Iconic designer Bob Mackie receives SLO Film Festival’s highest honor

Iconic costume designer Bob Mackie is one of the most lauded designers of our times — and on Monday night he received one more accolade to add to his ever-growing collection.

Mackie was presented with the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival’s highest honor, the King Vidor Award for Excellence in Filmmaking, presented by Cal Poly theatre professor Thomas Bernard.

The award is named after prolific director and former San Luis Obispo County resident King Vidor, who at one point held the Guinness Book of World Records distinction of having the longest career as a film director. The award is given each year to “the industry’s most deserving honorees,” according to the Film Festival website.

For Mackie, the award offered an opportunity to think about his role in filmmaking and his history.

“Sometimes (awards) are lovely and very complimentary,” Mackie told The Tribune. “There’s nothing I can relate to that man (King Vidor), one of the beginning people in movies, yet in a way there can be, I guess.”

A reception and ceremony awaited Mackie and Joe McFate, design director for Bob Mackie Designs, as members of the SLO community and filmmakers came to support and celebrate the designer.

“He’s certainly not telling women to hide in the shadows,” director of “Magic Hour” Jacqueline Christy said. “He’s saying boldly take the spotlight and own it, and I really am aligned with that philosophy.”

How did legendary designer, King Vidor award winner get start?

The nine-time Emmy winner for best costumes in film, musicals and series was behind the camera for 64 years, crafting designs for stars like Cher, Carol Burnett, Tina Turner, Mitzi Gaynor and Elton John.

“When you design for a star, you have to know a star that performs, sings, dances, acts, you have to really know how they work, how they stand, what’s the best thing they do?” Mackie said. “You design for that very thing.”

The costume designer’s career started in 1961, where he would sketch designs at Paramount, later moving on to The Carol Burnett Show, where he created over 17,000 costumes, according to the documentary.

Now Mackie is moving from behind the curtain to the silver screen with his new documentary detailing his work.

“Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” began filming with director Matthew Miele in 2019, but the documentary hit a speed bump with the pandemic, slowing down production.

“Then it got picked back up,” McFate told The Tribune. “He added a few more interviews — Miley Cyrus. We got momentum again.”

“Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” released in 2024 and its title is a play on words, Mackie said.

The curtain was peeled back for the audience to learn more about his personal life, as well as the designs and stars.

“If you’re doing a documentary of any kind, you need to be as honest as you can be,” he said. “Otherwise, what does it mean?”

Mackie’s sketches came to life in the film — designs for Hollywood starlets turned into motion graphics and animate themselves on screen as active drawings, with pops of color to create the existing design. Designs for TV stars, Barbie dolls, Broadway shows and runway were a few in the mix.

“The thing I loved in there was the way they took my sketches and they broke them down to line drawings, and then they started putting in the color,” he said. “It was like watching somebody draw it.”

As for what’s next for the designer, a Las Vegas show is in the works, and another Barbie doll will be released with his design shortly, he said.

“Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” is available to rent or buy on Amazon’s Prime Video.

For more information on the King Vidor recipient, visit his website.

SLO Film Festival coming to a close

Meanwhile the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival continues Tuesday with its closing night festivities

That includes the announcement of the Jury and Audience Award winners, as well as a screening of “Coastal,” directed by filmmaker and actress Daryl Hannah. The film gives the audience a behind-the-scenes look at Hannah’s husband and “maverick musician” Neil Young as “he cruises the coast on his recent solo tour,” according to previous Tribune reporting.

A Q&A with the pair will follow the screening.