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Bob Mackie and Ray Aghayan

Bob Mackie is a designer of clothing for the likes of Cher, Joan Rivers and Judy Garland, just to name a few. He is a highly sought-after fashion icon who deserves recognition in his own right -- not to mention his epic partnership in love, and frequently in business, with Ray Aghayan.

Not very many people see Cher, and think how wonderful her designer must be. However, part of the magic of Bob Mackie is that he dresses the stars in a way that makes it feel natural, if not completely bonkers at the same time.

His partner, Aghayan, was a bigger name in fashion when Mackie began designing clothes for real. In fact, Aghayan hired his soon-to-bee-beau as an assistant, back when nobody had even heard of Mackie or his designs.

Both would later go on to take home the 1967 Emmy Award for their shared work in Alice Through the Looking Glass, the first time the Emmy's awarded a prize for costume design. Mackie is famous, or better yet infamous, for reportedly rejecting Cher's offer to design her costumes for one of her more recent tours.

However, with someone like Mackie, the truth always seems to be more about scheduling conflicts than drama, because even today, stars are honored to be dressed by this gay icon and legendary fashionisto.

Aghayan passed away at the age of 83 in 2011, leaving behind a legacy that included designing awe-inspiring costumes for films like Gaily, Gaily; Lady Sings the Blues and Funny Lady. Mackie runs his own label and not only makes all manner of dress, but also luggage and fragrances.

Coming out in the 60's is hard enough, but these two icons also broke down barriers and succeeded in their time and generations into the future. Bob Mackie and Ray Aghayah definitely quality as 'LGBT Role Models'  & talented fashion warriors...