Dita Von Teese

SUCH A TEESE: An intimate look into the Fetish Queen's realm of Modern Burlesque

"People who follow all the rules and chase every trend tend to get forgotten - they look great,
but they’re not as memorable."
- Dita Von Teese

If there’s one thing Dita Von Teese doesn’t have to worry about, it’s being forgotten. Born Heather Renee Sweet, Von Teese is widely acknowledged as the “Queen of Burlesque,” and is credited as playing a pivotal role in the re-popularization of the art form. Her fascination with the Golden-Age era of film and vintage clothing began as a young girl and developed into a love of fashion; she studied historic costume design in college and aspired to become a stylist to the stars. Little did she know that the star she would be styling was herself…

As a model, Von Teese rose to acclaim in the fetish industry, which opened the doors to her first Playboy appearance in 1999. Although her burlesque career began as early as 1992, she wouldn’t adopt her stage name until her breakthrough Playboy cover in 2002. The selection process was part intention and part happy accident; “Dita” is a nod to the silent film actress, Dita Parlo. “Von Teese” was initially “Von Treese,” a surname she found in the phonebook. Playboy actually misprinted it as “Von Teese,” a version she favored and kept.

Von Teese is best known for including dazzlingly outrageous props into her dance routines, including a human-sized birdcage, a carousel horse, a claw foot tub with functioning shower head, a giant powder compact and perhaps most notably, a massive martini glass. She was the first official guest star at the legendary Crazy Horse Paris in 2006, and has been sought out for a number of music videos, including Green Day’s “Redundant,” the Royal Crown Revue’s “Zip Gun Pop” and Agent Provocateur & Shakespears Sister's cover of the Joy Division classic “She’s Lost Control.” She was also featured in the video for “mOBSCENE” alongside her former husband, Marilyn Manson.

A true entrepreneur, Von Teese is both a model and designer. In 2012, she launched her own clothing and lingerie line, “Von Follies,” a collection that incorporates vintage-style pieces with a more functional, modern fit. She’s collaborated with German cosmetic company, Art Deco, to create her own line of retro-style make-up, and spent a year and a half in Paris perfecting her perfume line.

Von Teese is a seamless embodiment of sex and glamour. She walks the fine line between taboo and class, drawing the viewers from one extreme to the next. Some might call her the very definition of the “modern woman,” as she simultaneously harkens back to the era that defined “beauty” for generations to come, but has managed to grow, expand upon and challenge that definition. Von Teese almost dares society - with a curled, fiery-red painted nail - to follow as she blazes her own tantalizingly rebellious trail.

“I want to remind people of a different kind of glamour, a different look, and breaking the rules of fashion. I wanna break the rules.”
~Von Teese

About Our Collection:

One of the more diverse and eclectic collections we’ve offered to date, Dita Von Teese has included landmark pieces from both her performances and her personal brands, providing an incredibly sensual and desirable representation of her diversified talents and enterprises. Amongst the stand-out pieces are the pink pointe shoes that Von Teese wore during her famed birdcage performance; authentic Playboy Mardi Gras beads worn at the 2000 Millennium celebration in New Orleans; a vintage 1930s nightgown from her personal wardrobe; prototypes that provided the design inspiration for her “Von Follies” lingerie line, and the apex of the collection - the first corset that Von Teese wore during her earliest, most formative burlesque performances.

But that’s just a taste. Accessories, photos and make-up round out this already buxom assortment, creating a gathering as unique and breathtaking as the Queen of Burlesque herself.

Explore Our Collection: