Taylor Swift shocked fans when she shared the promotional imagery for her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, as she stripped down and got glam in a glittering showgirl’s costume straight from Las Vegas.
One of the sparkling outfits that Swift wore for the album photo shoot was created by legendary designer Bob Mackie in collaboration with co-designer Pete Menefee. Mackie revealed details of one of the dazzling looks in a Tuesday, Aug. 19, Instagram post.
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“The ensemble worn by @taylorswift was designed by Bob Mackie for the “Jewel Finale” of the Las Vegas show Jubilee! Produced by Don Arden; the show featured over 1,000 costumes based on Florenz Ziegfeld stage shows with elaborate couture costumes worn by the showgirls. It was the longest running showgirl spectacular in history and ran from 1981 to 2016,” the post read.
The post — which additionally featured a look at one of the Jubilee! performers wearing the actual costume backstage — continued, “The bra, undergarments, and armbands are all French wirework and backed with a blush fabric for a nude illusion.”
The set that Swift wore also has “set stones and drops at the under-bust of the bra and the waistline of the underwear.”
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Bob Mackie is a favorite among celebrities for his glittering designs. Mackie, 85, has famously designed stage costumes worn by Cher, Elton John, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Miley Cyrus, Madonna and more.
Mackie also created showgirl costumes for the Las Vegas burlesque show Hallelujah Hollywood, which ran from 1974 to 1980 and notably drew the original sketch of the dress Marilyn Monroe wore in 1962 when she performed at President John F. Kennedy’s birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York.
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In addition to the glamorous Bob Mackie design, Swift tested out black wigs and wore a bold waist-cinching corset and feathered burlesque outfit in images from the album. The pop star also wore a push-up bra top made of glittering rhinestones — while giving the camera a sultry look from inside a tub of water, face full of makeup — for the album’s main cover.
The Life of a Showgirl, Swift’s 12th studio album, is scheduled to release Oct. 3. Swift first announced the arrival of the record and gave fans the first look at the cover for it while appearing on boyfriend Travis Kelce’s podcast New Heights on Aug. 13.
