt. The Academy Award ensemble also featured a larger-than-life headpiece adorned with enormous powerful feathers, embellished with extravagant black rhinestones, worn powerfully by Cher.
During these moments of uproar, the remarkable designer was recognized for his abilities that were not yet harvested by other creatives in the fashion community. Throughout his lifelong career, having built his legacy from the ground up over the course of 58 years, the Guild Hall recognized the Sire of Sequins as a “nine-time Emmy Award winner” for his outstanding achievements in costume design.
In an interview with Vogue Magazine, when asked about the secrets behind his impressive artistry, Mackie said, “you can’t make these crazy-ass clothes unless they’re beautifully made and hopefully perfectly proportioned for the woman.” In the interview with the costume designer and his patternmaker, Dorothy Crutcher, when discussing deadlines and worries about not being finished on-time, Mackie replied, “there’s always time to make it perfect.”
All the way until the end, Vogue explains that Mackie was “the busiest 80-year-old on the planet” having earned his CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award to commemorate an everlasting career in glamour, with a lifetime of love and passion to create. Bob Mackie has since passed away at 87-years-old, leaving behind the legacy of a lifetime, creating and executing designs that are one-of-a-kind and will live on forever. Mackie has and will continue to inspire young designers to believe in themselves, take chances, and never be afraid to create something truly extravagant.
