7 Of The Most Iconic Bob Mackie-Styled Outfits Worn By Celebrities

Legendary designer Bob Mackie created some of the most talked-about looks in Hollywood. Mackie was a visionary who dressed A-list stars like Madonna, Cher, Dolly Parton, Sabrina Carpenter, Miley Cyrus, and more. His distinct style, shaped by his early career as a Hollywood costume designer and sketch artist for television, allowed him to create looks for old Hollywood legends like Judy Garland, too. The news of his tragic passing feels like a heavy day for fashionistas everywhere, and we wanted to honor his legacy with a look at some of his most iconic designs.

With eight Emmy Awards awarded throughout his long career, it's safe to say that his legacy lives on. You most likely remember some of his hard-to-miss celebrity looks, but there are a few you may have forgotten about. From Dolly Parton's breathtaking butterfly gown to Tina Turner's flame dress, these Bob Mackie designs will continue to live rent-free in our minds for years to come. They're definitely a big part of Mackie's legacy in the fashion world.

This Bob Mackie-designed spectacle Cher wore to the 1986 Academy Awards was considered très dramatique at the time and, funnily enough, Cher herself admitted that she thought of the look as a revenge outfit that got her the last laugh after she was underestimated as an actor. After a nomination snub that year, she immediately went to Mackie. "To get dressed up didn't mean her putting on a pretty dress," Mackie recalled in the documentary "Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion" (via People). "It meant, you know, a good outfit. And I had my sketch pad, so I started drawing."

Bob Mackie designed a flame-inspired dress for Tina Turner in 1978, which she wore for a concert performance. It's such a legendary look that Beyoncé later wore it during her tribute performance to Turner in 2005. "It has been a definitive diva look for so many and [it] continues to inspire artists and designers to this day," museum curator Kate Bailey told Net-a-Porter in 2023.

Looking at the full look, feathered cape included, you can see how it perfectly complements Turner's larger-than-life stage presence. It's not surprising that other divas, like Cher, RuPaul, and Lynda Carter, besides Beyoncé, have used several iterations of this iconic look too.

If there's one thing you could count on from a Bob Mackie design, it was that there would be lots of sequins. Madonna's 1991 Academy Awards look was no exception. The Mackie-created gown was a beautiful strapless white number that Madonna paired with a white fur shawl. 

The whole look gave serious old Hollywood energy with the additional gloves, fur purse, and big curls. It was such a beloved look that later, Sabrina Carpenter also wore a version of the dress in 2024, pulled from Mackie's archive.

An iconic moment of Diana Ross' gorgeous evolution since her '60s breakthrough was when she wore this electric purple gown and cape to the 2001 CFDA American Fashion Awards, designed by none other than Bob Mackie. This dress was so vibrant and unique — perfect for a powerhouse singer like Ross. The two posed for a sweet shot on the red carpet before Ross presented Mackie with a special award for fashion exuberance."You have made me the diva everyone says I am," Ross said in her speech at the time (via New York Daily News), confirming Mackie's legacy in Hollywood is truly gigantic. 

Actor, dancer, and singer Ann-Margret worked with Bob Mackie quite a few times throughout her career, but this gorgeous golden Mackie-made number she wore to perform in Vegas in the late '70s stands out among her whole wardrobe. When the light hits this daring dress just right, it's eye-catching and fit for a stage performer. "Ann-Margret was glamorous and sexy," Mackie told Rolling Stone in 2019. "She was fabulous. [I made] something that she could move in. I remember at one point there was a whole billboard of her in this costume on Sunset Boulevard."

While Whitney Houston's 1994 Grammys look was certainly a more understated Bob Mackie dress than some of his other work, it's nonetheless beautiful. Featuring Mackie's classic light-catching design he's known for and a slim, long-sleeved silhouette, it complements Houston's simple diamond necklace and sweeping updo perfectly. Although it didn't feature a feathered cape — much like many of Mackie's other celebrity looks –, it's still so magical and gives Houston a quietly confident air.

Dolly Parton had an iconic style evolution throughout her career, and some of her best fashion moments came courtesy of Bob Mackie. One of her most memorable Mackie-designed looks was a butterfly-inspired dress that she wore for a 1979 TV special in Nashville. Mackie shared the original sketch for this show-stopper on his Instagram page in 2022 and said Parton continued wearing it even years later.

Parton also told W Magazine in 2021 that butterflies are special to her, which most likely prompted the design of this gown. "I claimed them as my little symbol," she shared with the outlet. Mackie's design included this important element for Parton, proving that his designs were as meaningful as they were gorgeous.