The Best Outfits Bob Mackie Ever Designed For Celebrity Icons, Ranked

On September 14, 2026, Hollywood lost one of its most legendary fashion and costume designers. Bob Mackie died at the age of 87 and left behind a world that was forever changed by his talent and eye for design. Over the course of his long career, countless stars wore the designer's fashions, from Marilyn Monroe to Miley Cyrus, from Zendaya to Elton John, from Cher to Tina Turner. His body of work will go down in history, and when looking back on his designs, it's clear just how many standouts there really were.

Mackie became known as the "Sultan of Sequins" thanks to his penchant for designing shiny attire. Sequins or no sequins, his designs were always eye-catching and dynamic, and he had a soft spot for costume design specifically. "They're just making a cute frock and hope somebody buys it," Mackie said on "Bullseye" with Jesse Thorn in 2025, referring to designing for the runway. This is seemingly why he found his fashion inspiration outside of the fashion world. "I never looked in a fashion magazine when I was a kid. But I looked in all the movie magazines and theater magazines," he explained, noting, "That was more interesting to me." The theatricality and depth in Mackie's work was a through line. It's not easy to narrow his designs down to the best. Still, we've ranked some of the most iconic pieces, zeroing in on our 10 favorites. Stay tuned for more information about how we did our ranking.

Bob Mackie helped make Cher a fashion icon. The star wore many of Mackie's designs over the years, and each one was bolder and more exciting than the last. Mackie and Cher didn't seem concerned with whether she'd be wearing an ensemble onstage; she often looked like she was ready for a performance either way. At the Oscars in 1986, Cher sported what was possibly the least boring version of an all-black outfit ever conceived. With a bare midriff, sequins, and a massive headpiece, this was one of Cher's most daring outfits.

So many of Bob Mackie's designs have gone down in history. One, in particular, showcased the designer's uniquely multidimensional talent. Mackie designed the famous curtain dress from "The Carol Burnett Show" that the titular star wore for the 1976 sketch "Went with the Wind." The ensemble became one of the most famous moments from the comedy series. Yet, Mackie made this look more than just goofy. He managed to get a lot of laughs, while also creating an incredible, campy fashion moment.

Bob Mackie is best known for his showy, sparkly ensembles. Yet, the vintage dress Zendaya wore to the TIME100 Gala in 2022 proved that Mackie could create an elegant red carpet gown without flashiness just as well as he could design the perfect pop star performance 'fit. The teal and black woven design was fresh and interesting without being in-your-face or over-the-top. The color palette and geometric pattern was the perfect bold look for the star.

Anya Taylor-Joy looked angelic at the "Emma" premiere in 2020 in a white, beaded vintage Bob Mackie gown. The formfitting, empire waist dress looked like it was made for Taylor-Joy. While this piece was elegant, sophisticated, and perfect for the red carpet, it was still unquestionably part of Mackie's body of work, thanks to its beading and stunning embroidered details throughout. All of those intricacies packed a punch even in a monochromatic look.

Bob Mackie certainly had a knack for dressing pop stars for big performances. He knew how to make someone look like a true superstar and how to create ensembles that added to a show with movement, luster, and vibrancy. He did what he did so well once again at the Grammys in 2024, when Miley Cyrus shined in his dynamic, colorful bodysuit covered in sparkles with a fringe-adorned skirt. Mackie called the performance " ... an unforgettable moment in her career. As the designer of this dress, I couldn't imagine it on anyone else," per Marie Claire.

Needless to say, Marilyn Monroe was quite the fashion icon. Her legendary "Happy Birthday JFK" dress has to be one of her most recognizable looks. Mackie was reportedly just 23 years old when he dreamt up the design for this famous slinky, sequined gown. Monroe made history singing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy in 1962 in this dress, so it has to make any list of Mackie's best designs simply for its icon status. But, of course, it's stunning too.

Bob Mackie took on the monumental task of dressing Barbra Streisand when she reprised her iconic role of Fanny Brice in the 1975 sequel to "Funny Girl," "Funny Lady." Mackie's wardrobe for the film was incredible and Academy Award-nominated. Most notably, this black, sequined, batwing gown was a showstopper. With its headpiece, sparkles, and sheer pieces, this look was full of drama and the perfect fit for Streisand in such a memorable role.

Bob Mackie certainly had versatility in his designs. Yet, theatricality is what he did best. This was on full display with the elaborate bodysuit he designed for Tina Turner in 1977. The bodice had cutouts and sheer paneling with gold and silver chains, and attached gold wings made the star look larger than life. " ... it moves like crazy," Mackie told People of the incredible piece in 2025, noting, "It's all made of chain, from brass, and it's beautiful how it underlights gold and silver." The bodysuit's movement was the perfect punctuation to Turner's performance.

In 2001, Diana Ross posed with Bob Mackie himself on the CFDA Fashion Awards red carpet in one of his most beautiful creations. Mackie designed looks for Ross on many occasions over the years, and it's hard to imagine a more perfect dress for the singer than this one. She glowed in this bold purple shade, and the high drama print was perfectly statement-making. Decorated with Mackie's signature sparkles, Ross sporting this gown was a stunning red carpet fashion moment.

When many people think of Bob Mackie, they likely think of this 1978 photoshoot. Cher sported this famous flame dress that is the perfect example of what made Mackie such a special designer. Covered with sparkles and sequins in red, orange, and yellow, the dress was full of movement and visual interest that worked with the star's body when she was in motion. Its ability to move like a real flame showed just what a knack he had for camp, theatricality, and bringing clothes to life. Both Tina Turner and Beyoncé also sported Mackie's flame dresses.

Bob Mackie created so many incredible designs for so many stars over his decades-long career that it feels impossible to narrow his work down to only the best 10 — not just because of the sheer volume of options, but also because they were so different. Comparing Carol Burnett's curtain dress to Diana Ross' red carpet gown is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. So, for our ranking, we included some of the most unique, eye-catching looks, as well as the looks you simply can't leave out when discussing Mackie's work.

From there, we ranked based on a combination of originality and icon status. Some looks are so famous that they've had an impact on pop culture. Others were just incredible red carpet ensembles. Gathering all of Mackie's best work together could take forever. Luckily for his fans, that means there are way more ensembles to look back on than just this incredible top 10.