Hollywood costume and fashion designer Bob Mackie, known for dressing Cher, Madonna, Tina Turner and Diana Ross, has died at the age of 87.
Mackie died on Monday, September 14, 2026, according to a statement posted on his official Instagram account. DR reported the death on Monday evening, citing the Norwegian news agency NTB.
The Instagram post said it was with a heavy heart that the news was shared, and that Mackie had lived his 87 years to the fullest. It added that he had realized his dream of working as a fashion and costume designer. DR noted that it is not known who published the post on his profile.
As reported by the Associated Press, Mackie died in Palm Springs, California. AP cited pneumonia as the cause of death, a detail also reported by People.
The same statement said his genius and extraordinary designs would live on forever and continue to bring beauty into the world. That line was reproduced by several outlets quoting the Instagram post, including NPR.
A career built on television and stagewear
Mackie began his career in the early 1960s and worked as a fashion designer on The Carol Burnett Show. That work led to a long collaboration with the singer Cher, according to DR.
He won several Emmy Awards and a Tony Award for his costume designs. His clients over the decades included Madonna, Tina Turner and Diana Ross.
Cher wore his designs in the music video for the song “If I Could Turn Back Time”. The Los Angeles Times reported that she also wore his creations on the red carpet on multiple occasions.
In 2006, Cher auctioned off some of the clothing Mackie had designed for her. In 2024, she attended the premiere of the film “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion”.
Mackie’s death was widely covered by American outlets on Monday, including AP, NPR and the Los Angeles Times. His work spanned television variety shows, concert stagewear and red carpet dressing across six decades, a field also documented in exhibitions at institutions such as Designmuseum Danmark.
No information about funeral arrangements or a memorial has been released. The Instagram statement announcing his death did not name a surviving family spokesperson.
