How Tina Turner Got Bob Mackie to Help Create Her Classic Look: ‘Can We Make This Look Like a Cavewoman?’

Tina Turner’s sense of style was a big part of her career, both before and after she went solo

Tina Turner Split Tout

Left: Tina Turner in a Bob Mackie creation in 1977. Right: Tina Turner wearing a Bob Mackie outfit in 1979. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty; Gai Terrell/Redferns/Getty

When Tina Turner was reinventing herself as a solo artist, she knew who to turn to for help bringing her vision to life.

Bob Mackie recalls working with the late singer during a pivotal moment in her life and career in the new documentary Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion.

“She was in Hollywood, and she was appearing as a guest star by herself. And I go, ‘What’s going on?’ Evidently, she had left [her ex-husband and musical partner] Ike at that point, and she was like hiding out from Ike and moving from hotel to hotel with her assistant and doing these guest shots on The Sonny & Cher Show or The Cher Show and different things. And she was trying to make a career for herself,” he says.

Turner, who died in 2023 at age 83, worked with Mackie through her appearances on those shows and her friendship with Cher, and she enlisted his help.

“She got to know me because I was doing things on those variety shows and dressing her and she kind of went, ‘Oh, someone actually does this,’ ” he says.

Tina Turner with Cher circa 1985 in New York City.

Tina Turner (left) and Cher circa 1985.Robin Platzer/IMAGES/Getty

“She would buy cheap evening gowns in Paris in these little shops. And they weren’t great, but she’d like the fabric and bring it in, like, ‘Can we make this look like a cavewoman?’ ” he recalls.

“I said, ‘Yeah sure. Can I cut this a little higher? Can I pull this over here?’ And we would redo these funny inexpensive evening dresses into Tina Turner outfits.”

Recalling his time with Turner, Mackie recalls her being “really fun.”

“She’ll have a couple of glasses of wine and tell you the best stories ever,” he said. “I loved watching her backstage. She’d throw a couple of Tylenols in and put her high heels on and hit the stage. It was just crazy.”

Cher, Tina Turner and Kate Smith

Cher performing on ‘The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour’ with Tina Turner and Kate Smith in 1975..CBS via Getty

Mackie says Turner’s talent set her apart from the many who were trying to achieve greatness in the industry throughout her career.

“There’s certain people in this world that were born to be entertainers. They just are. They can’t help themselves. They’re just good. And she’s one of those,” he says.

“She just takes the audience and runs with it. Bette Midler is like that — there’s a lot of people like that. Cher kind of just stands there like, ‘Here I am. What do you think?’ But it’s a whole different attitude of performing.”

Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion is now playing in select theaters.