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Following a long-running run on the iconic Vegas strip, the dancers from the spectacle Jubilee! gave one last synchronised kick in 2016. The show, known for its intricate costumes crafted by celebrated designer Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to dwindling audience numbers and unimpressed commentators who called it a spectacle “stuck in the past”.

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

The Sultan of Sequins

Referred to as the “master of glitz”, Mackie has made theatrical showgirl glitz his signature style, clothing everyone from Hollywood icons to Madonna. Recently, a “barely-there” bodysuit he made for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, well over its projected value, while a shimmering beaded bodysuit with shiny wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200.

“I believe it looks more attractive for the younger performer who is desiring something other than what they were accustomed to”, he told a publication. “Contemporary performers are pushing toward a glamorous, more theatrical, breathtaking, memorable statement.”

A Musical Comeback

It’s a look that glided all the way to the centre of mainstream fashion in 2025 thanks to a global pop icon. Earlier this year, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s classic Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her 12th studio album. The crystal-covered bra and thong, plumed armbands and sparkly headpiece were ideal for a record titled The Life of a Showgirl.

The singer has company. This year, showgirl references have been incorporated by music artists including Dua Lipa as they danced across concert platforms in sequins, revealing designs and plumes, spotlighted against theatrical sets. A top stylist her creative director told Vogue he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the mid-century, Lipa’s dancers fluttered giant feathered fans.

Drawing from the Past

Modern stars and other hitmakers also take inspiration from classic entertainment forms, including vaudeville and ensemble references. The outcome are worlds away from the late-century Britney Spears era of short shirts and baggy pants, and urban dance moves that were popular earlier.

But some critics are enthusiastic with this showgirl renaissance. A former performer, a former Jubilee! showgirl who danced in the 2000s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “used as an broad label covering everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now even Taylor Swift.”

A Highly Sought-After Retro Style

For gen Z and young adult stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become highly covetable. In 2024, Zendaya paid tribute to one of Mackie’s iconic muses, Cher, when the actress wore a translucent sequined dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he created for Cher to wear in 1967. Later that year, a singer paid an private amount to buy the Mackie tasseled mini dress she had worn at an awards show to perform at the Grammys. In September, Sabrina Carpenter wore a collection of classic Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among collectors.

“This style evoke a sense of longing for a bygone era of glitz,” says Su Kim Chung, a curator at the University of Nevada, who studies the legacy of showgirls. “Currently it is viewed as a sort of ‘acceptable’ sexy because it has been modified. It has got all the glamour, the rhinestones and the glitter but without the bare skin.”

More Than Simply Fashion: An Symbol of Vegas

She says showgirls are central to the imagery of Sin City. She points to former mayor Oscar Goodman who, during civic functions, was accompanied by two showgirls. While Las Vegas currently lacks any showgirl-centric productions, Jung says they are still featured as an symbol of the city, showing up at corporate events and in marketing. “The showgirl is still a enduring icon of Vegas glamour,” Chung says.

The Allure of Transformation

Hardy says the complete change of a stage character is part of the allure. This idea Taylor Swift alludes to in a recent documentary series that shows the behind-the-scenes action from her year-long 2023 Eras tour, which included gruelling rehearsals, workouts and 149 performances across dozens of cities, each running for 3.5 hours.

Hardy describes her own showgirl performances as “like running a marathon in heels every night”. Her headpiece weighed 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the stairs to the performance area from the dressing rooms three floors below in the lower level. I had to leave early for my cue so I could recover before I went on stage. You’re perspiring the whole time but crafting this image that it’s simple and beautiful and dreamlike.”

Maybe this is where the appeal of the showgirl fantasy really resides. In the chaos of 2025 there is a craving for escapism. What better figure to turn to than these performers, who have always personified make-believe, idealism and a realm where no one makes a mistake.