After a three-decade run on the Las Vegas strip, the dancers from the production Jubilee! executed their last synchronised kick in 2016. The production, renowned for its intricate costumes created by American fashion designer Bob Mackie, ended its run due to declining audience numbers and unimpressed reviewers who called it a spectacle “a relic of another era”.
Currently, almost a decade later, showgirls, or at least the glamorous showgirl look, is back.
The King of Glitz
Referred to as the “sultan of sequins”, Mackie has made dramatic showgirl glitz his signature style, clothing everyone from Marilyn Monroe to pop royalty. In a recent auction, a “barely-there” bodysuit he made for Cher in 1978 fetched $57,600, well over its estimated price, while a silver and gold tasseled bodysuit with lamé wings that Mackie created for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200.
“In my view it looks more enticing for the emerging artists who is seeking something other than what they were accustomed to”, he told a newspaper. “New stars are embracing a show-stopping, more dramatic, attention-grabbing, memorable statement.”
A Mainstream Resurgence
It’s a look that made its way all the way to the epicenter of the cultural zeitgeist in 2025 thanks to Taylor Swift. Recently, the entertainment titan wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her new musical project. The crystal-covered bra and thong, plumed armbands and glittering headpiece were ideal for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.
Swift is part of a trend. This year, showgirl references have been embraced by pop stars including Sabrina Carpenter as they whizzed across concert platforms in sequins, cut-outs and ostrich feathers, illuminated against overstated sets. Lipa’s stylist Lorenzo Posocco told a fashion magazine he wanted to bring “a stage persona” to her Radical Optimism tour – referencing pictures from the 50s, her performers wafted giant feathered fans.
Pulling from Tradition
Modern stars and other hitmakers also take inspiration from 19th-century performances, including classic theater and dance line references. The final look are poles apart from the 1990s era Britney Spears era of short shirts and utilitarian trousers, and hip-hop inspired dance moves that preceded this trend.
But certain observers are on board with this showgirl renaissance. An ex-showgirl, a ex- Jubilee! showgirl who performed in the 2000s says the trend is “confusing”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “treated as an umbrella term encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now seemingly today's icons.”
A Highly Sought-After Vintage Look
For gen Z and millennial stars, Mackie’s vintage designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, Zendaya paid tribute to one of Mackie’s iconic muses, Cher, when the actress wore a translucent beaded dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was inspired by one he made for Cher to wear in 1967. Later that year, Miley Cyrus paid an significant price to buy the Mackie tasseled mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, the singer wore a collection of retro Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a hit among vintage enthusiasts.
“Showgirls inspire fond memories for a historical elegance,” says an archivist, a curator at the a Las Vegas university, who researches the history of showgirls. “Currently it is viewed as a sort of ‘toned-down’ allure because it has been adapted. It has got all the sophistication, the sparkles and the glitter but without the bare skin.”
A Than Simply Fashion: An Symbol of Vegas
The expert says showgirls are central to the identity of Sin City. She points to ex-mayor Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was surrounded by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas does not host any showgirl-centric productions, Jung says they are still employed as an emblem of the city, being present at corporate events and in marketing. “The showgirl is still a remaining icon of Las Vegas glitz and glamour,” the expert says.
An Allure of Escape
The former showgirl says the transformative effect of a stage character is part of the attraction. It’s something Taylor Swift references in a latest documentary series that shows the backstage action from her massive 2023 Eras tour, which included gruelling rehearsals, gym sessions and numerous shows across multiple nations, each going on for 3.5 hours.
She explains her own showgirl performances as “like completing an endurance race in high heels every night”. Her headpiece weighed 34lbs. “I had to wear it all the way up the staircase to the stage from the backstage area three floors below in the lower level. I had to leave early for my cue so I could rest before I performed. You’re working hard the whole time but creating this fantasy that it’s simple and stunning and magical.”
Maybe this is where the fascination of the showgirl fantasy really lies. In the busyness of 2025 there is a desire for a break from reality. Is there anyone better to emulate than showgirls, who have always represented make-believe, flawlessness and a universe where no one makes a mistake.
