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After a three-decade tenure on the Las Vegas Boulevard, the showgirls from the spectacle Jubilee! executed their last perfectly timed kick in 2016. The production, famous for its ornate costumes created by American fashion designer Bob Mackie, ended its run due to falling audience numbers and critical reviewers who described it as a spectacle “trapped in time”.

Currently, almost a decade later, showgirls, or at least the showgirl style, is experiencing a revival.

The King of Sequins

Referred to as the “master of glitz”, Mackie has made dramatic stage sparkle his signature style, clothing everyone from Marilyn Monroe to music superstars. Earlier this month, a “naked” bodysuit he designed for Cher in 1978 sold for $57,600, far exceeding its projected value, while a metallic fringed bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 show sold for $19,200.

“I believe it looks more attractive for the new generation of stars who is looking for something other than what they were accustomed to”, he told a newspaper. “New stars are striving for a glamorous, more dramatic, breathtaking, memorable statement.”

The Pop Culture Comeback

It’s a look that sashayed all the way to the heart of popular culture in 2025 largely due to a global pop icon. In the past few months, the entertainment titan wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her latest record. The bedazzled bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and sparkly headpiece were ideal for a record titled The Life of a Showgirl.

The singer is part of a trend. This year, showgirl references have been embraced by singers including Sabrina Carpenter as they danced across world tours in sequins, cut-outs and plumes, spotlighted against camp sets. Her fashion curator her creative director mentioned in an interview with Vogue he wanted to bring “a showgirl attitude” to her Radical Optimism tour – inspired by pictures from the 1950s, her performers fluttered giant feathered fans.

Pulling from Tradition

Lipa, Carpenter and other chart toppers also reference classic performances, including burlesque and ensemble references. The outcome are worlds away from the 1990s era teen pop of short shirts and cargo pants, and street-style dance moves that were popular earlier.

But certain observers are enthusiastic with this showgirl revival. A former performer, a ex- Jubilee! showgirl who entertained in the early 2000s says the trend is “puzzling”. She thinks the word term is being “treated as an broad label including everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now seemingly Taylor Swift.”

A Highly Sought-After Classic Look

For younger and millennial stars, Mackie’s classic designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, a style icon honored to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the star wore a see-through sequined dress created by the designer in 2001, which was similar to one he created for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, another pop star paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie tasseled mini dress she had worn at an awards show to perform at the Grammys. In September, the singer wore a collection of retro Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a popular item among collectors.

“This style bring about a sense of longing for a bygone era of glitz,” says an archivist, an expert at the University of Nevada, who documents the legacy of showgirls. “Currently it is considered a sort of ‘safe’ allure because it has been modified. It has got all the glamour, the sparkles and the sparkle but without the nudity.”

More Than Just Fashion: An Symbol of the City

The expert says the showgirl image are integral to the imagery of Sin City. She points to former mayor Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was flanked by two showgirls. While Las Vegas no longer has any showgirl-centric productions, Jung says they are still employed as an symbol of the city, showing up at gatherings and in promotional material. “The showgirl is still a enduring figure of Las Vegas glamour,” she says.

The Allure of Escape

Nancy Hardy says the transformative effect of a showgirl persona is part of the attraction. It’s something the singer references in a recent behind-the-scenes film that documents the off-camera action from her massive 2023 Eras tour, which included gruelling rehearsals, gym sessions and 149 performances across dozens of cities, each running for 3.5 hours.

The performer explains her own showgirl performances as “similar to extreme physical exertion in heels every night”. Her feathered headdress weighed 34lbs. “I had to wear it all the way up the staircase to the platform from the dressing rooms three floors below in the underground. I had to head up ahead of time for my cue so I could rest before I made my entrance. One is working hard the whole time but crafting this illusion that it’s easy and stunning and magical.”

Maybe this is where the fascination of the showgirl really is found. In the busyness of 2025 there is a desire for a break from reality. What better figure to emulate than such icons, who have always embodied make-believe, flawlessness and a realm where no one falters.