came on the air. Mackie has a golden roster of clients, but its his work for Carol Burnett and Cher that is best known. Feedback. Mackie: Of course, my favorite movie star at that point was Carmen Miranda because she was so much fun and she wore so many funny things, and so many colors, and high funny shoes, and fruit in her hat, and all this sort of thing. We had worked with Elizabeth on the Judy Garland show and she made the most beautiful clothes for Judy, and Judy didnt have the easiest figure to deal with, [she was] 4 foot 11 inches and quite short-waisted; it just wasnt an easy body to throw clothes on. one episode is a Bob Mackie episode. Isnt it Diana Vreeland who said that? Give them what they dont know they want? Well [thats what he did]. Mackie doesnt scare meyou know I can handle a little bit of extra fabric. His unique, glamorous-sometimes. Burnett: I dont think there is anyone in the history of costume design who could do what Bob did, and continues to do. [What was] most important to me was to make sure that Bobs joy, his humor, his childishness, childlikeness, came off onstage. I think his clothing was perfectly fine, but it just never captured the imagination. Hell be a boy until were reading his obituary, I mean he will be. Having a Tennessee museum devoted to Bob Mackie outfits is so wonderfully random. There are a lot of young designers coming up that have been inspired by him and appreciate him. that he knows how to dress a woman to her advantage. Bernadette Peters, actress: The Met Camp show is right up his alley. I got a job in Hollywood at Paramount Studios working for Edith Head. We didnt know what hippies were quite yet. Mackies been at this for 58 years. These days you must communicate with people. Wonderful pieces that look gorgeous in the hand as well as on the body. Once we solve the problems in the fitting, then [there is] nothing to worry about on the runway or onstage. Cher: I met Bob when I was 19. I think thats how Bob looks at things, that if you just stand something on its head, its not so shocking anymore. The items Tina selected were donned in a photoshoot for her six-time platinum Foreign Affair album with the images above captured by Herb Ritts in 1989. In all honesty, I think seeing himself as a character in, has been liberating for Bob, in a way. They had the costume designers name there. I was just lucky; I mean I really never changed in what I. I can honestly say that he appreciates it when people appreciate what he does, but it has always been about the work. Learn More and Plan Your Visit. Museum Highlight Tours: Thursday - Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Storytime in the Children's Gallery : Every Tuesday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. On every third Saturday of the month, Storytime will feature an American Sign Language ( ASL) Interpreter from our community partner, BRIDGES For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. And then when I was about 10 or 11 years old, I went to see An American in Paris, and when the ballet came on, I just thought it was the most beautiful thing Id ever seen. Thats who she is. It was amazing. Not only is he just a lovely and pleasant person to work with, but the talent is. I always just sort of pray in my life somebody will give me a nice 19th-century movie or a good 1930s Depression film [to do]. [I think] he sees the actual construction of [a garment] as part of the aesthetic. In 1974, Vogue introduced them to its readers thus: Bob Mackie and Ray Aghayan came to show-wiz fame designing glitter costumes for onstage, on screen superstars Carol Channing, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Carol Burnett, and of course, Cher. And it was fine with me; it was fun! Id seen all these pictures of Sonny and Cher, The worlds first hippies. They were kind of like New Age cave people; there they were in their fur vests and funny pants and belts and just a whole look that nobody had had up until that time. His famous quote that his clothes are for the woman who is not afraid to be noticed is one of my mantras. As it turns out, en-route to Tennessee they have a detour to the Bob Mackie museum. Today Bobby Mackey's Music World is a popular nightclub full of dancing and good times, but this cheerful setting holds a much more sinister past. The Slaughterhouse. Isnt it Diana Vreeland who said that? Strimple: Well you know, hes the perennial boy. When you touch his creations, you have the feeling of being in contact with an artefact. There were things he was offered that he turned down because he was loving what he was doing at CBS. And they think. Both Cher and Diana Ross brought their time-honored hits to the Strip at different resorts. Its just wonderful that hes being recognized right now for the great talent he is and the inspiration, actually, that hes given young people. Theyd want me to do a dress. You always associate his name with glamour, although his sense of humor and, of course, the comedy are beyond. Mackie: This last year it had been 50 years since The Carol Burnett Show came on the air. I think thats a hallmark of most of the things that Bob has made in his life; he still looks at fashion or costume, or culture really, through a childs wondrous eyes. Some may say [his work is] objectifying women, but when you have women like Cher, Tina [Turner], and Carol [Burnett], their talents are so gigantic that they deserve to be objectified! You can make the best designs in the world on a piece of paper, but if they arent made beautifully and they dont fit right, it just doesnt work. and somehow we made her look absolutely fabulous. Nobody ever said in a script, That mans gay; hes acting so silly. He was just this character in the play whether he was the concierge, or the funny uncle, or the man that designed costumes in a show. And I said, Bob, youre going to have to take it in back there, because Im flat, and he said, No, no stick your behind into it. And I did and that gave me that look, where it looked like she had a big rear end and that funny walk; that gave me her character. Once we solve the problems in the fitting, then [there is] nothing to worry about on the runway or onstage. Ray Aghayan was Mackies partner in work and life. No, I dont like this one. Then shed put pencils in her bun, like shed just finished drawing them all, and went to see the producer. and everyone turned into a child. It goes hand in hand. The Met Camp show is right up his alley. This year's Met Gala will be centered around all things campyso this marriage makes perfect sense. They loved musicals and Technicolor and all that sort of thing, so I sat there and watched and watched and watched. And he dressed everybody: the dancers, singers, the guest stars, us. Ive got to find the right way to say this, but a lot of people look down their noses at designers who make clothing for television. but Bob, on every one of my shows, did an average of 65 costumes a week. For me it is like having met a guru. I grew up around people that made clothes for film in the old days when everything was made from scratch, even the little black dresses for the secretaries behind their desks. THE SONNY & CHER COMEDY HOUR And my mother would explain and before I knew it, I was really interested. I wasnt that interested in fashion, I really wanted to be part of the entertainment industry, and thats kind of how it all started. People would die. He has certainly dealt with his share of heartbreak and tragedy (and thats something I think he shares with Cher; they bonded on that as well), but he chooses joy, he chooses life, he chooses color. Bob [is]. JEAN LOUIS His pieces sit on the body like couture [does]. Sure it can, but was it going to make him a success in the eyes of the American public? I believe Ray and Bob met at a Costume Designers Guild meeting out in Los Angeles. Later, [when I was] nominated for a Tony for the very first time, in the mail I get a letter from him. [6] [7] He was raised in early childhood by his maternal grandparents in Alhambra, California because his parents divorced. Bob Mackie is probably best known for the controversial costumes he designed for singer Cher, but had a significant impact on country music because of his association with Dottie. Strimple: [Once after a dinner at his home,] Bob brought out glass ice buckets and in them were all kinds of Push Pops and Dreamsicles and drumsticksall the frozen things of our youthand everyone turned into a child. and it goes deep. He has made thousands of brilliant costumes in his day and should have a show of his own at The Met. Strimple: You know one of my most joyous moments was when the CFDA wanted to give Bob an award and he didnt fit in any category that they had, so they created an award for him, its called the exuberance award, and it sums up everything Mackie, because hes an original. He finds so much joy; he literally loves working and he loves the process of working. Hes very down-to-earth. Schlatter: When you realize how many costumes Bob did each week for The Carol Burnett Show, and the fact that each one of those costumes had to be built so the [actors] could get in and out of them in under a minute and still look stylish . Shes a whole different kind of a girl, and she could be anything. She started appearing and wearing, kind of you know, slinky clothes, because her body was perfect and she could wear anythingyou could expose practically anything; it was amazingso we just started doing crazy stuff on her. I think there were times where Bob would have liked Cher to be a little more demure, and she would just look at him and go, Nope, were going big here. Berresse: Bob truly does believe that you have to have fun in this life. . The legendary designer's iconic costumes he created for Cher will be part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Met Gala exhibit in May, according to a recent interview with Fashionista. bob mackie museum tennessee Januar 19, 2023 sefton council housing Costume Department: Rocketman. Posted on 26 Feb in delores winans grandchildren. . Where did she get that? So people are really still fascinated with Cher. ), THE MAN Michael Berresse, actor (who plays the part of Bob Mackie in The Cher Show): In all honesty, I think seeing himself as a character in The Cher Show has been liberating for Bob, in a way. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. So I went to meet with Edith Head and it was explained to me that her plan would be to make five different outfits to camera test to decide which ones they wanted to use. Strimple: Juliet Prowse was a premier dancer who Bob asked to [model]. and they keep printing it every year. . sonicwave 231c non responsive Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. bob mackie museum tennessee. These interviews have been edited and condensed. All the things weve made for Cher over the years are all hand-embroidered, beaded, whatever. One of our rules and tenets of doing things, especially for people like Cher, is it can be camp, and it can be large flowers and wonderful things, but it Must. Mackie: I was very unhappy in the beginning of my career because the clothes never came out right with the people that made them. He is good looking, elegant and has a charming voice. Mackie doesnt scare me, you know I can handle a little bit of extra fabric. 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