Legendary Hollywood costume and fashion designer Bob Mackie has died at 87. Mackie, whose glamorous creations helped define celebrity fashion and television style for decades, died on Monday, September 14, 2026, in Palm Springs, California.
His death was announced through his official social media accounts. A representative later confirmed to PEOPLE that Mackie’s cause of death was pneumonia. He died at 10:40 a.m., according to the report.
Mackie leaves behind one of the most recognizable creative legacies in American entertainment. From his long-running collaboration with Cher to his unforgettable costumes for Carol Burnett and other major performers, his designs combined theatricality, humor, glamour and craftsmanship.
Quick Guide
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Bob Mackie |
| Age at death | 87 |
| Date of death | September 14, 2026 |
| Place of death | Palm Springs, California |
| Cause of death | Pneumonia |
| Profession | Fashion and costume designer |
| Best known for | Celebrity costumes, television, Broadway and fashion |
| Notable collaborators | Cher, Carol Burnett, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Marilyn Monroe and others |
| Major honors | Nine Emmy Awards, one Tony Award and three Oscar nominations |
Bob Mackie’s Cause of Death
Bob Mackie died from pneumonia, according to a representative who confirmed the information to PEOPLE following his death. His death had initially been announced without a publicly disclosed cause, before additional reporting confirmed the illness.
No further medical details surrounding his illness were publicly provided in the reports available at the time of publication.
Mackie’s death was announced on his official social media accounts in a statement remembering his lifelong dedication to fashion and costume design. The message described him as someone who had fulfilled the dream of becoming a fashion and costume designer and said his designs would continue to bring beauty to the world.
Who Was Bob Mackie?
Bob Mackie was one of Hollywood’s most influential costume designers, celebrated for creating extravagant looks that became inseparable from the performers who wore them.
Often associated with sequins, rhinestones, feathers and theatrical silhouettes, Mackie developed a visual style that helped define entertainment fashion during the 1970s and beyond. He became known as the “Designer to the Stars” and was also widely associated with nicknames such as the “Sultan of Sequins.”
His career included television, film, Broadway, live performances and fashion. Mackie won nine Emmy Awards, received a Tony Award, and earned three Academy Award nominations. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2002.
Bob Mackie and Cher: A Defining Creative Partnership
Mackie’s name is perhaps most closely connected with Cher, with whom he developed one of the most recognizable designer-performer partnerships in entertainment history.
Their collaboration began in the early 1970s and continued for decades. Mackie created many of Cher’s most memorable television, stage and red-carpet looks, helping establish the bold, glamorous image that became part of her identity.
Among the best-known examples was Cher’s appearance at the 1974 Met Gala in a sheer, beaded gown with dramatic feathered details. The look became one of the most remembered fashion moments associated with the event.
Mackie also designed the striking costumes Cher wore during her Oscar appearances, including the dramatic looks associated with her 1986 and 1988 Academy Awards appearances.
Their creative relationship extended far beyond individual red-carpet moments. Mackie’s designs became an important part of Cher’s stage and television persona and helped demonstrate how costume design could become an essential element of celebrity storytelling.
His Work With Marilyn Monroe and Hollywood Icons
Mackie’s influence reached back to some of the most recognizable figures in entertainment history.
He was involved in the creation of the famous sheer, beaded gown worn by Marilyn Monroe when she performed “Happy Birthday” for President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
Over the course of his career, Mackie also designed for performers including Carol Burnett, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Madonna, Elton John and Ann-Margret.
His work was not limited to glamorous gowns. For Carol Burnett’s celebrated television comedy, Mackie created costumes that used exaggerated shapes and visual humor to strengthen the comedy of each performance.
One of his most famous creations for Burnett was the curtain costume used in the “Went With the Wind!” parody on The Carol Burnett Show. The design became an enduring piece of American television history.
Awards and Career Achievements
Mackie’s career was recognized by some of the entertainment industry’s most important institutions.
He received 32 Emmy nominations and won nine Emmy Awards, while his film work resulted in three Academy Award nominations. He also won a Tony Award for his work on the Broadway musical The Cher Show.
Beyond awards, Mackie’s influence could be measured by the number of performers who continued to wear and celebrate his work long after the original designs were created.
His archival designs have remained relevant to newer generations of performers, including artists such as Miley Cyrus and Zendaya. Taylor Swift also drew on Mackie’s theatrical aesthetic for her 2025 album-era imagery, demonstrating the continuing influence of his visual language.
Bob Mackie’s Influence Beyond Hollywood
Mackie’s creative work extended beyond television and celebrity costumes.
He developed fashion collections, worked with Broadway productions and created numerous designs for Barbie dolls. His work with Mattel became another important part of his legacy, bringing his theatrical approach to a wider audience.
A documentary about his career, Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion, was released in 2024, further documenting the designer’s influence and long career.
His creations have also continued to attract attention from collectors and fashion historians. In 2024, one of Cher’s Mackie dresses from 1975 sold at auction for $101,600, highlighting the lasting cultural and financial value of his work.
Tributes Follow Bob Mackie’s Death
Following news of Mackie’s death, tributes began arriving from celebrities, performers and people who worked with him throughout his career.
Cher, his longtime collaborator and friend, publicly mourned Mackie and celebrated the creative partnership they shared for decades. Other figures from entertainment and fashion have also reflected on his talent and influence.
The response reflects the breadth of Mackie’s career. He was not simply a designer who created elaborate clothing; he helped performers develop visual identities that audiences could immediately recognize.
Bob Mackie’s Lasting Legacy
Bob Mackie’s death marks the loss of a designer whose work helped transform costume design into a major part of popular entertainment.
His creations were often extravagant, but the lasting appeal of his work went beyond sequins and rhinestones. Mackie understood how costumes could communicate personality, create memorable characters and turn a performance into a cultural moment.
From Cher and Marilyn Monroe to Carol Burnett and generations of performers who followed, his designs became part of entertainment history.
Bob Mackie died at 87 from pneumonia in Palm Springs, California. While his career has come to an end, the costumes he created—and the influence he had on Hollywood, television and fashion—are likely to remain visible for generations.