Glamour King of Hollywood designer Bob Mackie dies of pneumonia at 87

Long before dramatic red carpet dresses became the norm, Bob Mackie was silently making his presence felt through larger-than-life silhouettes, glittering costumes that added that theatrical drama on the runway and using sequins, glitter, and everything bright. The designer who came to be known as the ‘Designer to the Stars’ passed away of pneumonia last night at his Palm Springs residence in California. He was 87 and is survived by his ex-wife and grandchildren apart from an unforgettable legacy which will live on and inspire other emerging designers throughout the ages.

Who was Bob Mackie?

Born in California, Bob studied art and entered Hollywood through costume design in the 1960s. His first break in 1960 came as he assisted designers Jean Louis and Edith Head. He was part of the sketch team that worked on Marilyn Monroe’s iconic ‘Happy Birthday, Mr President’ dress from 1962. This exposure made him a household name and he went on to design for television, Broadways, fashion and pop-culture influences. Notable contributions include Mitzi Gaynor’s costumes for her Las Vegas show, The Carol Burnett Show, and his collaboration with Cher.

Mackie’s unique style included sequins, feathers, beads, rhinestones, crystals, metallic fabrics, dramatic head gears, extreme proportions, glitters and more. Apart from the clothes, one needed the influence of the bright lights; proper music and a performance that was bring all his design drama to life. He is known to have dressed Cher’s iconic naked look, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Barbra Streisand, Elton John, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Beyonce. Beyond Hollywood, he started launching his ready-to-wear collections from 1982 and even created a Bob Mackie collective Barbie Doll. He has to his credit 9 Primetime Emmy Awards, 3 Academy Award nominations, and much more.

After an extraordinary career spanning almost six decades, he passed away due to pneumonia-related complications. He was married to Lulu Porter but the marriage ended in a divorce. Today he is survived by Lulu, his granddaughter Alyssa Townsend and great-granddaughters Kyla and Keira Townsend.

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