Bob Mackie
The master of sequins and spectacle who defined glamour for a generation of entertainers, from Carol Burnett's curtains to Cher's naked dress.
Born 1940 (age 86)·American fashion designer·Birthday: March 24·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bob Mackie didn't just design clothes; he engineered moments. Starting as a sketch artist for Edith Head, he quickly developed a signature style that was pure, unapologetic showmanship. For eleven years on 'The Carol Burnett Show,' he turned comedy into high fashion, most famously with the curtain-rod dress worn in a spoof of 'Gone with the Wind.' But it was his collaborations with Cher and later Diana Ross that cemented his legend. He understood that on stage, costume was character and armor. He draped Cher in a sheer, beaded 'naked dress' for the 1974 Met Gala that was less an outfit than a declaration of independence. His fantastical, thematic creations for Elton John's tours and his enduring partnership with Carol Burnett proved that whether for laughs or gasps, Mackie's work was always in the service of a powerful, unforgettable persona.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bob was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 80
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 86 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the sole costume designer for the entire 11-year run of 'The Carol Burnett Show,' creating iconic comedic looks.
- Designed the infamous sheer 'naked dress' worn by Cher to the 1974 Met Gala, a landmark in fashion and celebrity branding.
- Created over 1,000 extravagant stage costumes for Elton John's 'The Million Dollar Piano' Las Vegas residency.
- Won nine Emmy Awards for his television costume design and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
Did You Know?
He designed the original outfit for the 'I Dream of Jeannie' television character while working as a sketch artist.
The Smithsonian Institution has several of his costumes in its permanent collection, including ones worn by Cher and Carol Burnett.
He designed the wedding dress for Pinky Tuscadero on the TV show 'Happy Days.'
He is often called the 'Sultan of Sequins' or the 'Rajah of Rhinestones.'
“Glamour is what I sell. It's my stock in trade.”
