Dita Von Teese is not just burlesque’s brightest star; this January, she also proved that she is a fashion model in her own right. The 46-year-old vedette participated in Jean Paul Gaultier’s latest show in Paris for the couture week, and found her name oft mentioned on fashion headlines in its aftermath.
Removing clothes (in a very classy way, mind you) may be what makes the name Dita Von Teese stick for most people, but fashion has also been strongly associated with the burlesque superstar in the past. This is her fourth time on a Gaultier runway, and back in the noughties, she stole the eyes and hearts of the industry when she appeared on shows for brands such as Moschino. The Queen of Burlesque finds a special connection between Gaultier and the stage that gives way for her sensual performances though. According to Von Teese, she was informed that Gaultier is the last of his kind to use a stage-style runway, which as it turns out, was borrowed by fashion from burlesque. It first came into use in the 1930s.
Von Teese was often one of the French couturier’s muses. This time, he clothed her in what he has called the “Diva Von Teese”, a black and nude custom-fitted creation that allowed the star to glow even more as she strutted on the catwalk. It was quite a sight—the dark of the tulle was striking against her pale skin, the wings by the shoulders elevate the form, and the embroidered train lent more allure to the already glamorous model.
Gaultier, who chose to focus solely on haute couture post 2018, has other endeavors to replace his prêt-à-porter. The designer is behind one of Paris’ most exciting productions this time of the year, the musical rightly dubbed as the Fashion Freak Show. The night before the Gaultier couture show, Von Teese also graced the audience with her presence, and has continued to do so for seven more nights. The show, of which Gaultier performs more than one task (he’s writer, costume designer and director all at once), is a retrospective, letting the audience peek into the designer’s life as it summarizes his beginnings and rise to stardom in a matter of hours.
Thank you @DitaVonTeese for having illuminated Paris these last few days. @JPGFFShow #GaultierParis #SS19 #PFW pic.twitter.com/w7e1IQA2L5
— Jean Paul Gaultier (@JPGaultier) 31 January 2019
@DitaVonTeese enflamme le #JPGFashionFreakShow toute la semaine.??
? Réservez vos places : https://t.co/ZZG19eZo6Y
? Boby Odieux pic.twitter.com/HPcwTWWJMk— Jean Paul Gaultier – Fashion Freak Show (@JPGFFshow) 23 January 2019
Even though it was Dita Von Teese who took the most attention from the couturier’s spring-summer collection, the venue had its fair share of glamour. Guests like Catherine Deneuve took the front row, and the catwalk was filled with creations that could be interpreted as a fusion of the East and the West. The designer’s fondness for the French sailor look is prominent, just as expected—there were sailor caps, nautical stripes, as well as pleats, but sans the extravagance of his older collections. Gaultier borrowed elements from the Far East, particularly Japan, as seen in the geisha-like models and their sashes that were similar to the Japanese obi.
Image credit: Getty Images, Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com, Pascal Le Segretain, Dita Von Teese, Boby Allin
.@DitaVonTeese teams with Jean-Paul Gaultier for haute couture show and musical revue in Paris https://t.co/UIB6psD0Ln pic.twitter.com/ADshXLwSx9
— Hollywood Reporter Style (@thrstyle) 23 January 2019
