Why 'Showgirl' Transformed into the Glittering Aesthetic of the New Year

Following a three-decade tenure on the Las Vegas strip, the dancers from the spectacle Jubilee! gave one last choreographed kick in 2016. The production, famous for its ornate costumes created by style icon Bob Mackie, came to an end due to falling audience numbers and critical commentators who called it a spectacle “a relic of another era”.

Now, almost a decade later, the showgirl persona, or at least the glamorous showgirl look, is back.

The Master of Sequins

Referred to as the “sultan of sequins”, Mackie has made dramatic showgirl glamour his signature style, outfitting everyone from Hollywood icons to music superstars. Recently, a “naked” bodysuit he made for Cher in 1978 fetched $57,600, well over its projected value, while a shimmering fringed bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200.

“I believe it looks more enticing for the emerging artists who is seeking something other than what they were accustomed to”, he explained to a media outlet. “New stars are pushing toward a show-stopping, more dramatic, show-stopping, grand statement.”

A Pop Culture Resurgence

It’s a look that glided all the way to the centre of the cultural zeitgeist in 2025 thanks to a chart-topping superstar. Recently, the music phenomenon wore one of Mackie’s vintage Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her latest record. The crystal-covered bra and thong, plumed armbands and glittering headpiece were ideal for a record called The Life of a Showgirl.

The singer isn't alone. This year, showgirl references have been adopted by singers including Dua Lipa as they danced across concert platforms in sparkles, strategic openings and feathers, spotlighted against camp sets. Her fashion curator a fashion expert told a style publication he wanted to bring “a stage persona” to her Radical Optimism tour – inspired by pictures from the 50s, her performers fluttered giant ostrich feather fans.

Drawing from History

Lipa, Carpenter and other successful musicians also take inspiration from classic entertainment forms, including burlesque and dance line references. The outcome are poles apart from the 1990s era teen pop of short shirts and cargo pants, and street-style dance moves that came before them.

But some critics are enthusiastic with this glamour resurgence. Nancy Hardy, a ex- Jubilee! showgirl who performed in the 2000s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word showgirl title is being “employed as an broad label encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now seemingly today's icons.”

The Highly Sought-After Retro Look

For millennial and young adult stars, Mackie’s vintage designs have become extremely desirable. In 2024, a famous actress paid tribute to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the actor wore a see-through sequined dress created by the designer in 2001, which was similar to one he made for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, another pop star paid an significant price to buy the Mackie tasseled mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, Carpenter wore a collection of retro Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among fashion collectors.

“This style evoke nostalgia for a bygone era of glitz,” says Su Kim Chung, an expert at the a Las Vegas university, who researches the history of showgirls. “Today it is seen as a sort of ‘toned-down’ appeal because it has been modified. It has got all the glamour, the sparkles and the shine but without the nudity.”

More Than Just Style: An Symbol of Vegas

Chung says showgirls are key to the identity of Vegas. She points to former mayor Oscar Goodman who, during public appearances, was surrounded by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas no longer has any showgirl-based productions, Jung says they are still featured as an emblem of the city, appearing at gatherings and in advertisements. “The showgirl is still a remaining symbol of Vegas glamour,” the expert says.

The Allure of Escape

The former showgirl says the transformative effect of a stage character is part of the appeal. This is a notion the singer references in a latest documentary series that shows the off-camera action from her massive 2023 Eras tour, which included exhausting rehearsals, training and numerous shows across dozens of cities, each running for 3.5 hours.

She explains her own nights in the spotlight as “comparable to running a marathon in high heels every night”. Her headpiece was 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the staircase to the stage from the dressing rooms three floors below in the basement. I had to start early for my entrance so I could recover before I performed. You’re sweating the whole time but creating this illusion that it’s effortless and stunning and ethereal.”

Maybe this is where the true allure of the showgirl fantasy really resides. In the chaos of 2025 there is a desire for a break from reality. Is there anyone better to emulate than such icons, who have always embodied fantasy, flawlessness and a universe where no one makes a mistake.