Wes Gordon Calls Bob Mackie's Death a 'Tremendous Loss' for Fashion

Carolina Herrera designer Wes Gordon has described the death of Bob Mackie as a tremendous loss, saying the fashion world needs more dreamers like him.

Speaking in New York on 15 September 2026, Gordon said the industry was losing a figure who embodied beauty, glamour, fun and wit at a time when those qualities are increasingly rare.

"It is a tremendous loss because, you know, in this kind of AI, flat world we're living in and entering into, we need more of the dreamers and those who love beauty and glamor and fun and wit," Gordon said. "And I think few people championed that better than Bob Mackie."

Gordon, who leads the house of Carolina Herrera, framed Mackie's contribution as one of imagination and showmanship. His remarks placed Mackie among the designers who shaped a distinctly theatrical and joyful approach to dressing.

The tribute comes as the fashion industry continues to grapple with the influence of artificial intelligence, which Gordon suggested risks flattening the creative imagination that designers like Mackie represented.