NEED TO KNOW
Bob Mackie smiles at his memories of Tina Turner.
The fashion designer, 85, shared the history of two iconic pieces made for the late entertainer. The first was a 1977 Mackie design, created for a Caesar’s Palace performance.
The singer ended up wearing the look for a 1977 Harry Langdon photo shoot in Los Angeles, her Caesar’s Palace Residency from July to August 1977, and for a televised concert with Tom Jones at the Warner Theater in Washington D.C., September 11, 1978, broadcast later that month.
Mackie tells PEOPLE about designing the special outfit for Turner at a pivotal moment in her life and career. The bodysuit is part of Julien’s Auctions’ latest collaboration with the designer, Bold Luxury: Bob Mackie, Stage Glamour &The Couture Edit.
“She started doing nightclubs after she had done all the shows — Sonny and Cher and all that, and she went to San Francisco and people were going crazy for her,” Mackie recalls.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/Tina-Turner-posing-in-a-winged-costume-by-bob-mackie-110625-1-6ea36df4e53a43af8ba75e742e29a479.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(717x0:719x2)/Tina-Turner-winged-costume-by-bob-mackie-110625-3-6f8885b5bbe245deb8957358897d46a8.jpg)
Credit:
Harry Langdon/Getty
Credit:
Courtesy of Bob Mackie
When designing for the energetic star, Mackie always had his mind on her infectious personality. “She was born to be on stage. She just couldn’t help herself,” he shares.
The design reflected Turner’s love of dance. The gold and silver chain fringe bodysuit has pleated gold lamé wings sewn at the back.
“This is one of the early ones, and of course, it moves like crazy. It’s all made of chain, from brass, and it’s beautiful how it underlights gold and silver,” he shared, demonstrating the chain’s movement.
Courtesy of Julien’s Auctions
“She had broken up with the first husband and she just felt like she was free. So we had the wings and her energy and, oh, God, you can’t buy that. She was amazing.”
Turner, who would have celebrated her 85th birthday on Nov. 26, shared her own thoughts about the outfit in her 2020 memoir, That’s My Life, writing, “I looked like I was about to take flight and soar — which was exactly how I felt about being on my own for the first time.”
The singer passed away in May 2023.
Online registration and bidding is now available. The live auction will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 3rd at The Peninsula Beverly Hills at 10:00 a.m. PT
