|
Born Heather Sweet on September
28th, 1972 in Rochester, Michigan, Von Teese was a performer right from
the start. She loved the old MGM Technicolor musicals and would emulate
the stars of Hollywood's Golden Age as a child. It didn't take much
prodding from her parents to take part in dancing lessons and other forms
of performance art.
By the age of 16, Von Teese was obsessed with fashion. While working at a
lingerie store, she fell in love with all the fancy accoutrements a woman
could wear. Then and there, an erotic entertainer was born. She knew right
away that if fate would allow her to flourish as a model, she would do
things her own way. This maxim has remained with her until the present day
and still holds true.
After doing some modeling, over-the-top erotic shows and even a few movies
that are probably not available at your local Blockbuster, Dita Von Teese
was ready to emerge. After audience members at certain shows noticed her
unique taste and abilities, questions arose about her availability to do
functions on her own. As a result, Von Teese's opportunity to make a name
for herself finally arrived.
She became a party entertainer by the time she was in her early 20s, and
she was so good at it that Playboy took notice of her talent. As early as
1997, the magazine began to publish Von Teese's photos, which, naturally,
only increased the male public's desire for her. She became known as a
burlesque and fetish queen -- a veritable pinup model. This allure filled
a niche and helped spurn some 30 more Playboy appearances, including her
first cover in December 2002.
Von Teese was featured prominently in videos that were released under Hugh
Hefner's bunny rabbit logo, including Wet & Wild Live and Girlfriends 2.
Her popularity spread to international fetish publications such as Marquis
and Bizarre. Still, it was her live shows that captured the most
attention, with their extravagant sets, sexy music and beautifully raunchy
costumes. Von Teese's gigs began to receive much more attention,
especially after her performances with the famous Pussycat Dolls Live at
The Roxy (along with performers like Charlize Theron, Christina Aguilera
and Christina Applegate), as well as at a Louis Vuitton event at the
Bellagio in Las Vegas and for the Osbournes (Ozzy included), at their 2002
New Year's Eve Gala, which was broadcast on MTV. She was also the center
of more risqué erotic balls, dating back as early as 1999.
Her romantic relationship with highly controversial and oft-vilified
rocker Marilyn Manson increased her time in the spotlight. They could be
seen going to movie premieres together, which never hurt Von Teese's
exposure. The couple became engaged in 2004 and married in December 2005. |
|
"I always get billed as 'Dita,
internationally known fetish supermodel
I'm really a small town girl from Michigan who has a good laugh that
being a fancy-pants stripper got me here!
"Some people say what I do isn't very liberating. I say it's pretty
liberating to get $20,000 for 10 minutes work."
"Neither of us is ready. I don't feel that we need to have children
to validate our marriage and I don't need children to claim I'm a
fulfilled woman."
I advocate glamour. Every day. Every minute.
"I've lost my luggage before and not had my makeup, and he's lost
his luggage and not had his makeup - so it's great that we're always
covered." |
