Thursday, June 14, 2007

85 Dita Von Teese


The second coming of Bettie Page? An Elvgren pinup with a pulse? Model and burlesque performer Dita Von Teese may be labeled by many as a retro-fetish artist, as she possesses a timeless beauty and a desirability that’s absent from contemporary models. Born Heather Renee Sweet in 1972, Dita was always fascinated with the films of the 1940s, their stars and their elegant fashions. This attraction to old-time Hollywood helped spur Dita's interest in vintage lingerie, which led to her first burlesque-inspired strip show by the age of 19 and fetish modeling shortly thereafter. Over the years, Dita's underground image quietly slipped into the mainstream thanks to high-profile appearances in Playboy and her relationship with Marilyn Manson, whom she married in 2005.


Dita’s long-overdue debut to our Top 99 comes after a typically busy year of modeling, personal appearances and burlesque performances around the world. But outside of this more standard work, Dita broke out into TV and film in 2006, with appearances in The Girls Next Door, America’s Next Top Model, Faking It and the just-completed motion picture Saint Francis. After such a fulfilling year for Dita, 2006 ended on a sad note; citing “irreconcilable differences” (rumored to be Manson’s drinking), Dita filed for divorce on December 29th of last year. In a rare twist for celebrity splits, she is not seeking spousal support.


Given the fact that Dita’s not seeking support from Manson, perhaps her divorce will move along a bit faster than usual. But even without court proceedings, Dita will be rebounding into 2007 with a full schedule. She enters the year as a Style Icon contender in Elle magazine’s Style Awards, while on the cinematic front, the aforementioned film Saint Francis should be released in 2007 along with The Boom Boom Room costarring Willie Nelson. Of course, in between these projects, Dita will continue to model and perform, much to our delight.



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