The wellspring, and sole star, of the current vogue for ‘burlesque’ style shows Dita von Teese has finally completed her transition from fringe entertainer to high street icon by securing the coveted position of the ’face’ (and body) of the Wonderbra brand. The model will launch her own signature range under the Wonderbra umbrella at the end of next month.

The performer and model, who first came to widespread public attention as the partner of shock rocker Marilyn Manson, was born Heather Sweet in Michigan, USA, in 1972.

It was, reputedly, her disappointment at the contrast between the modest design of her first bra and the elaborate lingerie she had espied in her father’s girlie magazines that provided the spur to almost single-handedly revive the 1940s glamour of burlesque and has led to her performing in front of celebrity-studded audiences in Britain and the US.

The new range fronted by Von Teese features some novel design features, like man-friendly quick-release clasps making the bras easier to remove than traditional models.

The Wonderbra brand dates back to before the Second World War but it was really the early 1990s campaign spearheaded by model Eva Herzigová that ensured it its current prominence as the best known name in lingerie.

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