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Following a long-running run on the Las Vegas Boulevard, the dancers from the production 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 disappointed commentators who described it as a spectacle “stuck in the past”.

Today, almost a decade later, showgirls, or at least the showgirl aesthetic, is experiencing a revival.

A King of Glitz

Referred to as the “master of glitz”, Mackie has made dramatic showgirl glitz his defining aesthetic, clothing everyone from Marilyn Monroe to pop royalty. Earlier this month, a “see-through” bodysuit he created for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, seven times its estimated price, while a metallic beaded bodysuit with lamé wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 show sold for $19,200.

“In my view it looks more enticing for the younger performer who is looking for something other than what they knew from childhood”, he explained to a media outlet. “Today's artists are embracing a glamorous, more theatrical, breathtaking, grand statement.”

A Mainstream Resurgence

It’s a look that glided all the way to the centre of the cultural zeitgeist in 2025 propelled by a global pop icon. Earlier this year, the music phenomenon wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her new musical project. The crystal-covered bra and thong, plumed armbands and sparkly headpiece were tailor-made for a record titled The Life of a Showgirl.

The singer has company. This year, showgirl references have been adopted by pop stars including Miley Cyrus as they whizzed across world tours in sequins, strategic openings and feathers, highlighted against theatrical sets. Her fashion curator Lorenzo Posocco mentioned in an interview with a fashion magazine he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – inspired by pictures from the 1950s, Lipa’s dancers fluttered giant ostrich feather fans.

Pulling from Tradition

Modern stars and other chart toppers also take inspiration from 19th-century performances, including burlesque and ensemble references. The results are vastly different from the late-century pop style of crop tops and utilitarian trousers, and urban dance moves that were popular earlier.

But certain observers are convinced with this showgirl revival. A former performer, a former Jubilee! showgirl who entertained in the 2000s says the trend is “puzzling”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “used as an umbrella term encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now seemingly modern pop stars.”

The Highly Sought-After Retro Look

For younger and millennial stars, Mackie’s classic designs have become highly covetable. In 2024, Zendaya gave a nod to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the star wore a translucent beaded dress made by the designer in 2001, which was inspired by one he made for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, Miley Cyrus paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie beaded mini dress she had worn earlier in the year to perform at the Grammys. In September, Sabrina Carpenter wore a collection of retro Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among collectors.

“Showgirls bring about fond memories for a historical elegance,” says an archivist, head of special collections at the a Las Vegas university, who documents the legacy of showgirls. “Currently it is viewed as a sort of ‘acceptable’ sexy because it has been adapted. It has got all the sophistication, the crystals and the glitter but without the exposure.”

More Than Simply Fashion: An Symbol of Vegas

Chung says showgirls are central to the identity of Vegas. She points to former mayor Oscar Goodman who, during public appearances, was flanked by two showgirls. Even though Las Vegas no longer has any showgirl-centric productions, Chung says they are still used as an logo of the city, being present at conventions and in promotional material. “The showgirl is still a enduring icon of Las Vegas spectacle,” she says.

An Appeal of Illusion

Hardy says the magical transformation of a stage character is part of the allure. This is a notion the singer references in a recent docuseries that shows the backstage action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included intense preparations, workouts and numerous concerts across dozens of cities, each running for 3.5 hours.

She recalls her own showgirl performances as “similar to running a marathon in high heels every night”. Her headpiece was 34lbs. “I had to wear it all the way up the stairs to the platform from the backstage area three floors below in the basement. I had to head up ahead of time for my entrance so I could catch my breath before I made my entrance. One is sweating the whole time but crafting this illusion that it’s simple and beautiful and ethereal.”

It could be this is where the fascination of the showgirl really resides. In the busyness of 2025 there is a longing for a break from reality. Is there anyone better to turn to than these performers, who have always embodied make-believe, idealism and a realm where no one misses a mark.