On Dita Von Teese

It was another monotonous afternoon in the UK and I was lingering in the magazines section at a convenience store. Then queen of burlesque Dita Von Teese popped out from a sea of bland magazine covers. With her black 40s pin curls, porcelain skin and red lips, she caught my eye with her unapologetic flamboyance and come hither stare.

I started reading ferociously on her and got even more hooked. Like her ex-husband Marilyn Manson, her story is one of self-reinvention. Born in a small town in Michigan, little Heather Sweet was considered an ugly duckling compared to her two sisters. So she resolved to be the most beautiful girl in the world - but strictly on her own terms. Knowing that she can never pull off the California beach babe look which monopolizes American beauty standards, or become the greatest ballerina alive, she built a vintage wardrobe, dyed her hair black (inspired by Sherilyn Fenn's Playboy shoot) and amassed knowledge of burlesque. While critics say she is just copying her idol pinup icon Betty Page, she went on to prove them wrong as she became as famous for dressing up elegantly (the muse of fashion's enfant terrible Jean Paul Gaultier, she was on Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed List) as she is for stripping down in glamorous burlesque shows directed by Von Teese herself.

Dita's personal life is just as inspiring as her career. This is a woman who is behind the wheel. She married the "ugliest" rock star alive (talk about beauty and the beast) then served him the divorce papers on his birthday. She didn't ask for alimony and successfully fought for the custody of their cats. Her aloof feline friend Aleister Von Teese went on to become a star in his own right with more than 80,000 followers on his Instagram.

Shattering the myth that you can't be best friends with someone from the same industry who is as successful as you, Dita is best buds with fellow burlesque artist Catherine D'Lish. She remains good friends with Marilyn Manson despite all that they went through and she is grateful that he indulged in all of her eccentricities when they were together.

For my first job I got the chance to email interview her. Even though it is not a big publication she responded with long and thoughtful answers to my questions, sprinkled with her signature wit. She was already huge back then so she didn't have to say yes to my interview request after all. Thanks Dita for making me believe that meeting your idol doesn't have to disappoint. If anything, my affinity for what she stands for is stronger than ever.

Long live the burlesque queen.

那是一個沉悶的英國下午。我來到便利店的雜誌部消磨時間，意外地被某封面吸引視線。封面主角是超級舞娘Dita Von Teese，她的四十年代曲髮、如雪般淨白的肌膚、烈焰紅唇及懾人眼神令她在我腦海內留下深刻印象。

我開始了解Dita的生平並發現她許多引人入勝之處。她和前夫Marilyn Manson一樣，是蛻變的蝴蝶。Heather Sweet出生於密西根小鎮，相比起姊姊及妹妹，是家中的醜小鴨。於是她立志成為世上最漂亮的女人並為美的準則掀起一場革命。她深知永遠不能成為美國偏愛的、散發陽光氣息的加州沙灘女郎或最出色的芭蕾舞家。為了建立鮮明的形象，她購買很多復古衣服及配飾，將頭髮染成神秘的黑色(靈感源自Sherilyn Fenn《花花公子》裡的造型)並且不斷累積舞蹈知識。雖然有群眾認為她抄襲偶像Betty Page，但是她卻對批評一笑置之。她除了成為現今最受歡迎的舞娘，優雅的衣著打扮更令她深受時裝界寵愛，時裝大師Jean Paul Gaultier及權威雜誌《Vanity Fair》均是她的裙下之臣。

Dita的個人生活同樣引人入勝，她是具自主性的新世代女性。她當年下嫁世上最「醜」的搖滾巨星(美女與野獸的真人版)，然後在他生日那天送他意想不到的禮物 - 離婚協議書。她沒有要求贍養費並成功獲得寵物貓的撫養權。她高傲的愛貓Aleister Von Teese是擁有超過80,000名Instagram追隨者的寵物明星。

Dita與超級舞娘Catherine D'Lish是知己，二人用堅固的友誼打破「同行如敵國」的迷思。雖然她與Marilyn Manson曾經歷許多不愉快事，二人依然是好朋友。在他們長達七年的感情生活中，他不但對她所有「奇怪行為」照單全收，還鼓勵她成為自己，她對此感激不盡。

我於第一份工作有幸用電郵訪問她。雖然雜誌讀者不多，但是她的回覆詳盡、細心及充滿她的招牌幽默感。她當時已名成利就，其實不需要應酬中小型雜誌。很感謝Dita，她令我相信認識偶像可以是一件美事，並教懂我自己才是人生故事的導演、編劇及主角。

Femme fatale - Dita is muse to numerous creatives including British synthpop duo Monarchy

Playing madame butterfly for her friend Jean Paul Gaultier

Cat woman with Aleister Von Teese, nicknamed "The Bat"

Looking like a flower in the coffee table book Vintage Dita, my ex's first gift to me

Heather Sweet and Brian Warner by French creative duo Pierre et Gilles, she was his muse and the theme of burlesque runs through his album The Golden Age of Grotesque

With Catherine D'Lish, who has crafted myriad beautiful costumes for her

Dita was trained as a ballerina and the ballet pointe is featured in many of her burlesque acts