Following a 31-year stint on the iconic Vegas strip, the showgirls from the revue Jubilee! took a final synchronised kick in 2016. The production, famous for its elaborate costumes created by celebrated designer Bob Mackie, ended its run due to falling audience numbers and critical reviewers who labeled it a spectacle “stuck in the past”.
Currently, nearly ten years later, the showgirl persona, or at least the showgirl style, is making a comeback.
The Sultan of Sparkle
Referred to as the “sultan of sequins”, Mackie has made over-the-top stage sparkle his signature style, dressing everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Madonna. Earlier this month, a “naked” bodysuit he created for Cher in 1978 fetched $57,600, well over its projected value, while a shimmering fringed bodysuit with shiny wings that Mackie created for Tina Turner for a 1977 performance sold for $19,200.
“I believe it looks more appealing for the younger performer who is looking for something other than what they were accustomed to”, he explained to a publication. “Contemporary performers are pushing toward a theatrical, more theatrical, attention-grabbing, memorable statement.”
A Musical Revival
It’s a look that sashayed all the way to the epicenter of mainstream fashion in 2025 largely due to a chart-topping superstar. Recently, the music phenomenon wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her new musical project. The rhinestone encrusted bra and thong, feathered armbands and shimmering headpiece were ideal for a record titled The Life of a Showgirl.
The singer isn't alone. This year, glamorous nods have been incorporated by pop stars including Miley Cyrus as they zoomed across arena stages in glitter, strategic openings and plumes, illuminated against theatrical sets. A top stylist her creative director told a style publication he wanted to bring “a showgirl attitude” to her Radical Optimism tour – referencing pictures from the 1950s, the backup dancers wafted giant feathered fans.
Pulling from History
Modern stars and other hitmakers also take inspiration from classic performances, including classic theater and ensemble references. The results are poles apart from the 90s Britney Spears era of short shirts and cargo pants, and hip-hop inspired dance moves that preceded this trend.
But certain observers are enthusiastic with this showgirl renaissance. A former performer, a one-time Jubilee! showgirl who entertained in the 00s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “treated as an umbrella term encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now apparently modern pop stars.”
A Coveted Classic Look
For younger and millennial stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become extremely desirable. In 2024, Zendaya paid tribute to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the actor wore a semi-sheer beaded dress made by the designer in 2001, which was similar to one he designed for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, a singer paid an significant price to buy the Mackie beaded mini dress she had worn at an awards show to perform at the Grammys. In September, the singer wore a collection of classic Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a popular item among fashion collectors.
“Showgirls evoke nostalgia for a bygone era of glitz,” says a historian, head of special collections at the University of Nevada, who documents the legacy of showgirls. “Now it is viewed as a sort of ‘safe’ sexy because it has been modified. It has got all the glamour, the crystals and the glitter but without the exposure.”
More Than Just Fashion: An Symbol of the City
The expert says this figure are integral to the imagery of Las Vegas. She points to ex-mayor Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was surrounded by two showgirls. While Las Vegas no longer has any traditional showgirl productions, Chung says they are still used as an emblem of the city, appearing at gatherings and in marketing. “The showgirl is still a lasting symbol of Vegas glamour,” the expert says.
An Allure of Illusion
Nancy Hardy says the complete change of a showgirl persona is part of the appeal. This is a notion the singer alludes to in a recent behind-the-scenes film that captures the off-camera action from her year-long 2023 Eras tour, which included intense rehearsals, workouts and countless shows across dozens of cities, each lasting 3.5 hours.
The performer recalls her own showgirl performances as “similar to extreme physical exertion in heels every night”. Her headdress weighed 34lbs. “I had to wear it all the way up the steps to the performance area from the backstage area three floors below in the underground. I had to leave early for my entrance so I could rest before I performed. One is sweating the whole time but crafting this fantasy that it’s effortless and stunning and dreamlike.”
Perhaps this is where the appeal of the showgirl really lies. In the complexity of 2025 there is a craving for fantasy. Who better to turn to than these performers, who have always embodied make-believe, perfection and a world where nobody makes a mistake.
