# Bob Mackie, the man who made Cher sparkle

> The designer behind Cher's most famous looks died at 87, and the stars he dressed said goodbye in their own words.
- Title: Bob Mackie, the man who made Cher sparkle · Cosmopolitan
- Summary: The designer behind Cher's most famous looks died at 87, and the stars he dressed said goodbye in their own words. Mackie crossed the line between fashion…
- Keywords: bob mackie, fashion, cher, tributes, celebrity, Bob, Mackie, man, made, sparkle, Cosmopolitan
- Source: Cosmopolitan — https://cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a73724072/bob-mackie-celebrity-tributes
- Author: Samantha Olson
- Published: 2026-09-14T16:51:25+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: bob mackie, fashion, cher, tributes, celebrity
## A costume legend is gone
Bob Mackie died on Monday, September 14, at 87. His social channels announced it, ending a run that had already lost Dolly Parton, Tim Curry and Gloria Steinem.
## He only ever wanted this
The family statement said he lived his 87 years fully, doing the one job he ever dreamed of. His sketches and gowns outlive him.

> His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever
## Cher says good night
Mackie's longtime muse and friend posted first. She pictured him arriving in heaven with his tools, still working.

> Knowing him, he's bringing Sequins,Beads,& his sketch pad. Good nite sweet Prince.
## Sabrina Carpenter, Mackie girl
Carpenter has worn his pieces, including Madonna's 1991 Oscars gown. She said his work gave her confidence, not just clothes.

> Mackie girl forever
## Elton John on the no-ego genius
They shared a love of glamour and the same humour. What struck Elton most was how rare that combination was in his world.

> In a sea of ego, he seemed to have none.
## Carol Burnett names the gift
The comedian wore Mackie for years on television. She pointed at the thing that made him singular: he worked both sides of a divide most designers never cross.

> There was no one like him.
## Drag royalty says thank you
Michelle Visage, Bianca Del Rio and Shea Coulee all posted. Bianca shared a signed sketch. For that world, Mackie basically wrote the vocabulary of glamour.

> Thank you for all the glamour.
## The stylists and designers follow
Law Roach called him his fashion father. Coco Rocha said his clothes had wit and fantasy. Harris Reed kept it to two words: true visionary.

> There are designers whose work defines a moment, and then there are those rare few whose imagination teaches fashion something for generations.
## One in a million
Kathy Lennon of The Lennon Sisters remembered his showroom and how welcoming he was there. Warmth, it turns out, is what almost everyone mentioned first.

> He is one in a million.
## Key takeaway

Mackie crossed the line between fashion and costume that almost nobody else could cross, and he did it for six decades without the ego.