reviews_and_ramblings | Bob Mackie & Ray Aghayan

Robert Gordon "Bob" Mackie (born March 24, 1940 in Monterey Park, California) is an American fashion designer, best known for his costuming for entertainment icons such as Cher, Judy Garland, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, Tina Turner, and Mitzi Gaynor. He was the costume designer for The Carol Burnett Show during its entire 11 year run and designed the costumes for the 1993 television adaptation of Gypsy.

On 14 March 1960, Mackie married LuLu Porter (née Marianne Wolford), a singer, actress, and later an acting teacher. She had given birth to the couple's only child, a son, Robert Gordon Mackie Jr. (aka Robin Mackie), the previous year. The couple divorced in 1963, and Robin Mackie, a makeup artist, died in 1994 of an AIDS-related illness.

Mackie's life partner was costume designer Ray Aghayan, whom Mackie had started working with as an assistant. The two worked together on projects at least through the 1970s, as well as having separate clients.

Mackie is also known for his exclusive dress designs for collector's edition Barbie dolls.

Mackie designed costumes for the Las Vegas Strip-based burlesque shows, Hallelujah Hollywood, which was inspired by the Ziegfeld Follies and ran at the MGM Grand (now Bally's Las Vegas) from 1974 to 1980, and Jubilee!, which has been running since 1981. Both productions involve intricate, elaborate costumes and grandiose sets. Images of many of Mackie’s design drawings for these productions are available in the Showgirls collection from UNLV Libraries Digital Collections.

Gorgen Ray Aghayan was a costume designer in the United States film industry. He won an Emmy Award in 1967 with his partner Bob Mackie for his work in Alice Through the Looking Glass. Aghayan was the lifetime partner of costume designer Bob Mackie for nearly 50 years. Aghayan was also nominated for an Academy Award for Costume Design three times for his work (Gaily, Gaily, Lady Sings the Blues, Funny Lady). Aghayan died on October 10, 2011 at his home in Los Angeles, California.

Bob Mackie Gown Worn by Cher in 1988 - Fred Leighton Jewelry

Evening dress, 1983

Evening dress, 1980s

Tina Turner's Tour Costumes

Barbie's - Bob Mackie designs

Mackie For Women (Original 1985 EDT)

Glam Slam: Cher Costume Sketches

2007 Cher Bob Mackie Barbie Dolls

Bob Mackie Designer Barbie Collection

Watch the Fiery New RuPaul Video

Evening Gown

The Supremes, 1968

Bob Mackie, '60s

Bob Mackie, 2002

Aladdin Premieres In Seattle

Bob Mackie Gold Barbie® Doll

Bob Mackie, 1992

Cher in Bob Mackie

1980 Vintage Bob Mackie Designer Swimsuit

FIDM Costume Exhibition features Bob Mackie

Two of Mackie's best-remembered creations had a humorous aspect. While working on The Carol Burnett Show, he designed a "curtain dress" (complete with a curtain rod across the shoulders) that Carol Burnett wore in the Gone with the Wind parody: Went with the Wind. Mackie also designed the garish ensemble worn by Cher at the March 1986 Academy Awards: black stretch pants, a bejeweled loincloth, knee high boots, a black chainlink top, and a huge feathered Mohawk headdress that was one and a half times taller than her head. Introduced by Jane Fonda with the words, "Wait'll you see what's gonna come out here," Cher was appearing as a presenter after what many considered an Oscar snub (Cher was not nominated for her performance in Mask). "As you can see," said Cher, "I did receive my Academy booklet on how to dress like a serious actress."

Mackie is also known for having designed costumes for Whitney Houston, especially splashy evening gowns which she wore for many years during concert tours and award shows and which became a significant element of her appearance.

Mackie is often called the sultan of sequins, or the rajah of rhinestones, known for his sparkling and imaginative costume designs. He has won nine Emmy Awards for his designs, and was thrice nominated for an Academy Award. He attended Pasadena City College and Chouinard Art Institute.

Mackie has said, "A woman who wears my clothes is not afraid to be noticed."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Mackie

Gorgen Ray Aghayan (July 28, 1928 – October 10, 2011) was a costume designer in the United States film industry. He won an Emmy Award in 1967 with his partner Bob Mackie for his work in Alice Through the Looking Glass. Aghayan was also nominated for an Academy Award for Costume Design three times for his work in "Gaily, Gaily" in 1970, "Lady Sings the Blues" in 1973 and "Funny Lady" in 1976. He was also responsible for designing the costumes for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles. (Picture: Ray Aghayan with Judy Garland)

Aghayan was the lifetime partner of costume designer Bob Mackie for nearly 50 years.

Aghayan died on October 10, 2011 at his home in Los Angeles, California.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Aghayan

Further Readings:

Unmistakably Mackie: The Fashion and Fantasy of Bob Mackie by Frank Decaro
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Universe (September 22, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0789306522
ISBN-13: 978-0789306524
Amazon: Unmistakably Mackie: The Fashion and Fantasy of Bob Mackie

Ask anyone what Cher wore to the Oscars in 1985 and they can describe the Spiderwoman headdress, the exposed navel, and the looks on people's faces when she made her entrance. Ask about Carol Burnett's "Went with the Wind" dress, and they'll say it was a green velvet Southern Belle costume made from drapes--with the curtain rod still attached. Funny and outrageous, these are just two of the many costumes Mackie has indelibly etched into our minds. He has also dressed such celebrities as Elton John, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, and RuPaul; designed for Broadway, Las Vegas, opera, and ballet; and currently runs a couture business with licenses for fragrance, fashion accessories, eyewear, suits, furs, home furnishings, and collectible Barbie dolls.

This spectacularly bright and colorful book is as outrageous as Mackie's designs. In addition to classic photos of marvelous Mackie-clad superstars of the last three decades, glorious gatefolds and specially commissioned color photographs by Gideon Lewin illustrate Mackie's extraordinary achievements.

Unmistakably Mackie demonstrates how this seven-time Emmy Award-winning designer has reached the consciousness of the American masses and turned them on to a stylish fantasy that is purely his own

Doris Day: Sentimental Journey by Garry McGee
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: McFarland (November 22, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786461071
ISBN-13: 978-0786461073
Amazon: Doris Day: Sentimental Journey

Doris Day, once called an Actors Studio unto herself, was one of the twentieth century's greatest entertainers, with a career spanning 39 films, more than 150 television shows, and more than 500 recordings. This work covers the life and career of the singer and star of such films as Pillow Talk, The Man Who Knew Too Much and Calamity Jane. The work is divided into four sections, beginning with a biography of Day's life from her birth in Cincinnati, Ohio, through four marriages, near-bankruptcy, and her dedication to animal rights, and concluding with her contented present life. A filmography lists each film with full credits, synopsis and reviews, plus her popularity rankings and awards. The third section lists complete record album releases with notes, single record releases, unreleased songs and recordings, music awards and nominations, radio appearances from big bands to solo work, her seven million-sellers, and chart placements. The final section lists Day's television appearances, including synopses and credits for her five-season run with The Doris Day Show on CBS, the cable show Doris Day's Best Friends, and her appearances in variety specials, talk shows, and documentaries.

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