Bob Mackie, the costume and fashion designer whose sequined, feathered and rhinestone-studded creations came to define Hollywood glamour for more than half a century, has died at 87. His death was announced Monday in a statement posted to his official Instagram account, which read in part that he had 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 publicist confirmed to CBS News that he died in Palm Springs, California, from pneumonia.
Mackie earned the nicknames "Sultan of Sequins" and "Rajah of Rhinestones" for a design philosophy that treated glamour as spectacle. Nowhere was that more visible than in his decades-long partnership with Cher, which began in the 1960s and produced some of the most recognizable outfits in entertainment history. Mackie designed the sheer, beaded "naked dress" Cher wore to the 1974 Met Gala, and he was behind her feathered, headdress-topped ensemble at the 1986 Academy Awards, a look still referenced in fashion coverage today. Cher herself has credited Mackie with helping her develop her onscreen identity, and the two remained close collaborators until his death; Mackie also designed costumes for the Broadway musical "The Cher Show," which earned him a Tony nomination and win.
RIP Bob Mackie!🥀 pic.twitter.com/VA6IRZi6GJ
— La Mode Unknown (@LaModeUnknown) September 14, 2026
