After a long-running tenure on the Las Vegas strip, the dancers from the revue Jubilee! gave one last perfectly timed kick in 2016. The extravaganza, famous for its ornate costumes crafted by celebrated designer Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to declining audience numbers and disappointed reviewers who labeled it a spectacle “trapped in time”.
Currently, roughly eight years later, the showgirl, or at least the glamorous showgirl look, is making a comeback.
A Sultan of Sparkle
Known as the “king of sparkle”, Mackie has made theatrical stage sparkle his trademark look, outfitting everyone from screen legends to Madonna. Earlier this month, a “see-through” bodysuit he designed for Cher in 1978 sold for $57,600, far exceeding its projected value, while a metallic fringed bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie designed for Tina Turner for a 1977 show sold for $19,200.
“I think it looks more enticing for the younger performer who is seeking something other than what they knew from childhood”, he explained to a publication. “New stars are embracing a theatrical, more theatrical, breathtaking, grand statement.”
The Musical Comeback
It’s a look that made its way all the way to the epicenter of mainstream fashion in 2025 propelled by Taylor Swift. In the past few months, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s vintage Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her latest record. The bedazzled bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and shimmering headpiece were tailor-made for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.
She isn't alone. This year, showgirl references have been embraced by pop stars including Dua Lipa as they zoomed across world tours in glitter, revealing designs and ostrich feathers, highlighted against theatrical sets. Her fashion curator her creative director told a style publication he wanted to bring “a showgirl attitude” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the 50s, her performers wafted giant feathered fans.
Pulling from History
Modern stars and other successful musicians also draw on historical performances, including burlesque and ensemble references. The final look are vastly different from the late-century pop style of short shirts and utilitarian trousers, and street-style dance moves that were popular earlier.
But certain observers are on board with this showgirl renaissance. A former performer, a ex- Jubilee! showgirl who entertained in the 2000s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word showgirl title is being “treated as an broad label encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now even modern pop stars.”
The Highly Sought-After Vintage Style
For younger and young adult stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become extremely desirable. In 2024, a style icon paid tribute to one of Mackie’s iconic muses, Cher, when the actor wore a see-through sequined dress made by the designer in 2001, which was similar to one he made for Cher to wear in 1967. Later that year, Miley Cyrus paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie fringed mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, Carpenter wore a series of classic Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a popular item among fashion collectors.
“The showgirl aesthetic evoke a sense of longing for a historical elegance,” says an archivist, a curator at the a Las Vegas university, who studies the history of showgirls. “Now it is considered a sort of ‘acceptable’ sexy because it has been updated. It has got all the elegance, the crystals and the shine but without the exposure.”
More Than Simply Fashion: An Icon of Vegas
The expert says the showgirl image are integral to the identity of Las Vegas. She points to one-time leader Oscar Goodman who, during civic functions, was surrounded by two showgirls. Even though Las Vegas does not host any traditional showgirl productions, Chung says they are still employed as an symbol of the city, being present at gatherings and in promotional material. “The showgirl is still a remaining figure of Las Vegas glamour,” she says.
An Appeal of Escape
The former showgirl says the magical transformation of a stage character is part of the attraction. It’s something Taylor Swift alludes to in a recent documentary series that shows the backstage action from her massive 2023 Eras tour, which included exhausting practice sessions, training and 149 concerts across multiple nations, each lasting 3.5 hours.
Hardy describes her own showgirl performances as “comparable to running a marathon in heels every night”. Her headdress tipped the scales at 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the stairs to the platform from the backstage area three floors below in the underground. I had to start early for my entrance so I could rest before I performed. One is sweating the whole time but crafting this image that it’s easy and beautiful and magical.”
It could be this is where the appeal of the showgirl fantasy really lies. In the complexity of 2025 there is a longing for a break from reality. What better figure to turn to than such icons, who have always represented dreams, idealism and a realm where no one falters.
