September 14, 2026
Bob Mackie/Facebook
Pop star Sabrina Carpenter borrowed vintage Bob Mackie dresses for her Coachella set (left) and Met Gala performance (right) earlier this year.
Bob Mackie, the man behind Cher's 1986 Oscar dress and the nude, rhinestoned gown Marilyn Monroe wore to serenade President John F. Kennedy, died Monday at 87, his representatives shared on social media.
Mackie's client list included divas from the past six decades of entertainment, including Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner and Madonna. He also designed every costume for Carol Burnett's eponymous show. But a new generation of stars raided Mackie's collections for Met Gala and award show looks, too — including Sabrina Carpenter and Pink.
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Carpenter, who grew up in Bucks and Montgomery counties, has worn at least half a dozen Mackie originals, each outfitted with the designer's signature spangles. The singer borrowed a 1985 gold Mackie piece for her Met Gala performance in May and a mini dress with "California" written in shiny cursive across the skirt for her second headlining set at Coachella earlier this spring. When Carpenter took the stage for her debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry, she was wearing a black gown that Mackie originally designed for Ann-Margret.
"I feel so lucky to have meet Bob," she wrote Monday on her Instagram Story. "His one of a kind creations have inspired and brought so much happiness and confidence to my world and they will continue to always x.
"Mackie girl forever."
Pink would doubtless consider herself a Mackie girl, too. The Doylestown-born singer turned to the designer for custom costumes suited for her acrobatic performances. She also pulled out vintage looks for the red carpet and wore a feathered gown based on a Mackie sketch for Cher during her 2022 American Music Awards tribute to Olivia Newton-John.
"Gutted to learn that one of my heroes has passed on," she wrote Monday in an Instagram post. "Bob Mackie, the one and only, the legend. I was so lucky to be dressed by him for so long. He was loving, wickedly funny and an absolute genius. ... There are going to be some fabulously dressed angels."
One more pop star from Pennsylvania resurrected a glittery Mackie look in recent years. For her most recent album "The Life of a Showgirl," Taylor Swift turned to a silver studded bra, underwear and headdress the designer created for the Las Vegas revue "Jubilee!" Photos of her posing in the costume appear on several of editions of the album.
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