My grandmother was half Armenian - exclusive interview with Dita Von Teese

23:01, February 5

By Marina Adulyan

A dancer, a model, an actress… the queen of burlesque Dita Von Teese reveals different talents. But, this is not enough. She continues surprising everyone and making people admire her. Besides, Dita appeared to have Armenian roots, she said in an exclusive interview with NEWS.am STYLE.

Your style has become recognizable all over the world. You have clothes and lingerie brand in vintage style. Do you think the clothes and lingerie used to be more sexy and beautiful in the past than it is now?

I think that in the past, there was a great deal more artistry in design of all kinds, from clothing to furniture, architecture, and every day things.

Do you think you can once change your style, for example wear jeans and shirts?

I have no interest in dressing like someone else, I found my own personal style many years ago.

You have clothes, lingerie and perfume brands. Is there something new you would like to try?

I am interested in creating jewelry based on my vintage jewelry collection, and also in designing beautiful sensual home decor.

You are known as a queen of burlesque. Your recent show is titled “Burlesque: Strip, Strip Hooray!" What is burlesque for you? How would you characterize your show: is it a dance, striptease or an artistic performance?

Burlesque the name of a kind of show that was a popular in America in the 1930s and 40s, and the stars of the burlesque shows were striptease stars that performed lavish, glamorous shows. My show is a bit like a Las Vegas revue, but it's a nostalgic show of sensual fantasy and glamour, with stripteases set to music, haute couture costumes, beautiful sets and lighting design. There's a great history of showgirls and striptease, and burlesque was an important part of that, so my shows capture the spirit of this era of entertainment.

And of course, the questions we, as Armenians, are very interested in. You once wrote you are “part Armenian.” Some web sources suggest your grandmother was Armenian. Is it so?

My Grandmother was adopted, and her birth father was Armenian.

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