Legendary costume and fashion designer Bob Mackie has died at the age of 87. Mackie's death was announced in a post on his Instagram page on Monday.
Legendary costume and fashion designer Bob Mackie has died at the age of 87.
Mackie's death was announced in a post on his Instagram page on Monday.
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today. 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. His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world," the post read.
A representative confirmed to PEOPLE that Mackie died from pneumonia on Sept. 14 in Palm Springs, Calif.
Mackie is considered one of Hollywood's most famous costume designers, known for his collaborations with Cher and for working with dozens of stars, including Tina Turner, Carol Burnett, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli and more.
Mackie was born in Los Angeles in 1939 and was raised primarily by his grandparents.
The designer got a job in the entertainment business working on drawings for costume designers, which led to actress Mitzi Gaynor hiring him to create costumes for her Las Vegas Revue, according to PEOPLE. He later designed costumes for her television specials and won Emmys for her shows in 1976 and 1978.
"I always knew what I wanted to do," Mackie told PEOPLE in 2021. "But I knew I was in trouble when my parents gave me a catcher’s mitt for Christmas. Then my good aunt gave me a jewelry-making kit. I made a few pairs of earrings, and that was that."
Mackie also worked as the costumer for The Carol Burnett Show from 1967 to 1978, which is where he met Cher and began a long design collaboration with her.
Burnett posted a touching tribute to Mackie on Instagram, writing, "Sadness doesn’t come close to how I feel. I loved him very much. As for his genius, there are fashion designers who don’t do costumes and there are costume designers who don’t do fashion. Bob did it all. There was no one like him."
Cher posted, My dear, Bob has gone up to heaven.Knowing him, he’s bringing Sequins,Beads,& his sketch pad. Good nite sweet Prince."
Mackie was a 32-time Emmy nominee and nine-time winner, according to PEOPLE, taking home trophies for his work with Cher, Burnett and Diana Ross.
In 2002, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. He was a three-time Oscar nominee for the movies "Lady Sings the Blues," "Funny Lady" and "Pennies From Heaven."
Mackie also received a Tony nomination and win for his work on "The Cher Show."
Many celebrities, present and past, have worn Mackie's looks, including Zendaya, Miley Cyrus and Sabrina Carpenter.
In 1960, Mackie married LuLu Porter and welcomed a son together named Robin. They divorced in 1963. According to PEOPLE, Robin struggled with drug addiction and was diagnosed with AIDS after getting sober. He died from an AIDS-related illness in 1993.
In 1963, Mackie began a relationship with Ray Aghayan and they remained together until Aghayan died in 2011.
Most recently, Mackie's designs were featured on the Emmy-nominated HBO series "Hacks" on Jean Smart's Deborah Vance. In one episode of the final season, Smart's character desperately wanted one of his Carol Burnett jumpsuits to wear for her big show at Madison Square Garden. Mackie helped the show's costume designer, Kathleen Felix-Hager, recreate the look, per Variety.
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