Dita Von Teese

Profession: Burlesque Model
Place/Date of Birth: Michigan, USA, 28 September 1972

Dita to front Wonderbra campaign - Jan 21 2008
Dita Von Teese will be the new face of Wonderbra, the lingerie brand has announced.

The burlesque performer - who was once married to shock rocker Marilyn Manson - is also designing her own limited edition collection of Wonderbra underwear. The star's designs will draw on 1940s lingerie styles and vintage underwear fashion.

The 35-year-old celeb will model the new collection for a Wonderbra photo shoot in Paris in the next few weeks.

Michigan-born Dita said of her new project: "I really hope that with this new range I can share my passion for sensual, wearable lingerie that will add a touch of glamour to people's everyday lives."

A spokeswoman for Wonderbra said that Dita's glamorous personal style made her a natural fit for the brand.

Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese is set to hit stores in the UK and France in September this year.

Dita brings burlesque to the masses - Nov 23 2007
She’s the world’s most famous burlesque dancer and Dita Von Teese is bringing her special seductive moves to the UK.

The Tinselown performer, who was once married to rocker Marilyn Manson, wowed the public as she signed copies of Burlesque and The Art Of The Teese at Waterstone’s in London

She is also set to entertain crowds at the Erotica show at Olympia - where she will perform her seductive Bird of Paradise Show, Carousel Horse and Feather Fan dances.

Since her first appearance on the showbiz stage, the 35-year-old has brought the art of burlesque to the mainstream.

She said recently: "Many people are learning about the whole burlesque revival. The more people see you, one person talks to another, they start talking about retro burlesque. It’s the buzz and all the rage right now.

"I am trying to appeal to the average person. I am trying not to be too fetishy or hard-core. Different people do burlesque in different ways. I decided to go in the mainstream direction. I think that my look can appeal to wider fan base."

Dita set for dancer role - Nov 1 2007
Dita Von Teese is reportedly set to play the lead role in Martha Fiennes’ biopic of dancer Mata Hari.

The new film will explore the life of the exotic Dutch dancer, who was executed for spying in the First World War.

Martha told the Independent: "Dita has done a little acting before and I think she can handle it. In fact, I approached her myself. She is perfect for the part."

She continued: "I have written the script but it will probably need some developing so don’t expect filming for another eight to 10 months."

The 35-year-old burlesque performer, who used to be married to Marilyn Manson, is also starring as a young stripper in The Boom Boom Room, which is currently in pre-production.

The flick will ben shot at country star Willie Nelson’s Texas ranch and also stars Nelson and Katherine Helmond.

Fur-loving Dita - Oct 2 2007
Dita Von Teese may be the new star of PETA’s new campaign but she’s going to keep wearing her beloved fur. And the animal rights organisation has said it’s fine with that.

"PETA’s totally aware of me," Dita told People.com before performing her signature burlesque act in fox fur at an AIDS benefit.

"I’m not working with PETA to tell people to be vegetarians or to stop wearing fur. I am there to strictly speak about spaying and neutering your pets."

And PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) confirms that it was aware of the actress’ fur affections before approaching her to star in the Animal Birth Control campaign.

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Biography

Famed for her bountiful body and bringing burlesque back into the fashionable mainstream, it was her rocky relationship to Marilyn Manson that brought Dita Von Teese international recognition.

Originally hitting the stage at the tender age of 13, Dita started her training as a classical ballet dancer and continues to use techniques such as en pointe in her shows today.

Her mother, a Golden-era Hollywood fan, and 1940’s actresses such as Betty Grable, first inspired Ditas trademark 1940’s retro attire. It’s rumoured that her passion for elaborate undergarments stems from glimpsing images in her father’s Playboy magazines. In her teens she went on to work at a lingerie store where she bought her first corset, whilst at college she trained as a costume designer.

At nineteen, Dita branched out into the world of strip joints and glamour modelling, before eventually dipping her toe into world of fetishism. Her retro look caught a lot of attention, as did her notoriety as a ‘tightlacer’ – corseting her waistline down to a tiny 16 and half inches. She appeared in a number of fetish magazines as well as bound and partially suspended for the book cover of ‘The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage’.

In 1999 her career came full circle as she posed for Playboy.

Dubbed ‘The Queen of Burlesque’, Dita demonstrates that rare quality of being a sexual icon for both men and women. Her appearances in men’s mags such as Playboy are coupled with her popularisation of New Burlesque, which has been championed by women as an opportunity to reclaim their sexuality through a seductive and powerful medium.

Her shows have become famous for their props and routines, including giant martini glasses, feather fans and carousel horse.

She began dating Marilyn Manson in 2001, Manson proposed in 2004 with a 1930s 7-carat diamond ring, and they were wed in 2005. Despite the celebrity furore surrounding the couple, the marriage was short lived with Dita filing for divorce in 2006. She maintains that the breakdown occurred due to Manson’s continued drug use and on going extra marital relationship with Evan Rachel Wood.

January 2008

Star Ratings