Dita Von Teese’s Lingerie Line Is Inspired by Christian Louboutin

When queen of burlesque Dita von Teese unveiled her latest lingerie creations in December, there was a little something extra special about the collection. Fabricated from a luxurious Italian silk, the pieces feature a black-and-white print created by the master of footwear himself (and von Teese BFF), Christian Louboutin.

The print, aptly named “Toile de Jouy,” was created by Louboutin for his own spring 2011 range and featured his muse perched in her gilded burlesque bird cage, being fitted for custom Louboutin fetish boots, alongside French maids, risque scenes involving male lovers and of course, Louboutin stilettos. Now the Toile de Jouy motif is being featured on von Teese’s XXXtian lingerie line, which features seven pieces, including an underwire bra, corselette and a luxe kimono robe. The limited-edition collection, priced between 87.42 euros (roughly $101.05) to 749.92 euros ($866.90), is currently available at lingerie e-tailer Glamuse.com.

On the heels of releasing her collection, we chatted with von Teese about stilettos, that time she turned down a lucrative shoe spokesperson contract and her favorite Louboutins (think: cowboy boots gone burlesque).

Pret-a-Reporter : How do you see the connection between lingerie and stilettos?

Dita von Teese: I rarely wear one without the other!

When did Christian Louboutin first create the print that appears on all the pieces in the collection?

It first appeared on a pair of his espadrilles and a matching clutch a few years ago. I had no idea that the little images were of me until I saw them in person and took a close look. It was a surprise!

What is your favorite piece from the collection?

The silk dressing gown and the long nightgown are my favorites; I wear them all the time. The long nightgown is inspired by a rare 1930s nightgown I have. The fabric is very fine Italian silk with a tiny bit of stretch to it, so it’s really lovely to sleep in. It feels divine, looks sexy and stays cool all night. The dressing gown is also a favorite — it’s so dramatic. I love floating through my house in it! The robe is made from an authentic 1940s pattern that I’d saved for years, and has little shoulder pads that add a touch of structure to the shape, giving it an authentic silver-screen movie star look.

Which are your go-to Christian Louboutin shoes — the ones you wear again and again?

I have a few pairs that I’ve worn so often I’ve had them resoled over and over. But I really treasure the shoes that Christian has designed especially for me for my burlesque shows, because I always think back fondly on our meetings in Paris to create the shoes. I would usually have a handful of Swarovski crystals, some feathers and a swatch of fabric and then he would sketch some ideas. He would make me two pairs, one with very high heels and a second pair with something easier to navigate unstable staging situations. He did a pair of pink Swarovski-covered cowgirl boots with spinning crystallized spurs, and a version of those ended up in the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog because the buyer spotted them in progress in his atelier in Paris and went crazy for them. I also have a pair of the famous Lesage-embroidered Marie Antoinette shoes, and he had a message embroidered on them in red that says “Dita’s shoes, Love Christian.”

Would you ever do a line of shoes?

That would be hard because I think that Christian is the best shoe designer in the world, and I admire his talent so much. I once turned down a well-paying ad campaign for a major luxury shoe brand because I have such loyalty to him both as a designer and friend!

(Photo: The Coveteur)

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