Iconic fashion designer Bob Mackie’s cause of death was not pneumonia.
Mackie, widely known as the King of Camp, who adorned superstars such as Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus in fringes and glitter, died on September 14 in Palm Springs. He was 87 years old. The journalist first told The Associated Press that the famous designer died of pneumonia, but the death certificate obtained by Us Weekly paints a different picture.
The certificate states that Mackie’s cause of death was subarachnoid hemorrhage and blunt head trauma. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a type of stroke that involves bleeding in the space between the brain and the tissues covering the brain, says the Mayo Clinic.
According to media reports, the designer collapsed at the home of his longtime design director, Joseph McFate, on September 11 and died days later at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. The designer’s rep also shared that Mackie was staying at McFate’s home when he fell and was battling pneumonia at the time. “A healthcare professional was with him when he fell,” the representative said.
According to his death certificate, Mackie was cremated on September 17 and his ashes were scattered in San Diego.
“Costume designers have long been overlooked because of the importance of their work in creating and influencing mainstream contemporary fashion,” fellow fashion designer Tom Ford told The Times in a 2019 email. “Bob Mackie’s work has dramatically influenced fashion; many of the form-fitting, seemingly sheer and heavily beaded dresses worn on red carpets today are derived from his work for stars such as Diana Ross and Cher. Images of his costumes and gowns for these women became part of the fashion landscape of the 60s, 70s and 80s and, in my case, part of my constant references.”
“Her famous quote about her clothes being ‘for women who aren’t afraid to be noticed,'” Ford added, “is one of my mantras.”
Stars dressed by Mackie paid tribute to the designer after his death. Elton John stated that he was saddened by the news of Mackie’s death and said, “Every time I wore something Bob made, I felt very, very special. His costumes were works of art and he will be remembered as one of Hollywood’s most legendary designers ever.”
Cher also weighed in on the matter, posting a tribute to Mackie in