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After a three-decade run on the Las Vegas strip, the performers from the revue Jubilee! executed their last choreographed kick in 2016. The production, famous for its ornate costumes designed by American fashion designer Bob Mackie, came to an end due to declining audience numbers and critical reviewers who called it a spectacle “a relic of another era”.

Today, roughly eight years later, the showgirl, or at least the showgirl style, is making a comeback.

A King of Glitz

Referred to as the “sultan of sequins”, Mackie has made over-the-top showgirl glamour his signature style, outfitting everyone from Hollywood icons to music superstars. Recently, a “naked” bodysuit he made for Cher in 1978 fetched $57,600, seven times its estimated price, while a shimmering tasseled bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie designed for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200.

“I think it looks more appealing for the new generation of stars who is looking for something other than what they knew from childhood”, he stated in an interview with a media outlet. “New stars are embracing a show-stopping, more theatrical, breathtaking, memorable statement.”

A Musical Revival

It’s a look that made its way all the way to the epicenter of mainstream fashion in 2025 propelled by a global pop icon. Recently, the entertainment titan wore one of Mackie’s vintage Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her latest record. The bedazzled bra and thong, plumed armbands and sparkly headpiece were tailor-made for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.

She isn't alone. This year, showgirl references have been embraced by pop stars including Sabrina Carpenter as they danced across arena stages in sequins, cut-outs and ostrich feathers, spotlighted against overstated sets. Lipa’s stylist her creative director mentioned in an interview with a style publication he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the mid-century, Lipa’s dancers waved giant ostrich feather fans.

Pulling from Tradition

These artists and other hitmakers also take inspiration from historical performances, including classic theater and ensemble references. The final look are poles apart from the late-century Britney Spears era of revealing tops and baggy pants, and hip-hop inspired dance moves that preceded this trend.

But some critics are enthusiastic with this glamour resurgence. A former performer, a former Jubilee! showgirl who danced in the 00s says the trend is “confusing”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “employed as an broad label covering 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 extremely desirable. In 2024, Zendaya honored to one of Mackie’s earliest clients, Cher, when the actor wore a translucent sequined dress created by the designer in 2001, which was similar to one he designed for Cher to wear in 1967. Later that year, Miley Cyrus paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie tasseled mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, Carpenter wore a collection of retro Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among fashion collectors.

“This style bring about fond memories for a past glamour,” says a historian, head of special collections at the a Las Vegas university, who documents the legacy of showgirls. “Currently it is considered a sort of ‘toned-down’ sexy because it has been adapted. It has got all the glamour, the rhinestones and the glitter but without the bare skin.”

A Than Simply Style: An Symbol of Vegas

Chung says showgirls are integral to the imagery of Las Vegas. She points to former mayor Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was accompanied by two showgirls. While Las Vegas does not host any showgirl-based productions, Jung says they are still used as an symbol of the city, appearing at gatherings and in marketing. “The showgirl is still a enduring symbol of Vegas glitz and glamour,” the expert says.

The Allure of Illusion

The former showgirl says the complete change of a showgirl is part of the appeal. This is a notion the singer hints at in a latest docuseries that captures the backstage action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included exhausting preparations, training and 149 shows across multiple nations, each lasting 3.5 hours.

The performer explains her own nights in the spotlight as “comparable to completing an endurance race in stilettos every night”. Her headpiece tipped the scales at 34lbs. “I had to wear it all the way up the stairs to the stage from the dressing rooms three floors below in the basement. I had to leave early for my entrance so I could catch my breath before I went on stage. You’re working hard the whole time but crafting this image that it’s simple and stunning and ethereal.”

Maybe this is where the true allure of the showgirl fantasy really resides. In the busyness of 2025 there is a desire for fantasy. What better figure to emulate than showgirls, who have always represented make-believe, flawlessness and a realm where nobody falters.