Dita von Teese

Dita Von Teese began her adult career in 1992, and by 2019 she had spent 27 years in the spotlight. Born in West Branch, Michigan, she grew up with a fascination for 1940s glamour, inspired by her mother's love of stars like Betty Grable. At 15, she worked in a lingerie store, which sparked her interest in vintage underwear and corsets. By 19, she was performing as an exotic dancer, adopting vintage-inspired costumes to stand out.

Von Teese's burlesque acts, such as the martini glass routine, helped revive the art form. She headlined four major revues, including Strip, Strip Hooray! and Glamonatrix, and sold out venues like the London Palladium and the Folies Bergère. She has appeared in Playboy and fetish films, and later moved into mainstream projects like The Death of Salvador Dali and RuPaul's Drag Race. She is American, with black hair and green eyes, standing 5'5" with a slim build and measurements of 32–21–33.

In her personal life, Von Teese was married to Marilyn Manson from 2005 to 2007, a relationship she described as toxic. She later dated Count Louis-Marie de Castelbajac and graphic designer Adam Rajcevich. She has no children. As of 2025, she continues to perform, starring in Diamonds and Dust in London and maintaining a Las Vegas residency. Her legacy as the Queen of Burlesque is cemented by her influence on neo-burlesque and her luxury lifestyle brand, which includes lingerie, perfumes, and eyewear.