She is one of a kind. She is the biggest name in Burlesque since Gypsy Rose Lee. She tops international Best Dressed lists. She is a modern day Fashion Icon. She inspires designers from Marc Jacobs and John Galliano to Jean Paul Gaultier and Zac Posen. She is credited for bringing back the glamour and allure of Old Hollywood stars. Self-created. Distinctive. Iconic. Flawless. Often imitated, never duplicated. She is Dita Von Teese. Born Heather Sweet in West Branch, Michigan, Dita grew up fascinated by Technicolor musicals, pin-up imagery, and vintage lingerie. This naturally blond, mid-western girl then transformed herself into one of the glamour girls she grew up adoring. The undisputed International Queen of Burlesque, Dita brings classic pin-up imagery to life. She is in demand all over the world as a performer, and is well- known for her retro looks and style, as well as her ornate sets and elaborate performance costumes adorned in hundreds of thousands of Swarovski crystals.
Best known for her cocktail glass show in which she performs an old fashioned strip tease that culminates with her submerging herself in an oversized champagne or martini glass (complete with strawberry or olive sponge respectively), Dita is a permanent fixture at high profile events, including those for designers such as Marc Jacobs, Christian Louboutin, Roland Mouret, Chopard, and Louis Vuitton. She also made history last year when she appeared as the first guest star ever at Paris’ famed Crazy Horse, established in 1951, and also performed her "Le Bain" act at the MGM Grand’s Crazy Horse Paris in Las Vegas. Dita will reprise her guest star role in early 2009 at the Crazy Horse in Paris, and the run will feature new numbers including some with Dita and the Crazy Horse dancers.
This "Burlesque Superheroine" (Vanity Fair) is also renowned for her other shows including her traditional feather fan dance, her Bird of Paradise show, her powder compact show, and "Lipteese" show which she developed as part of her role as a MAC Viva Glam Spokesperson. Featuring her as a Burlesque Cowgirl with a custom hat by Stephen Jones and boots by Christian Louboutin (which were later added to his collection and sold at Neiman Marcus), Dita straddles a 9 foot lipstick that spins and bucks like a mechanic bull. She performed the show to rave reviews in Antwerp, Seoul, London, Cannes, and at Art Basel Miami, where the New York Times called it "the highlight of the week." Even in the period following her two years as a MAC Viva Glam Spokesperson, Dita has continued her work in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and was recently honored with amFAR’s Award of Courage.
In addition to her live performances, Dita is a self-styled fashion icon that has topped several international best dressed lists and walked in various high profile fashion shows. Bringing her distinct style to the word of lingerie, Dita just announced her vintage-inspired, limited edition lingerie collection for Wonderbra. She also has her own collection of Full-Fashioned Seamed Stockings with Secrets in Lace, which are available through their catalog and her website.
Currently, Dita is the face of Cointreau and Cointreau Noir, as well as Cointreau’s international ambassador. To celebrate the collaboration, she has created a new cocktail, the Cointreau Teese, as well as a bigger and better version of her world-famous cocktail glass show, "Be Cointreauversial," which debuted in London and New York in 2008, and will be touring in 2009.
