Dita Von Teese has spent her life turning beauty into power.

Born Heather Sweet in small-town Michigan, she grew up dreaming of old Hollywood glamour, satin corsets, and the kind of femininity that shimmered on the silver screen. When she opened her first bra as a teenager—a plain white cotton thing inside a plastic egg—she was deeply disappointed. That moment, she says, is where it all began. If the world wouldn’t make things beautiful, she would.

In this conversation, Dita opens up about the art and discipline behind the spectacle that made her a global icon. She talks about her early days as a model and Playboy cover star, the power and intention behind creating the Dita Von Teese persona, and how she’s kept mystery alive in a world prone to oversharing.

She also shares what it was like collaborating with Taylor Swift on Bejeweled and how rare it is, even now, to be approached by another artist with such genuine respect for her craft. Dita explains that while many have imitated her, Taylor came to her as a true collaborator.

Now, as she brings her new show Nocturnelle to Australia in 2026, Dita talks about control, longevity, and the quiet strength behind the glamour. Click here for tour information.

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CREDITS:

Guest: Dita Von Teese

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Video Producer: Julian Rosario

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

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Burlesque and the Art of the Teese

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