30 Years of Jubilee!

This weekend Bally's Las Vegas will be hosted the 30th Anniversary performance of it's hit show Jubilee!  I'm super stoked for them, but bummed, since I couldn't be there.  I have been obsessed with that show and it's history since I first heard about it when reading Bob Mackie's book Unmistakably Mackie.  Mr. Mackie's designs for this show are truly breathtaking.

I found these wonderful pictures that I hope you enjoy.  I don't know much about the history but it looks like they were taken during rehearsals in 1981.  I love seeing the behind the scenes glimpses.  The making of Jubilee is just as fascinating as the show itself.

 Mr. Mackie finessing the ladies is his designs.

 Looks like he giving them some pointers, he undoubtedly picked up some moves from Cher.

A magazine article showing the costumes in full color - awesome! 

I found the costume sketch for the outfits... I love Mr. Mackie's illustration style.

I wonder if anyone from the show can confirm if these costumes are still in Jubilee!  When I saw it I was dazzled by the whirlwind of sequins and feathers and I can't be certain if I saw them.  I can't wait to return to Vegas and see the show again!  

Mr. Mackie's talents are endless and I hope that one day I will be able to work along side him.  Knowing a designer's history is key.  This tells you where they have come from and you are educated in their work and style.  This allows you to stay true to the original intention and aesthetic the designer has developed as their signature.  Since beginning this blog Mr. Mackie's work has become an even deeper passion of mine.  I love learning new things about him and his rich history.  I look forward to the day when I can learn new things directly from the master himself.

-Philip Estrada 

Drum Roll Please....

Here is the moment you've all been waiting for!  The zany video I promised you has finally arrived!  I honor of reaching 100 likes on the Facebook page I present to you me dancing around to Cher's "Song For the Lonely" celebrating the awesomeness that is Bob  Mackie!

I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it!  Don't forget to tell eveyone you've ever met to "Like" the Facebook page.  After all, imagine what I'll do for 500 likes.

-Philip Estrada

Sequined Cuffs - Half Full

I finished sequinning one of the cuffs for my Halloween costume!!  That means I only need to sequin 1 more!  1 of 2 equals 1/2!  I have reached the half way point and I could NOT be happier!  Now I have to back the cuff with fabric and line it so it can be attached to the jacket... which will also have sequins on it.  How could Mr. Mackie not love this AMAZ-BLING Baby?!

 - Philip Estrada

Bob Mackie Art Event

In honor of the Bob Mackie Art event today I thought I share with you a little Bob Mackie Illustration gem!  Wouldn't mind having this beautiful lady hanging on my wall, if you know what I mean.

- Philip Estrada

Sequin Progress - Coming Along Nicely

Just a little progress report on the cuffs to my Halloween Costume.  As you can see I'm over 1/2 done with the purple sequin portions.  On the purple sections I've bee alternating the direction of the sequins to accentuate the movement in the design.  To think there is a second cuff that has to be sequined.  I never said I was an underachiever!  I think Bob Mackie would be proud...  What do you think?

-Philip Estrada

Sketchy Lady

I was sketching today and this lovely lady came to me.  I have a pretty large bag of big sew-on rhinestones at home and they need to be used up.  Maybe I'll make a "nude illusion" gown that Bob Mackie is famous for.  It could be encrusted with strategically placed crystals with a super dramatic white fur stole.  Great for the gal on the go.  She's giving me visions of Marlene Dietrich during her stage act days and I loving it!

What do you guys and gals think?

- Philip Estrada

Lederhosen

I was sketching out ideas for Halloween.  Since I'll be the Wicked Witch the BF is gonna be a Male version of Dorothy.  We decided on blue gingham lederhson.  Here is a quick sketch I did in my notebook.... more to come!

-Philip Estrada

The Internet - Now With More MACKIE!

Lately I have been exploring the world of Web Series and Podcasts.  One of my faves is “Kevin Pollak's Chat Show”.  It's great he's been streaming live weekly shows from his website for almost 2 years.  The format is pretty simple.  He sits down with a person of note (usually a celeb) and chats with them for around an hour and a half to two.  I honestly think Bob Mackie would make a wonderful guest but we'll deal with that later.  Kevin Pollak has managed to turn an unpaid rag tag team of people into a show that has live weekly viewers up to a thousand at a time.  The wonderful thing about the show is that they still retain they’re motto from the first show, “We aren't ready.”  The chat show archives are now hosted as a pay to download audio podcast on iTunes and Amazon.com has started carrying them as a DVD for purchase as well.  On Kevin’s website the full videos of the show are hosted with short commercials inserted periodically.  This helps pay his crew for their time.  I've been watching the show for about a year now and it makes me really happy to see them succeed.

This got me thinking about my future BFF and employer Mr. Mackie.  Bob needs to get in on this racket.  People love Bob Mackie because his charm is undeniable and infectious.  So here’s my pitch!

There have been rumblings about Cher working on a new studio album.  With a new album comes a world wide tour.  Since it's a Cher tour Mackie will be called upon once again to make her look amazing 30 times over.  This is where the web series comes in.   How fascinating would it be to have a documentary film crew follow the Bob Mackie and team on the journey from first sketch to first concert?!  The film could be released directly on bobmackie.com in 15-30 minute weekly episodes in conjunction with the start of Cher’s tour.  The episodes will most likely go viral and gain more and more viewers as the weeks progress and additional episodes are posted.

The concept reminds me of “Signe Chanel,” a documentary series (5 half hour episodes) that was filmed in 2005.  The crew filmed at the Chanel couturier as they prepared and eventually showed the Chanel Haute Couture collection by Karl Lagerfeld.  The show is fascinating because it focuses mostly on the process and the human drama of producing these amazing works of art. 

Having the pleasure of meeting Mr. Mackie I would bet that the tone of his documentary would be equally if not more beautiful!  Seeing Bob Mackie illustrate and present his ideas to Cher could be an episode all on its own.  Seeing his ladies sequin and bead bringing Cher’s costumes to life would be amazing to watch in time lapse sequences.  I’m actually salivating at the idea of watching this series and it is only an idea!  Having this kind of access inside the world of Bob Mackie could potentially secure this project as one of the “go to” fashion industry films.

Releasing the film for free is a great marketing tool since the Internet was founded on the concept of sharing art and information for free.  Many big names in Hollywood have been making internet specific content for a while now.  Will Ferrell and many other big name stars, including Academy Award Winners, have been working with FunnyorDie.com to shoot short form comedy videos, Joss Wheden shot “Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” with Neil Patrick Harris, specifically for internet distribution in 2008, Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube, even the White House is posting videos online.  Major TV networks have recently gotten on the “internet specific content” band wagon as a means to promote their weekly programs and bring in additional advertising revenue.  If the Bob Mackie bills really do need to get paid then he can go the route of Vimeo, and have a short commercial at the beginning of each video for ad dollars.  It makes sense for Mr. Mackie to utilize this tool to his advantage.  It will easily bolster his street cred with this new tech-savy generation that is poised and ready for new and fascinating content.

I would love to watch this series let alone work on this project.  I wonder what the Bob Mackie fans think about the idea of a webseries?  Thoughts?

- Philip Estrada

Sequin Progress - Enter the Purple

A new color enters... A challenger to Black from a far of land.  His name is Midnight Purple.  They say he has the fastest fists of all the Cobra Kai's pupils.  I may be mixing my karate movie references but who cares!  The purple sequin portions on my cuffs are starting to look AMAZBLING!!

What do you guys think?!

-Philip Estrada