Following a three-decade stint on the iconic Vegas strip, the dancers from the production Jubilee! gave one last perfectly timed kick in 2016. The show, known for its elaborate costumes designed by celebrated designer Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to dwindling audience numbers and critical reviewers who called it a spectacle “trapped in time”.
Currently, roughly eight years later, showgirls, or at least the glamorous showgirl look, is making a comeback.
A Sultan of Sparkle
Referred to as the “master of glitz”, Mackie has made dramatic stage sparkle his signature style, dressing everyone from Hollywood icons to pop royalty. Recently, a “see-through” bodysuit he designed for Cher in 1978 sold for $57,600, far exceeding its estimated price, while a metallic beaded bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie designed for Tina Turner for a 1977 performance sold for $19,200.
“I think it looks more attractive for the younger performer who is seeking something other than what they grew up with”, he stated in an interview with a publication. “Today's artists are pushing toward a glamorous, more spectacular, show-stopping, grand statement.”
A Musical Revival
It’s a look that sashayed all the way to the heart of popular culture in 2025 propelled by Taylor Swift. Recently, the music phenomenon wore one of Mackie’s vintage Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her 12th studio album. The bedazzled bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and sparkly headpiece were ideal for a record called The Life of a Showgirl.
The singer isn't alone. This year, glamorous nods have been embraced by pop stars including Sabrina Carpenter as they zoomed across arena stages in glitter, revealing designs and feathers, highlighted against overstated sets. A top stylist Lorenzo Posocco mentioned in an interview with a fashion magazine he wanted to bring “a showgirl attitude” to her Radical Optimism tour – referencing pictures from the mid-century, Lipa’s dancers wafted giant plumed accessories.
Pulling from History
These artists and other hitmakers also take inspiration from 19th-century performances, including vaudeville and ensemble references. The outcome are vastly different from the late-century Britney Spears era of crop tops and cargo pants, and hip-hop inspired dance moves that preceded this trend.
But some critics are on board with this glamour resurgence. A former performer, a former Jubilee! showgirl who entertained in the early 2000s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “treated as an umbrella term including everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now even modern pop stars.”
A Highly Sought-After Retro Style
For gen Z and young adult stars, Mackie’s classic designs have become extremely desirable. In 2024, Zendaya paid tribute to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the actor wore a semi-sheer embellished dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he created for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, Miley Cyrus paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie fringed mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, Sabrina Carpenter wore a trio of classic Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a hit among vintage enthusiasts.
“Showgirls inspire fond memories for a bygone era of glitz,” says a historian, a curator at the University of Nevada, who researches the story of showgirls. “Today it is considered a sort of ‘toned-down’ sexy because it has been updated. It has got all the glamour, the sparkles and the shine but without the nudity.”
A Than Just Fashion: An Icon of Vegas
She says showgirls are key to the iconography of Sin City. She points to one-time leader Oscar Goodman who, during public appearances, was flanked by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas currently lacks any showgirl-centric productions, Chung says they are still featured as an symbol of the city, being present at conventions and in marketing. “The showgirl is still a enduring icon of Las Vegas spectacle,” Chung says.
An Allure of Transformation
Nancy Hardy says the complete change of a showgirl persona is part of the appeal. It’s something the singer alludes to in a latest docuseries that captures the off-camera action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included intense rehearsals, training and numerous shows across 21 countries, each lasting 3.5 hours.
The performer recalls her own stage routines as “similar to completing an endurance race in high heels every night”. Her feathered headdress was 34lbs. “I had to support it all the way up the steps to the stage from the dressing rooms three floors below in the lower level. I had to leave early for my moment so I could catch my breath before I performed. You’re perspiring the whole time but maintaining this illusion that it’s effortless and stunning and dreamlike.”
Maybe this is where the fascination of the showgirl really resides. In the busyness of 2025 there is a desire for escapism. Who better to look to than these performers, who have always embodied fantasy, flawlessness and a world where no one misses a mark.
