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Following a 31-year tenure on the Las Vegas strip, the showgirls from the production Jubilee! gave one last choreographed kick in 2016. The extravaganza, renowned for its intricate costumes crafted by American fashion designer Bob Mackie, came to an end due to dwindling audience numbers and critical reviewers who labeled it a spectacle “trapped in time”.

Now, nearly ten years later, the showgirl persona, or at least the showgirl style, is experiencing a revival.

A Sultan of Glitz

Known as the “king of sparkle”, Mackie has made theatrical stage sparkle his trademark look, dressing everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Madonna. In a recent auction, a “see-through” bodysuit he made for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, far exceeding its estimated price, while a metallic tasseled bodysuit with shiny wings that Mackie designed for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert 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 were accustomed to”, he explained to a publication. “Today's artists are pushing toward a glamorous, more dramatic, breathtaking, grand statement.”

A Musical Revival

It’s a look that made its way all the way to the heart of popular culture in 2025 thanks to a chart-topping superstar. In the past few months, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her latest record. The crystal-covered bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and shimmering headpiece were tailor-made for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.

Swift has company. This year, glamorous nods have been adopted by music artists including Dua Lipa as they whizzed across concert platforms in sequins, revealing designs and feathers, highlighted against theatrical sets. Her fashion curator Lorenzo Posocco explained to Vogue he wanted to bring “a stage persona” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the 50s, the backup dancers fluttered giant plumed accessories.

Drawing from the Past

Modern stars and other chart toppers also reference historical entertainment forms, including burlesque and ensemble references. The outcome are worlds away from the 90s pop style of revealing tops and cargo pants, and urban dance moves that were popular earlier.

But some critics are convinced with this glamour resurgence. An ex-showgirl, a one-time Jubilee! showgirl who danced in the 00s says the trend is “confusing”. She thinks the word showgirl title is being “treated as an catch-all phrase encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now apparently Taylor Swift.”

The Coveted Vintage Look

For younger and modern stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become extremely desirable. In 2024, Zendaya paid tribute to one of Mackie’s iconic muses, Cher, when the actor wore a translucent beaded dress created by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he created for Cher to wear in 1967. Subsequently, Miley Cyrus paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie fringed mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, the singer wore a trio of retro Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a hit among vintage enthusiasts.

“Showgirls bring about a sense of longing for a historical elegance,” says an archivist, head of special collections at the an academic institution, who documents the story of showgirls. “Currently it is seen as a sort of ‘toned-down’ appeal because it has been modified. It has got all the elegance, the crystals and the sparkle but without the bare skin.”

A Than Simply Style: An Icon of the City

The expert says showgirls are central to the imagery of Las Vegas. She points to former mayor Oscar Goodman who, during public appearances, was flanked by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas currently lacks any traditional showgirl productions, Chung says they are still employed as an logo of the city, appearing at gatherings and in advertisements. “The showgirl is still a lasting figure of Las Vegas glitz and glamour,” Chung says.

The Appeal of Transformation

Hardy says the magical transformation of a stage character is part of the attraction. This idea the singer alludes to in a recent behind-the-scenes film that shows the off-camera action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included intense rehearsals, gym sessions and numerous performances across dozens of cities, each going on for 3.5 hours.

Hardy explains her own stage routines as “like completing an endurance race in high heels every night”. Her headpiece weighed 34lbs. “I had to support it all the way up the stairs to the platform from the backstage area three floors below in the lower level. I had to head up ahead of time for my moment so I could recover before I went on stage. You’re sweating the whole time but creating this fantasy that it’s effortless and beautiful and magical.”

Perhaps this is where the fascination of the showgirl fantasy really is found. In the chaos of 2025 there is a craving for fantasy. Who better to turn to than such icons, who have always personified dreams, idealism and a universe where no one misses a mark.