Bob Mackie's glitzy career reads like a kitschy drag queen fantasy: Vegas showgirls, Carol Burnett, Bette Midler, The Love Boat, Barbie, and of course Cher. He's been collaborating with the glamazon weirdo for decades and continues to dip her in diamonds to this day for her current Vegas production. And of course among other thrilling outfits, he is responsible for the show stopping Oscar dress and headdress she wore in 1988, you know back in the day when at least a few people attended the award show looking like they couldn't care less about the droning non-witticisms of the walking wax museum. Seriously, how many satiny floor length sheaths do we have to sit through?
Alas, those days are gone, and so is the extravagant era in which Mackie found so much success. His creations now seem quite quaint as we begin to dip into a god only know how long recession and tiger skin rugs dresses, albeit completely and totally awesome and fantastic in their drama, feel delightfully passe while still making me swoon. Take a look at Diana Ross and The Supremes for more of a walk down decadence lane of our forefathers.
So much fun can be had with the man and his designs. Trust me, searching for him online results in fabulous images and interviews (in some of which he uses the words “muffin top” –too cute) that make me think he's also a pretty nice guy. He prefers you just call him Bob opposed to his well deserved endearments “The Sultan of Sequins” and “The Raj of Rhinestones”.
But what do you think?