Dita Von Teese Lingerie Exclusive

DITA VON
TEESE wasn’t short of inspiration when she started designing
her lingerie line, Von Follies – the entire top floor of her house
is devoted to her vintage wardrobe, with three shelves devoted to
luxurious underwear.

“I like to surround myself with luxury and beauty all the time,”
she told us. “I’ve been collecting vintage lingerie for 25 years -
my collection is pretty huge now. I’ve always been fascinated by
it, I used to sift through my mother’s underwear drawer when I was
young. I loved the idea of something that was feminine and
functional.”

Von Teese worked in a lingerie store from the age of 16,
fuelling her love for artfully made beautiful undergarments and her
interest in pin-up models. Having built a solid reputation as one
of the world’s leading burlesque dancers, she launched her debut
underwear line in Australia in February this year. It has only
recently become available to a British market, with stockists
including ASOS and Debenhams. Price points are accessible, ranging
from £12 for satin thongs to £32 for bras covered with lace and
embroidered with bows.

“It wasn’t easy,” she said of the democratic pricing. “I had to
ask the manufacturers a lot of questions about how much various
fabrics cost, but I wanted to prove that it is possible to create
something beautiful and affordable. There is no reason to wear a
simple white bra when you can have this.”

As you might expect, the collection is founded on a nostalgic
play on modernity and inspired by items that the dancer owns
herself.

“What prevents vintage from looking too dress-up is if you mix
modern and vintage pieces,” she explained. “That’s what I do – and
that’s what I’ve done with this collection. Wear things that look
modern. You have to have a discerning eye.”

Von Teese has recently added a number of dresses to her fashion
line – and we can hope to see the brand expand further in the
future.

“I won’t do shoes, because Christian Louboutin is one of my best
friends and that’s something he does very well,” she laughed. “But
I can see myself doing jewellery or handbags – I love both of
those.”

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