The Cher concert in Cincinnati may have been postponed to September 14, 2020, at the Heritage Bank Center but you can still see some of her famous costumes on display at the Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington, KY once our quarantine time is lifted.
There are four of the diva’s costumes on display in the exhibit. They are on loan from a personal collection to the museum for the newest exhibit, “From Rituals to Runways: The Art of the Bead.” The costumes were mostly created using the tambour beading process. Famous Hollywood designer Bob Mackie is the designer of the costumes that were worn on the Sonny and Cher TV show during the 1960s and 1970s. When you visit the exhibit you can see the TV episodes playing in the exhibit that highlight the garments.
Bob Mackie was known for his flamboyant and over the top designs with rhinestone, feathers and beading galore. Mackie met Cher while he was working as a designer for “The Carol Burnett Show” When they debuted their musical variety show in 1971 Bob Mackie was selected at the head designer for the series. He created many of Cher’s iconic looks over the years.
The Blue and Cream Color, Phoenix Motif gown was worn on an episode of “The Sonny & Cher” show airing February 15, 1976, for the opening number performance when Cher was four months pregnant with her second child.
The Three-piece Orange Bell Bottoms outfit was worn by Cher on “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” episode that aired February 21, 1973, during Cher’s solo performance of “How Long Has This Been Going On?”
The Teal Three-Piece Phoenix dress was worn during Sonny and Cher’s last tour from May 1977 to December 1977.
If you have not seen Cher in concert make plans to catch the tour when it starts back up in the fall. It is truly magnificent to see her live. She still wears iconic costumes from the 1980s and ’90s and she tells the most wonderful stories from all of her years performing through the decades.