Exclusive interview with Dita Von Teese

updated the 7 October 2015 à 00:03
Jean Paul Gaultier SS14 Couture Show
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The Queen of Burlesque dishes out on her inspiration, career choice, her idea of sex appeal and offers some tips on beauty, fashion and cocktails!

With her porcelain skin tone, raven black hair, bright red lipstick and killer hourglass curves – Dita Von Teese is as instantly recognizable as any icon of her/his profession.

Known for reviving – and arguably re-inventing – the art of Burlesque with class, Von Teese embodies the pin up persona on and off stage and is hardly ever seen looking other than impeccable in 1940s-inspired glamorous outfits which became her signature style.

From walking the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier to designing her own lingerie line, posing for numerous magazine titles and acting as an ambassador for Cointreau – The Queen of Burlesque’s schedule is as busy as can be. So imagine our thrill when she took the time to answer our questions for Marie France Asia!

Seriously, how often do we get a woman that confident, glamorous and sexy to give us tips on fashion, beauty and even cocktails?

Marie France Asia: When did you decide to become a burlesque dancer and why?

Dita Von Teese:  It was never really a conscious decision. I’ve always done things that I like and this is one of them. I’ve been performing burlesque for the last 20 years, but I’ve had these different jobs while working on my burlesque shows — I’ve worked in an LA nightclub, in a lingerie store, and a make-up store. It took me many years to finally realise that this was really my job.

MF Asia: By reviving the 1940s, do you think there is an element of ‘sexism’ in what you portray?

Dita Von Teese:  Sometimes people say that what I do must be anti-feminist because it’s strip-tease, and I think that’s because they’re uneducated about modern burlesque, they think that what I’m doing is for men. But when you come to my show, there is an overwhelming number of women and gay men. I’d say it’s about 70 per cent women, then a lot of gay men and most of the straight men are there with their wives or girlfriends. You’d be hard pressed to find many straight men that are on there on their own or in a  group of guys. Recently, someone that I know came to my show, and she said she couldn’t find one group of straight men that were there.  So, you know, when people say what I do is anti-feminist, it’s not fair to place a blanket statement over what I do. It’s more complicated when the people enjoying the show are women.

MF Asia: Is there any particular person who had a big influence on your career or personality?

Dita Von Teese: There were times when I was little – rainy Saturdays or days off sick from school – that my mum would brew a pot of chamomile tea and we’d stay in our pyjamas and watch old movies in “the Pink Room”. Mum would ultimately go off to work, but I was delighted to stay all day watching old MGM Technicolor movies.

In my mind, the Pink Room was the first scene in any movie. The walls were painted with 1950s-style poodles, the ceiling was sparkly, and best of all, the ground was carpeted in cotton-candy pink shagpile. It was here, sitting in the shagpile, with my too-large shoes in my lap, that I had my first encounter with Betty Grable, my favourite actress of all time.

I loved Betty Grable because she was nice and because would sing and dance, and above all, because she had golden hair in the perfect Forties bouffant. In Pinup Girl, she was the epitome of Second World War glamour; while in one fantastic scene from The Dolly Sisters, Betty and another 1940s beauty, June Haver, got to emerge from a giant evening bag as the cosmetics sing with them. Even today, for a real treat – and real 1940s glamour – I turn on a Betty Grable movie and scoot up until I’m five inches from the television set.

MF Asia: How does Dita Von Teese describe ‘sexy’?

Dita Von Teese: For me, sex appeal is a very individual thing, it’s about finding yourself above all and mostly about having self-confidence. We have to find what suits us and makes us feel good.

MF Asia: What’s the secret (or beauty regime) behind your flawless skin?

Dita Von Teese: First thing is washing; I have a few different products I like, generally non-soapy cleansers. But I’m really into natural skincare right now, and I’ve been using a lot of Eminence products. I’ve tried (and loved!) many fancy, expensive creams and serums, but I’m getting great results from the natural Eminence line, which makes me feel good to be using fewer possibly toxic products! I also love Trilogy’s Rosehip oil, it feels so luxurious. I always use sunscreen in the daytime…this is the key to maintaining youthful skin. I like Sarah McNamara’s Miracle Skin Transformer a lot for quick-fix beautifying, mattifying SPF protection. L’Oreal Miracle Blur is a nice option too, without tint. Plus, I never, ever go to bed with even a trace of makeup on. I like MAC Cleansing Oil to melt away heavy stage makeup. Occasionally I use a retinol, along with a heavier night cream. I like Eminence’s Linden Calendula Treatment Cream or Coconut Age Corrective Cream. I use my skincare on my décolletage too.

MF Asia: Tell us something we didn’t know about you.

Dita Von Teese: I don’t think anything about me is surprising, but people seem to always be surprised that I am quiet and shy in person just because of what I do. But since when does the volume of one’s voice have anything to do with self-confidence? And I think that most entertainers are a bit shy off camera or off stage.

MF Asia: Who is your favourite fashion designer and why?

Dita Von Teese:

9392_PRINT_-¬RAINER_TORRADO
 Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood were the first designers that really made an impact on me. Jean Paul has a lot of the same obsessions that I do, like corsetry, ballet-peach satin and silks, black silk velvet, bullet bras and girdles. When I was a teenager, I would look for 1930s peach satin lingerie pieces to try to get his look for less, because there was no way I could afford his things back then. It was a dream come true to meet him and become friends with him. I met him the first time when I was doing my first fashion pictorial, which was for Flaunt magazine, and it was a huge story of me wearing the most important pieces from his haute couture archives, and that was a dream!

MF Asia: What was it like to be closing the couture show for JPG again this year? Which of the outfits was your favourite?

Dita Von Teese: It’s always a great honour for me to spend time with Jean Paul Gaultier and to be part of the process of his wonderful artistry of exquisite couture. For the piece I wore, he employed the talented Mr. Pearl to create the corset, and I always love spending time with him, and I enjoy the way he pushes me to my corseting limits!

MF Asia: Let’s face it, donning corsets is not the most comfortable thing in the world. To what extent you think women should suffer for fashion or to look ‘glamorous’?

Dita Von Teese: For your looks? I don’t know, it’s complicated to answer that. For me, I have my limits for sure. I definitely have a lot of fears, like I really don’t want to have a facelift, ever.  I have my ideas of what’s too far for me. But then again, I guess I don’t really think that getting a facelift is going to far, because many of my idols from classic Hollywood had facelifts. You know, the facelift has been around since the 20s!

MF Asia: What is the one fashion item you cannot live without?

Dita Von Teese: 

VON FOLLIES BY DITA VON TEESE Man Catcher Deep Plung Bra in Black OR Pale Blue and Man Catcher Brief in Black or Pale Blue
My lingerie! I love beautiful lingerie…I have my own signature brand which is available at retailers all over the world.

MF Asia: What advice would you give to women who want to feel more confident and sexy?

Dita Von Teese: Just like everyone else, I am not always confident, I have all the same self-doubt.

I just try to love myself and accept things that I don’t like about myself and I think it’s something important for all women to know that we all have those feelings.

Everyone has something about them that they wish they could change, everyone I know anyways, and it’s about learning to love those things too.

MF Asia: What would you describe as the perfect lady-like drink (your favourite for instance)?

Dita Von Teese: The Cointreau MargaDita. It’s a tantalizing haute-cocktail with a spicy twist. Margarita Sames was clearly a strong, confident, and stylish woman well known for her entertaining prowess – qualities that I both admire and, hopefully, embody. Her Margarita recipe has been enjoyed for over 60 years and it seemed only natural for me to create my own cocktail as a tribute to this glamorous and charismatic woman.

I wanted to keep the integrity of the original margarita recipe [Cointreau, tequila and fresh lime juice], but add a personal touch of my own. The juxtaposition of floral notes with spicy elements makes for a seductive twist: aromatic Monin Rose Syrup for a hint of floral, feminine perfume, and a dash of chipotle powder for an unexpected spicy smack. I think Margarita Sames would approve!

Rana Wehbe-Flinter

 Backstage photo credit: R. Torrado


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Marie France Asia, women's magazine