The legacy of a fashion an icon

Before celebrities had stylists, mood boards and entire fashion teams, there was Cher. During The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, which ran from 1971 to 1974, Cher transformed television into her personal runway.

Behind many of those unforgettable looks was legendary costume designer Bob Mackie. Together, they created a fashion language built on feathers, sequins, sheer fabrics, bare midriffs and unapologetic glamour. Mackie’s daring designs were so influential that department-store copies soon followed.

Cher pushed boundaries at a time when showing that much skin on American television was considered shocking. Her body-baring outfits challenged television censorship and helped redefine what a female pop star could look like.

Their influence can still be seen today in the naked dress, crystal-covered gowns and high-octane red-carpet fashion. Cher didn’t just wear clothes she made fashion part of the performance. And decades later, everyone from pop stars to the biggest names on the red carpet is still borrowing from the Cher and Bob Mackie playbook.