Bob Mackie — the legendary designer who dressed Cher in feathers, Carol Burnett in curtains, and Elton John in sequins — is taking JCPenney to court, claiming the retail giant hijacked his name and signature to sell clothes he never approved.
In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan, the 85-year-old designer said he was blindsided when JCPenney rolled out a “Mackie: Bob Mackie” apparel collection — without his consent or creative input. The line, marketed as “Hollywood glamour at accessible prices,” was created in collaboration with Bob Mackie Design Group, a company in which he still owns a 40% stake.
Mackie alleges the retailer deliberately launched the collection to coincide with the release of Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl album, whose cover art features a costume he designed. He says he would never have agreed to such a collaboration, arguing that a discount-store collection could tarnish his hard-earned reputation for luxury and artistry.
“The clothes don’t reflect the work he’s created over the years,” a spokesperson for Mackie said.
JCPenney’s parent company, Catalyst Brands of Plano, Texas — which also owns Aeropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand and Nautica — has not commented on the suit.
Mackie also filed a separate lawsuit against the Bob Mackie Design Group and its majority owner, Marc Schwartz, accusing them of mismanagement and overstepping their rights. The company fired back, calling his claims “completely baseless” and insisting it has full authority to use the Bob Mackie trademark.
The designer is seeking damages for false advertising, false association under trademark law, violation of his right of publicity, and deception of consumers.
Mackie’s career spans six decades of dazzling spectacle — from Cher’s iconic 1986 Academy Awards ensemble to Burnett’s “curtain rod” gown in her famed Went With the Wind parody. His legal fight now aims to ensure that his name, like his designs, remains uniquely his own.
