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Legendary costume designer Bob Mackie dies aged 87

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Wertheimer, T., & Burgess, J. (2026, September 15). Legendary costume designer Bob Mackie dies aged 87. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmpq04wx8l4eo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

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BBC News · collected 2026-09-15 · by Tiffany Wertheimer, Jack Burgess

Quick Summary

Bob Mackie, the renowned costume designer known as the "Sultan of Sequins," died at age 87 on Monday. Mackie, who won a Tony Award and nine Emmys, was celebrated for his flamboyant designs worn by stars such as Cher, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton, and Elton John. He created Cher's iconic mohawk outfit from the 1986 Oscars and designed several of Elton John's memorable costumes, including the bedazzled Dodgers baseball uniform. Mackie's influence on fashion and entertainment continued until his death, with recent designs seen at major events like the MTV Video Music Awards and the Grammy Awards in 2024.
Written by AI on 2026-09-15, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Bob Mackie, the renowned costume designer known as the "Sultan of Sequins," died at age 87 in Palm Springs, California, due to pneumonia on September 14, 2026. Mackie's career spanned five decades and earned him numerous accolades, including nine Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and three Oscar nominations.

Mackie was celebrated for his theatrical designs that graced stars such as Cher, Elton John, Diana Ross, and Madonna. Notable works include the sheer beaded gown he designed for Cher at the 1986 Oscars and costumes for The Carol Burnett Show, one of which now resides in the Smithsonian’s American History Museum.

Fellow celebrities paid tribute to Mackie on social media, highlighting his unique ability to blend glamour with humor. His influence extended beyond Hollywood to include collaborations with brands like Mattel for Barbie doll clothing collections. Elton John remarked that wearing Mackie's creations made him feel "very special," and likened them to works of art.

Mackie’s designs are celebrated not only for their extravagance but also for their historical significance, making a lasting impact on the fashion industry and entertainment world alike. His legacy continues as his team stated, “His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.”

Written for “Bob Mackie Designer Dies At 87” on 2026-10-30, grounded in this article and the 9 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Bob Mackie Designer Dies At 87
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Compared with similar articles

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“Article A reports Bob Mackie's death in 2026, while Article B is a reprint of an interview from 2013 about Mackie and Cher.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
28
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
4%
1 of 28 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
69/100
BBC News's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
10
Entertainment
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-15 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

BBC News · 4709 article(s) · 5 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 5 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Tiffany Wertheimer
6 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 The impact caused carriages to derail, and there are fears the death toll could still rise, with reports of family members searching for missing relatives in hospitals across the region.
🔮 "God forbid they shut it off completely, it would be an absolute catastrophe," said one.
2026-10-24 · assertive framing · Ukraine depends on Starlink - can Europe plug the gap?
🔮 - Published Elon Musk has suggested that the US government may be behind restrictions on the speed at which some of Ukraine's weapons can travel and stay connected to his Starlink internet network.
🔮 The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief has defended a plan to livestream the execution of convicted killer Nidal Hasan, rejecting claims that it could fuel radicalisation or make him a martyr.
🔮 That means it will take a while, but I won't be here for 12-20 years."
🔮 "His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.
2026-09-15 · assertive framing · Legendary costume designer Bob Mackie dies aged 87
Also by Tiffany Wertheimer
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 6 articles by Tiffany Wertheimer →
Jack Burgess
9 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
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🔮 France's president said "nothing justifies" the "unbridled" violence seen and said those involved would face justice.
🔮 Local media reported it may have been started when a gas main was struck during a live firing exercise taking place on the grounds.
🔮 In Lyon, Mayor Grégory Doucet said the burning of the city's tourist office was "a tragedy" for the city, telling BFMTV "it breaks our hearts because it's a very iconic, well-known historic building".
🔮 - Published Up to 500 schools across France will be partially or totally closed on Monday after clashes between riot police and student protesters in recent days, the French education minister said on Sunday.
🔮 The development marks a major shift in the conflict and raises concerns among observers that the fighting could further destabilise the Horn of Africa, potentially drawing in neighbouring countries.
🔮 She is now in a relationship with Will Lindsay and last June revealed the "earth-shattering news" that they had lost their baby Phoenix.
🔮 "His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.
2026-09-15 · assertive framing · Legendary costume designer Bob Mackie dies aged 87
Also by Jack Burgess
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 9 articles by Jack Burgess →

Topics

BBC Dodgers Instagram Mohawk Oscars

Subjects

Mackie PERSON · 8× Cher PERSON · 6× Hollywood GPE · 3× Bob Mackie PERSON · 2× Elton John PERSON · 2× Instagram ORG · 2× BBC ORG · 1× Dolly Parton PERSON · 1× Tina Turner PERSON · 1× the Sultan of Sequins PERSON · 1×

Narrative

The US fashion designer, known as the "Sultan of Sequins" for his sparkling creations, won a Tony Award, nine Emmys and received three Oscar nominations during his career. "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr Bob Mackie passed away today," a statement on his Instagram account announced on Monday.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-15
🔮 "His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.
2026-09-15 · BBC News
Legendary costume designer Bob Mackie dies aged 87 · assertive framing

Claims (28 extracted, 1 hedged)

- Published Bob Mackie, who designed dazzling costumes for stars including Cher, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton and Elton John has died, aged 87. asserted
who → publish → Cher
The US fashion designer, known as the "Sultan of Sequins" for his sparkling creations, won a Tony Award, nine Emmys and received three Oscar nominations during his career. "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr Bob Mackie passed away today," a statement on his Instagram account announced on Monday. asserted
statement → know → Monday
"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 added. asserted
it → live → dream
"His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world. asserted
genius → live → world
Mackie was particularly influential in Cher's career and designed her iconic Mohawk outfit, which she wore to the Oscars in 1986. asserted
she → design → 1986
It became known as her "revenge" outfit, because she wasn't nominated for anything. asserted
she → know → anything
The showgirl-inspired costume featured a plumed mohawk headdress and showed Cher's bare midriff - a very new, and very shocking look at the time. asserted
costume → inspire → time
The costume has gone down in fashion history as one of the most outrageous and extravagant ever to appear at the awards. asserted
costume → go → awards
"I didn't get nominated for a movie that everyone thought I would actually win for [Mask] - so was dressing that night for a kind of revenge," Cher explained in the 2024 documentary Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion. asserted
Cher → nominate → documentary
Mackie told the BBC in 2010 that when Cher started out she "looked like no-one else in the entertainment business at the time". asserted
she → tell → time
"Everybody just went crazy over this woman as she could wear anything," he added. uncertain
he → go → anything
Cher was widely reported to be the first woman to show her belly button on US television - and Mackie's designs were pivotal to that. asserted
designs → report → that
Mackie was also the creative genius behind several of Sir Elton John's costumes, including his now-iconic Dodgers baseball outfit - bedazzled of course - that he wore during his performances at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1975. asserted
he → include → 1975
"Every time I put something on that Bob made, I felt very, very special," Sir John wrote on Instagram. asserted
John → put → Instagram
"His costumes were works of art, and he will go down as one of the most legendary designers ever in Hollywood." asserted
he → go → Hollywood
Singer Pink wore many of his designs over the years. asserted
Pink → wear → years
Sharing several of the outfits she wore on stage during her Funhouse tour in 2009, she wrote "I was so lucky to be dressed by him for so long. asserted
I → share → him
He was loving, wickedly funny and an absolute genius." asserted
He → love → ?
"There are going to be some fabulously dressed angels." Mackie was still designing up until recently - Sabrina Carpenter wore one of his designs at the MTV Video Music Awards last year. asserted
Carpenter → be → Awards
He also designed the dress Miley Cyrus wore during her performance at the 2024 Grammy Awards. asserted
Cyrus → design → Awards
She won a Grammy that year for her break-up anthem, Flowers - perhaps it was her own version of a "revenge" dress. asserted
it → win → dress
Robert Gordon Mackie was born in Monterey Park, California, in 1939. asserted
Mackie → bear → 1939
His design career started as a sketch artist for Jean Louis, a French-American costume designer. asserted
career → start → Louis
One of Mackie's early assignments saw him sketch the dress that Marilyn Monroe wore when she delivered her breathy rendition of "Happy Birthday Mr President" to John F Kennedy in 1962. asserted
she → see → 1962
He married Hollywood singer and actress Lulu Porter in 1960, but they divorced three years later. asserted
they → marry → 1960
They had a son together, Robin, who died in his early thirties from an Aids related illness. asserted
who → have → illness
"I think I'm the oldest living designer in Hollywood," Mackie told The Guardian in 2018. asserted
Mackie → think → 2018
When asked if he'd ever retire, his answer was simple - "I hope not." asserted
I → ask → ?
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