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Vintage 1976 Sonny & Cher Documented Custom-Made Bob Mackie Sequin Gown Suit Set

About the Item

Own a major slice of celebrity history! Two important, well-documented Sonny & Cher worn garments custom made for their 1976-77 promotional pictures and Westchester/Harrah's performances. The legendary costume designer Ret Turner created Sonny Bono's beaded caramel colored suit to light up the stage with fantastic shimmer. Bob Mackie designed this incredibly seductive silk hourglass gown with Cher's signature nude illusion look in mind. The fabric itself is a masterpiece; semi-sheer beige silk chiffon fully hand-beaded with iridescent sequins. A chic high-neck dolman sleeve bodice flows into the most fantastic sparkling over-sized jeweled cuffs. The ruched waist with intricate center diamond-shaped adornment is so ultra flattering. The embellishments represent weeks of couture hand-beading at the highest level. Early custom Bob Mackie pieces are rare, as they were not mass produced and were incredibly expensive to make. Bob Mackie has dressed many legends- Madonna, Tina Turner, Marilyn Monroe, Diana Ross, Judy Garland and Carol Burnett among them. There’s one special relationship that withstood the test of time- Cher. When Mackie met Cher in 1967 on The Carol Burnett Show, for which he designed the costumes, the two became instant best friends. Mackie is the mastermind behind some of Cher’s greatest looks. Cher's physical presence and her persona enabled Mackie to showcase his flamboyant designs without seeming too extreme. About her remarkable ability to wear his designs, Mackie once remarked: "There hasn't been a woman in the limelight since Garbo or Dietrich who could pull off such outrageous visual fantasies while maintaining her individual beauty". With Cher worn garment recently fetching over $100,000 at auction, here is a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a custom-made Cher gown designed by Bob Mackie himself complete with the dazzling Ret Turner suit worn by her iconic partner, Sony Bono. This is such a museum worthy piece of fashion and celebrity history that will instantly become a favorite in your collection. Measurements Cher's Bob Mackie designed gown Bust: 32-33 inches Waist: 25 inches Hips: up to 36 inches Total Length: 60 inches Sonny's Ret Turner designed suit Chest: 40 inches Shoulders: 17 inches Waist: 32 inches Pant Length: 40 inches Pant Inseam: 30 inches This Cher worn Bob Mackie custom designed gown is in excellent condition with no noticeable rips, stains or holes. The construction of this garment is impeccable. Perfectly working center bottom zipper and open hook closure. Only sign of age are a few missing sequins which are hard to notice when worn. Sonny's worn Ret Turner suit is also in excellent condition with no noticeable rips, stains or holes. Comes complete with his shoes as well! We will also include an original 1977 Westchester playbill featuring the outfits on the cover. Highly wearable and true works of art that will continue to increase in value.

Designer:
Bob Mackie
Brand:
Bob Mackie
Dimensions:
Length: 60 in (152.4 cm)Bust: 32 in (81.28 cm)Waist: 25 in (63.5 cm)
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1970-1979
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Beverly Hills, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU30913589982
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Shop All Bob Mackie

Bob Mackie

Vintage Bob Mackie dresses are a fashion favorite, and with good reason. The legendary Monterey, California–born fashion designer has accrued an enviable list of awards that speak to his unparalleled influence on costumes for screen and theatrical performances: Mackie has nine Emmy awards to his name, a Tony award, a CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award, three Academy Award nominations and more.

As a child, Bob Mackie was enamored of Portuguese-born Brazilian dancer and actress Carmen Miranda. The love of film shared by his sister and mother proved contagious for Mackie, and he marveled at the richness and beauty he found in ballet. He wasn’t interested in fashion so much as he was in entertainment and went on to fortunately find work in television during the 1960s, specifically in programming that seemed to encompass all of what he’d grown to love about the arts.

As a fashion sketch artist, Mackie collaborated with Hollywood’s greatest costume designers, working with the legendary Edith Head at Paramount Studios as soon as he’d finished school. From there, he secured work with French-born, Hollywood costume designer Jean Louis, sketching the iconic Louis dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to John F. Kennedy in 1962.

Mackie would spend most of his career as a costume designer, creating iconic pieces like the Gone With the Wind parody costume (currently in the Smithsonian) for The Carol Burnett Show — where he worked for more than a decade — and campy, opulent dresses for The Cher Show on Broadway, for which he won the Tony award (he also designed bedazzled stage costumes for Sonny and Cher's 1976–77 run at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe). But he had a considerable influence on mainstream fashion as well.

The figure-hugging, feathered and fringed gowns and cocktail dresses Mackie created were worn by stars like Cher and Diana Ross on the red carpet and concert tours. Similar designs of his — dazzling evening dresses of black or vibrant red silk, some beaded with rhinestones or embellished with ostrich feathers or navy blue sequins — made their way into his mainstream fashion collection. His ready-to-wear line debuted in 1982.

Bob Mackie has always said that his clothing was “for the woman who is not afraid to be noticed,” and any woman in one of his signature dresses would definitely turn heads. There is sparkle and an element of grandeur in his garments, whether they were crafted for singer Elton John, a universally renowned fashion icon in his own right, or the woman next door, donning one of Mackie’s spectacular creations and feeling like a movie star herself.

Shop vintage Bob Mackie day dresses, suits and more on 1stDibs.