Dita Von Teese is one of the most famous burlesque dancers and has now become a role model for women everywhere. She grew up like most little girls wanting to be a ballerina, but when she discovered 1940’s cinema pin-up imagery and lingerie in her mom’s closet she found a new passion. From then on she worked at a lingerie store and went from ballet dancing to go-go dancing. She also studied historic costuming before she started strip teasing for the first time at age 20.
She has redefined her own unique definition of what sexy is and inspired women everywhere, she has made up her own. This inspiration she gives may be why women account for more than half of attendance for her shows. She began her career slowly, working in hole-in-the-wall gentlemen’s clubs, and back then they didn’t exactly understand her 1930’s look and burlesque dancing. She perfected her act, look, and costumes by designing her own costumes and doing her own hair and makeup for eight years, and in the meantime winning over the hearts of Betty Paige fans. Over a decade ago she was on the cover of Playboy in 2002 when she was 30, and today she is still number one in the burlesque business. She has stayed true to her roots.
Her success didn’t come easy, but with it she was made into an icon in the fashion industry. She has walked Jean Paul Gaultier’s runway, wears custom Louboutin pointe shoes in her performances, and sits front row at many fashion shows, including Marc Jacobs. She has started her own makeup and clothing and underwear line. Classics, her makeup collection is inspired by her vintage look, and her clothing and underwear line Von Follies pulls inspiration from her burlesque look as well. She has three different fragrances out and a beauty book, trench coat, and more lingerie in line for the future. All of these are affordable and hit both higher and lower price ranges, so her glamour is accessible and affordable for everyone.
She is a breath of fresh air from the usual blonde, tan, and insanely thin models seen on magazine covers. She has dark hair, porcelain skin, and a curvaceous figure, much more relatable than the usual sex symbols we see. She sums up her image in this sentence “It’s a different point of view of sexy, it’s about self-creation and personal empowerment through the creation of glamour.”
