For more than six decades, Bob Mackie didn’t simply design clothing for famous performers. He helped create images audiences would remember for generations. From Cher’s daring gowns to Carol Burnett’s outrageous comedy costumes and Elton John’s spectacular stagewear, Mackie understood that clothing could become part of the performance itself. His creations could make audiences laugh, gasp, or remember a single entrance decades later.

That remarkable career came to an end on September 14, 2026. Mackie died in Palm Springs, California, at age 87; his publicist confirmed pneumonia as the cause. He left behind nine Emmy Awards, a Tony Award and three Academy Award nominations. But almost immediately after the news spread, attention turned from trophies to the stars whose identities he had helped shape. And among the tributes, Cher’s farewell captured just how personal Mackie’s extraordinary legacy had become.