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Following a three-decade stint on the Las Vegas Boulevard, the dancers from the revue Jubilee! gave one last perfectly timed kick in 2016. The extravaganza, famous for its elaborate costumes created by celebrated designer Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to declining audience numbers and critical reviewers who called it a spectacle “trapped in time”.

Today, almost a decade later, showgirls, or at least the showgirl aesthetic, is back.

A King of Glitz

Referred to as the “king of sparkle”, Mackie has made over-the-top stage sparkle his trademark look, outfitting everyone from Marilyn Monroe to music superstars. In a recent auction, a “see-through” bodysuit he created for Cher in 1978 sold for $57,600, seven times its initial estimate, while a metallic fringed bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 show sold for $19,200.

“In my view it looks more enticing for the emerging artists who is desiring something other than what they grew up with”, he stated in an interview with a publication. “Today's artists are striving for a show-stopping, more theatrical, breathtaking, grand statement.”

The Mainstream Comeback

It’s a look that made its way all the way to the epicenter of the cultural zeitgeist in 2025 thanks to a global pop icon. Recently, the entertainment titan wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her new musical project. The bedazzled bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and glittering headpiece were ideal for a record titled The Life of a Showgirl.

She isn't alone. This year, glamorous nods have been embraced by music artists including Sabrina Carpenter as they danced across world tours in sequins, strategic openings and plumes, highlighted against overstated sets. Lipa’s stylist Lorenzo Posocco mentioned in an interview with a fashion magazine he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – inspired by pictures from the 50s, her performers fluttered giant ostrich feather fans.

Drawing from Tradition

These artists and other successful musicians also draw on classic performances, including burlesque and dance line references. The results are worlds away from the 1990s era Britney Spears era of revealing tops and baggy pants, and urban dance moves that came before them.

But not everyone are convinced with this showgirl renaissance. An ex-showgirl, a one-time Jubilee! showgirl who performed in the 00s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word term is being “treated as an umbrella term including everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now apparently today's icons.”

The Coveted Retro Look

For younger and modern stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, a famous actress honored to one of Mackie’s earliest clients, Cher, when the actress wore a translucent embellished dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he made for Cher to wear in 1967. Subsequently, another pop star paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie fringed mini dress she had worn at an awards show to perform at the Grammys. In September, Carpenter wore a trio of vintage Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a popular item among vintage enthusiasts.

“This style evoke fond memories for a bygone era of glitz,” says a historian, an expert at the a Las Vegas university, who researches the story of showgirls. “Now it is considered a sort of ‘toned-down’ allure because it has been modified. It has got all the sophistication, the crystals and the glitter but without the exposure.”

A Than Simply Fashion: An Icon of Vegas

She says the showgirl image are integral to the iconography of Sin City. She points to ex-mayor Oscar Goodman who, during public appearances, was accompanied by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas does not host any showgirl-centric productions, the historian says they are still used as an emblem of the city, being present at corporate events and in marketing. “The showgirl is still a enduring symbol of Vegas glitz and glamour,” the expert says.

An Allure of Escape

Hardy says the transformative effect of a showgirl persona is part of the attraction. It’s something Taylor Swift hints at in a recent documentary series that captures the behind-the-scenes action from her massive 2023 Eras tour, which included gruelling practice sessions, gym sessions and 149 performances across multiple nations, each going on for 3.5 hours.

The performer describes her own nights in the spotlight as “like extreme physical exertion in stilettos every night”. Her headdress weighed 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the steps to the stage from the dressing rooms three floors below in the underground. I had to start early for my moment so I could catch my breath before I made my entrance. You’re working hard the whole time but creating this illusion that it’s effortless and gorgeous and ethereal.”

Maybe this is where the appeal of the showgirl fantasy really lies. In the chaos of 2025 there is a craving for a break from reality. What better figure to emulate than these performers, who have always embodied dreams, idealism and a world where no one misses a mark.