TONY DOKOUPIL:
00:00:29
Good morning.
GAYLE KING:
00:00:29
Bravo. Yes. The Taylor Swift news is amazing. What was your reaction when you found out? Well, it was kind of a surprise because I didn't know she had those clothes. She borrowed them from the place in Vegas, the big casino. And it's a 40-year-old look that you designed in the '80s for a Vegas show, as you mentioned. What is the popularity of these today? Why are they coming back? Well, they sort of came around. It went out of style. And then, all of a sudden, all these lovely little Disney girls that were 12 and 13 want to be hot mamas now. [LAUGHTER]
GAYLE KING:
00:01:02
This is what you call a hot mama look. This one was Tina's, and this one was Cher's. Yeah. Look at that. I mean, Tina looks great in everything.
GAYLE KING:
00:01:09
I know. But what is your philosophy, though, about the look that you want for the women? Because the sequins, there is a very sexy, sultry look about all of it. My philosophy is watch what they do, how they work on stage, how they walk, how they sit. Nobody moved like Tina Turner. Yes, yes, yes. And then you put Tina Turner and Cher together, doing a number, it was magic.
GAYLE KING:
00:01:28
Yes. But now you're putting them up for auction. You ready to let them go? Well, it's OK. I don't have it at home waiting for me. [LAUGHS] It's just there. And the girls kind of like seeing somebody else wear it.
GAYLE KING:
00:01:42
Wear it. It's fun.
NATE BURLESON:
00:01:44
Now, what is it like working with these types of women? Because they're much larger than the art itself.
BOB MACKIE:
00:01:50
You just don't know until you meet them and watch them perform that they're that woman, that kind of a girl. I mean, Cher was never intimidated by one thing I ever put on her.
GAYLE KING:
00:02:00
At all?
NATE BURLESON:
00:02:00
Really? Ever. And do they know what they want? Or do they just leave it all in your hands? Because I heard Tina, she knew what she wanted on her body. Oh, Tina always knew what she wanted. And she said, oh, that's too old fashioned. I can't wear that. And then she'd put it on. And she'd go, oh. Of course. Oh, well, that's pretty good.
GAYLE KING:
00:02:16
Bob, we talked to Cher recently for an interview you're going to see next week. But, of course, we asked about you. Can we just roll that clip briefly? I want you to hear what she said.
BOB MACKIE:
00:02:24
Oh, dear. What'd she say? I remember being on the boat. And I remember Bob saying, don't tell anybody I designed that outfit for you. Oh, Bob Mackie? Yeah. Yeah. And I said, well, it is kind of mine. And he says, tell everybody it's all yours. He said, just don't tell anybody it was mine.
GAYLE KING:
00:02:39
That's the one where she was on the-- You didn't want people to know. Why? She was out there with her 12-year-old son playing the bass, and she's got out there with her whole butt out. So, I mean, what do you do? You just say, oh, my god. This is horrible. And you said, I didn't do that one. I did. I said, please don't let anyone know I had-- because she insisted she wanted it.
GAYLE KING:
00:02:57
Yeah. Well, it's now iconic. Bicycle pants were very hot at that moment. But it's now very iconic. So how do these designs come together? You begin by sketching them?
BOB MACKIE:
00:03:07
By sketching them, yeah. But I also watch them perform and watch how they move, watch the kind of things they do. It's very important. You can't just put a dress on anybody. And it's hardly a dress, is it?
TONY DOKOUPIL:
00:03:19
Once you draw it, make it, and see it on somebody, do you then make changes? Or is it just finished?
BOB MACKIE:
00:03:24
Well, sometimes, the little adjustments.
TONY DOKOUPIL:
00:03:26
Interesting.
GAYLE KING:
00:03:26
Thank you so much, Sultan of Sequins. [LAUGHTER] I think they can't call anybody that but you.
TONY DOKOUPIL:
00:03:32
Yeah. You're right about that. And fashion is cyclical, right? It always comes back around.
BOB MACKIE:
00:03:36
It seems to happen. That look sort of died down, actually, when Cher went to movies.
NATE BURLESON:
00:03:44
Oh. We didn't see much of that. And then, all of a sudden, it all kind of came-- Boom. All these little baby girls from Disney--
TONY DOKOUPIL:
00:03:50
That's right. --started wanting to look hot. I can't wait to see the showgirl outfit you designed. So do you think we can get Gayle in some sequins? Yeah, these are available on auction. With her figure, anything. Ooh! OK, Gayle. Get a placard. Oh, wait. OK. Thank you, Bob. Thank you. Wow. Really appreciate it, Bob. Thank you very much.
