In 1991 Bob Mackie staged a spectacular to end all spectaculars at the Hotel Macklowe, the hotel turned into an effective place to hold fashion shows. The fashion was set for the spring “Ready To Wear Collection” of 1992. As many as 700 people could be shoehorned into the theater there, one of two sites for fashion shows at the hotel.
The Mackie production rivaled many Broadway shows both in concept and execution. A costume designer in Hollywood for many years, Mr. Mackie proved that he could also function as a director and producer.
Mackie built his show around eight American women whom he called the remarkable originals of the 20th century with their own particular achievements, styles and charisma.
Lucille Ball, Mary Martin, Martha Graham, Betty Boop, Diana Vreeland, Rita Hayworth, Billie Holiday and Grace Kelly were the women who inspired the clothes as well as the production. Each icon was portrayed by one of the popular 1990s models, who usually played themselves on the runway. With the aid of wigs, hair ornaments and the clothes they wore, the models became their characters.
“Bob gave us the gestures and told us about the women, and then we did our homework,” said Dianne deWitt, who portrayed Grace Kelly.
Jan Strimple, who impersonated Lucille Ball in a curly red wig, said that Mackie is a great director.
Not only were the clothes in the regular collection keyed to the personalities, but at the end, a wedding dress was shown in the style of each of the women. There were a short beaded dress for Betty Boop, a draped white jersey style for Miss Graham, a bouffant 1950’s dress with petticoats for Lucille Ball, and so on.
At one moment, the show seemed so hot that smoke began drifting from backstage. A technician later said there was no fire, he was simply operating a smoke machine to establish the right mood for the Billie Holiday sequence.
Mr. Mackie’s remarkable achievement was that he sustained his various moods through a variety of dresses. His clothes looked contemporary and also suggested the women who inspired them.
So there were full skirts and tiny waistlines for Lucille Ball, neat cotton dresses for Mary Martin, sex-kitten styles all in black and often embroidered with hearts for Betty Boop, seductive black dresses for Billie Holliday, pale taffeta dresses for Grace Kelly. For Mrs. Vreeland, there were a lot of red styles; for Rita Hayworth jeweled white dresses, and for Martha Graham, black cloaks over dramatic jersey or beaded dresses.
Echoes of the 1950’s were strong. Mr. Mackie staged a tour de force. It is true that fashion shows have been getting more theatrical for years. It was unlikely that anything would surpass this one in context or entertainment in the near future.
Boop-Boop-Be-Doop ♥ 