Bob Mackie, the costume and fashion designer known as the ‘Sultan of Sequins’, has died aged 87, his family said on Instagram on Monday.
Mackie created elaborate, sequined costumes for some of entertainment’s best-known figures over several decades. His work included flamboyant, show-stopping looks for Cher and Diana Ross, and he also dressed Marilyn Monroe and Elton John.
In a statement, his family said: ‘It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today’.
The statement described a life devoted to his chosen profession. ‘He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do,’ it said.
Mackie received three Oscar nominations during his career. He amassed over 30 Emmy nominations and won nine times, recognition for work that made costume design a prominent part of television entertainment.
In 2002, he became the first costume designer inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. The honour reflected a career in which clothes were central to the public image of the performers who wore them.
His designs were known for their theatrical scale and embellishment. They helped establish an enduring visual language for entertainers including Cher and Diana Ross, while his work for Marilyn Monroe and Elton John also formed part of a career that bridged fashion, television and entertainment.
The family’s statement said: ‘His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world’.
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