As a young adult Barbie collector, I vividly remember seeing the first Bob Mackie Barbie doll in a print ad of Barbie Bazaar magazine in 1990. I was mesmerized by this plastic goddess. Mackie, the fashion designer who died Monday at 87 years old, had taken inspiration from Cher’s wardrobe, sheathing Barbie in a sleek, gold-sequined gown. The dress featured a revealing beaded bodice that crisscrossed Barbie’s infamous bust. Her accessories included gold-toned shoes, dangly beaded earrings and a long white marabou boa to dial up the glam factor. She had a high blond ponytail that nodded to Madonna’s look from the Blonde Ambition tour — a random happy coincidence, Bob would later share with me. I had never ever seen a Barbie like this, and my gay heart just about exploded in my chest. I had to have her!
This first Bob Mackie Barbie doll was a game changer. The fact that a vinyl Barbie doll was priced at more than $100 told me this was no longer just a childhood plaything. She was now dressed by the man who had created looks for clients like Cher, Tina Turner, Elton John and Carol Burnett. I could now have a piece of that glamorous world I grew up with on TV, at a scale of 11½ inches.
This would be the first in a long series of Bob Mackie Barbies to come over the years. In fact, Bob had more Barbie collaborations than any other designer — more than 60, including both production and one-of-a-kind dolls for charity auctions.
Of course, having a Bob Mackie Barbie really “meant something” in the doll community, and the world of Barbie collectors couldn’t wait to see what he would do next. Bob cemented his name into the Barbie lore on his fourth design for Barbie, in 1992. A stunning fantasy creation: “Neptune Fantasy Barbie Doll.” The doll featured a new Barbie face sculpt with a closed mouth instead of a big toothy smile. Collectors have dubbed this the “Mackie” face sculpt, and it has been in use ever since. It’s one of the most elegant and versatile faces ever created for Barbie.
I started working at Mattel in 1999 designing Barbie. In 2006, I was promoted to work on the Barbie collector line, and I worked on Cher Barbie dolls under Bob’s direction in 2007. I vividly remember going to his design studio to review the prototypes of three dolls with him, take notes and make necessary adjustments. I was just in awe of Bob’s creative workshop with fabrics, sequins, rhinestones and sketches coming out of every corner of his workspace. Cher, Bob and Barbie — what’s not to love?
As he was for so many Americans of a certain age — any of us who saw the glitz of Hollywood on TV in the ’70s and ’80s — Bob Mackie was my introduction to fashion. He showed me that a costume could tell a story, create a sense of wonder and sometimes even make you laugh. My childhood references of what glamour was came from the popularity of television variety shows of the 1970s. The man behind all that sparkle and shine was Bob Mackie.
From 2020 to 2025, I again got a chance to work with Bob on a new series of Barbie dolls. I was a more seasoned designer now, and the creative rapport with Bob was lots of fun. During meetings to discuss the dolls, Bob often would regale us with stories of celebrities he worked with, complete with dish about who was fun to work with and who was more “challenging.” He said Barbie was always his favorite client because she didn’t complain if you accidentally stuck a pin in her. Over many Zooms, phone calls and meetings at his home in Palm Desert with Bob and his creative director, Joe McFate, I learned about how he approached design, his creative process and his views on life.
Through this wisdom of a masterclass designer, most of all I will remember Bob’s laughter. He was a true artist and visionary, who has forever left his mark in fashion and pop culture. I feel very lucky to have played a small part in his legacy, and lucky that Bob shared his magic with Barbie and millions of her fans. I’m grateful a little bit of Bob’s glamour sits happily on my Barbie shelf at home.
Bill Greening, based in Long Beach, is a Barbie collector and historian and was a designer at Mattel for 26 years.
The post Some of Bob Mackie’s tiniest dresses, for 11.5-inch Barbie, made the biggest splash appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
