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Following a three-decade tenure on the iconic Vegas strip, the dancers from the revue Jubilee! gave one last synchronised kick in 2016. The extravaganza, known for its intricate costumes designed by style icon Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to declining audience numbers and unimpressed critics who called it a spectacle “trapped in time”.

Currently, almost a decade later, showgirls, or at least the glamorous showgirl look, is making a comeback.

A Sultan of Sequins

Dubbed the “sultan of sequins”, Mackie has made over-the-top stage sparkle his trademark look, outfitting everyone from Hollywood icons to pop royalty. Earlier this month, a “see-through” bodysuit he created for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, far exceeding its projected value, while a metallic fringed bodysuit with lamé wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 performance sold for $19,200.

“In my view it looks more attractive for the new generation of stars who is seeking something other than what they grew up with”, he told a publication. “Contemporary performers are striving for a theatrical, more dramatic, show-stopping, entrance-making statement.”

The Mainstream Resurgence

It’s a look that made its way all the way to the epicenter of the cultural zeitgeist in 2025 propelled by a global pop icon. Earlier this year, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her 12th studio album. The crystal-covered bra and thong, feathered armbands and sparkly headpiece were ideal for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.

She has company. This year, showgirl references have been incorporated by music artists including Sabrina Carpenter as they whizzed across arena stages in sequins, cut-outs and ostrich feathers, highlighted against theatrical sets. A top stylist Lorenzo Posocco explained to a fashion magazine he wanted to bring “a stage persona” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the 50s, Lipa’s dancers wafted giant ostrich feather fans.

Drawing from Tradition

Lipa, Carpenter and other hitmakers also draw on 19th-century performances, including classic theater and dance line references. The results are vastly different from the 90s Britney Spears era of crop tops and utilitarian trousers, and hip-hop inspired dance moves that came before them.

But some critics are enthusiastic with this showgirl renaissance. A former performer, a former Jubilee! showgirl who danced in the 00s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word term is being “treated as an broad label covering everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now apparently modern pop stars.”

A Highly Sought-After Retro Look

For millennial and millennial stars, Mackie’s classic designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, Zendaya paid tribute to one of Mackie’s earliest clients, Cher, when the actress wore a translucent sequined dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was similar to one he created for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, Miley Cyrus paid an private amount to buy the Mackie fringed mini dress she had worn at an awards show to perform at the Grammys. In September, the singer wore a series of classic Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among vintage enthusiasts.

“The showgirl aesthetic inspire fond memories for a bygone era of glitz,” says Su Kim Chung, a curator at the an academic institution, who researches the story of showgirls. “Today it is seen as a sort of ‘acceptable’ allure because it has been modified. It has got all the sophistication, the rhinestones and the shine but without the nudity.”

A Than Simply Style: An Icon of Vegas

Chung says showgirls are central to the identity of Sin City. She points to former mayor Oscar Goodman who, during public appearances, was surrounded by two showgirls. Even though Las Vegas no longer has any showgirl-based productions, Chung says they are still featured as an emblem of the city, being present at corporate events and in promotional material. “The showgirl is still a remaining figure of Las Vegas glamour,” Chung says.

The Appeal of Transformation

Hardy says the complete change of a showgirl is part of the attraction. This is a notion the singer hints at in a recent documentary series that shows the backstage action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included intense rehearsals, gym sessions and 149 concerts across multiple nations, each lasting 3.5 hours.

The performer describes her own showgirl performances as “like completing an endurance race in stilettos every night”. Her headpiece tipped the scales at 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the staircase to the performance area from the dressing rooms three floors below in the underground. I had to start early for my moment so I could rest before I performed. You are sweating the whole time but crafting this image that it’s effortless and beautiful and ethereal.”

It could be this is where the true allure of the showgirl really is found. In the chaos of 2025 there is a longing for escapism. What better figure to emulate than such icons, who have always personified make-believe, flawlessness and a universe where no one misses a mark.