🔗 Share this article Why 'Showgirl' Transformed into the Glittering Aesthetic of the New Year Following a three-decade tenure on the Las Vegas Boulevard, the performers from the production Jubilee! gave one last perfectly timed kick in 2016. The show, renowned for its elaborate costumes designed by celebrated designer Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to declining audience numbers and unimpressed commentators who labeled it a spectacle “a relic of another era”. Now, roughly eight years later, the showgirl, or at least the showgirl aesthetic, is back. The King of Sequins Known as the “master of glitz”, Mackie has made dramatic showgirl glitz his signature style, clothing everyone from Hollywood icons to Madonna. Earlier this month, a “barely-there” bodysuit he designed for Cher in 1978 sold for $57,600, well over its estimated price, while a silver and gold fringed bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200. “I believe it looks more appealing for the younger performer who is desiring something other than what they knew from childhood”, he stated in an interview with a publication. “New stars are striving for a theatrical, more spectacular, show-stopping, entrance-making statement.” A Pop Culture Resurgence It’s a look that made its way all the way to the centre of mainstream fashion in 2025 largely due to a global pop icon. Recently, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s classic Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her 12th studio album. The crystal-covered bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and shimmering headpiece were perfect for a record named The Life of a Showgirl. The singer isn't alone. This year, showgirl inspirations have been adopted by pop stars including Dua Lipa as they whizzed across concert platforms in sparkles, strategic openings and plumes, highlighted against overstated sets. A top stylist her creative director told Vogue he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the mid-century, her performers waved giant ostrich feather fans. Pulling from Tradition Lipa, Carpenter and other chart toppers also draw on 19th-century entertainment forms, including classic theater and chorus line references. The outcome are worlds away from the late-century teen pop of crop tops and utilitarian trousers, and hip-hop inspired dance moves that were popular earlier. But not everyone are on board with this showgirl renaissance. An ex-showgirl, a former Jubilee! showgirl who entertained in the early 2000s says the trend is “puzzling”. She thinks the word term is being “treated as an umbrella term covering everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now seemingly modern pop stars.” The Coveted Retro Style For gen Z and modern stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, Zendaya paid tribute to one of Mackie’s earliest clients, Cher, when the actor wore a see-through embellished dress created by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he created for Cher to wear in 1967. Subsequently, another pop star paid an private amount to buy the Mackie fringed mini dress she had worn at an awards show 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 favorite among collectors. “The showgirl aesthetic bring about fond memories for a past glamour,” says an archivist, a curator at the a Las Vegas university, who researches the story of showgirls. “Currently it is considered a sort of ‘toned-down’ appeal because it has been modified. It has got all the sophistication, the crystals and the sparkle but without the nudity.” More Than Simply Fashion: An Icon of Vegas She says the showgirl image are central to the iconography of Las Vegas. She points to ex-mayor Oscar Goodman who, during civic functions, was flanked by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas currently lacks any showgirl-centric productions, the historian says they are still employed as an emblem of the city, being present at conventions and in advertisements. “The showgirl is still a remaining symbol of Vegas spectacle,” the expert says. An Appeal of Illusion Hardy says the transformative effect of a showgirl persona is part of the attraction. This is a notion Swift hints at in a new behind-the-scenes film that captures the behind-the-scenes action from her massive 2023 Eras tour, which included exhausting rehearsals, gym sessions and numerous performances across multiple nations, each running for 3.5 hours. Hardy recalls her own showgirl performances as “similar to completing an endurance race in heels every night”. Her feathered headdress tipped the scales at 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the staircase to the performance area from the dressing rooms three floors below in the basement. I had to leave early for my entrance so I could recover before I performed. You are sweating the whole time but maintaining this fantasy that it’s simple and beautiful and dreamlike.” Perhaps this is where the appeal of the showgirl really resides. In the busyness of 2025 there is a craving for escapism. Is there anyone better to look to than such icons, who have always personified dreams, flawlessness and a universe where no one makes a mistake.