Bob Mackie, legendary costume designer to Hollywood stars, dies at 87

Bob Mackie, the Oscar-nominated costume designer whose flamboyant, body-conscious creations became synonymous with Hollywood glamour across five decades, has died from pneumonia in Palm Springs, California. He was 87.

"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," a statement on his social media accounts announced. His publicist confirmed pneumonia as the cause of death.

A Career Built on Theatrical Vision

Mackie's visually provocative style defined glamour for the 1970s, dressing Carol Burnett in some of her kookiest get-ups and Cher in her raciest ones. His theatrical flair earned him the title "Designer to the Stars" and a trophy case that included nine Emmys, a Tony, and three Oscar nominations.

One nomination came for Barbra Streisand's 1975 film Funny Lady, in which the star wore a sheer batwing gown of Mackie's design. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2002.

Iconic Creations for Music and Film Royalty

Mackie's client roster read like a who's who of entertainment: he designed gowns for Madonna, Streisand, Sharon Stone, Diana Ross, Whoopi Goldberg and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and created concert costumes for Pink. His influence extended to Tina Turner and Elton John.

Perhaps his most legendary contribution was the sheer, beaded gown Marilyn Monroe wore to deliver her breathy, seductive rendition of "Happy Birthday" at a fundraiser for President John F. Kennedy and the Democratic National Committee, a look Mackie dreamed up in a sketch.

Source: South China Morning Post