The Glamour King of Fashion Bob Mackie reigned supreme in a sensational white glove sale at Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM)’s “A Week of Hollywood LEGENDS” as a front row of collectors and bidders clamored for some of his most dazzling award-winning creations worn on Hollywood’s most legendary icons and today’s generation style stars.
Over 70 pieces of fashion history spanning Mackie’s extraordinary six-decade career that also featured a rare archive of illustrations of masterworks from the TONY Award, nine-time Emmy award-winning designer, three-time Academy Award nominee, and the Television Academy Hall of Fame inductee were sold in the live and online event “Unmistakably Mackie” held on Wednesday, December 11th at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.
Over 1,800 bids worldwide came in from countries such as the U.S., Chile, the United Kingdom and South Korea for Mackie’s highly coveted collection that presented one incredible eye-catching ensemble after another on the auction podium.
A three-piece 1920s inspired costume worn by Mackie’s greatest muse Cher on The Sonny and Cher Show when she performed “It Had to Be You” in 1977 stole the spotlight for an outstanding $101,600, twenty-five times its original estimate of $4,000.
This specific design and others offered in the auction were seen in Bob Mackie’s 2024 documentary Naked Illusion. Another showstopper was Cher’s shimmering burgundy iridescent organza ensemble consisting of a beaded crop top and a low-waisted floor length beaded skirt the icon wore on her “Take Me Home” performance on The Cher Show in 1975 that turned heads for $95,250 an impressive nearly thirty-two times its original estimate of $3,000 (photo left).
Other of Mackie’s designs worn by Cher fetched high prices including a snake skin costume ensemble worn for her 1979 television special Cher…And Other Fantasies sold for $44,450 eleven times its estimate of $4,000; a two-piece floral silk velvet ensemble with beaded accents, worn by Cher twice on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, in 1972 ($22,225, seven times its original estimate of $3,000); a beaded white evening gown worn for the 55th Annual Academy Awards in 1983 when Cher and Placido Domingo presented the Best Adaptation Score award to Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse for the film Victor/Victoria ($19,500 six and half times original estimate of $3,000); a two-piece evening ensemble Cher wore on The Sonny and Cher Show, notably where Cher covered Ethel Waters’ 1933 song “Stormy Weather,” in 1971 and the 1972 album cover for “Cher-Superpak Vol. II” ($28,575, nine and half times its original estimate of $3,000); a three-piece 1920s-inspired custom design worn by Cher for her 1974 Vogue editorial “60 Years of Cher” ($15,875, five times its original estimate of $3,000); and more.
Mackie’s embellished beaded evening gown worn by Diahann Carroll on The Diahann Carroll Show in 1976 sold for an incredible $32,500 thirty-two and a half times its original estimate of $1,000; Mackie’s custom design orange beaded gown for Carol Burnett worn in the opening of The Carol Burnett Show in 1975 ($15,875) and evening gown ensemble Burnett wore while co-hosting the 45th Annual Academy Awards in 1973 ($12,700 six times its original estimate of $2,000); the 1987 Earthquake Dress from Bob Mackie’s archives worn by Pink on the red carpet of the AMA Awards in 2022 ($10,400); his archive of original signed illustrations of his masterworks such as for: The Carol Burnett Show “Norma Desmond” costume ($25,400 an astonishing twenty-five times its original estimate of $1,000); Madonna’s 1991 Academy Awards sequin white strapless evening gown ($7,800); Cher’s “Halfbreed” costume ($10,400 thirteen times original estimate of $800); Diana Ross 2002 Mattel Doll design ($5,200 six and a half times original estimate of $800); and many others.
