We would like to hang out with Dita Von Teese please. The burlesque kitten was in town to promote the launch of her new underwear range ‘Von Follies’ in the UK, and to impart some of her allure to the London masses.

The underwear line – for Target Australia – is testament to her love for all things vintage, with details like sculptural overwiring and licks of high-waisted lace promising to recreate that famous fifties hourglass shape that the dancer has built her career on.

To make the transition from dancer to designer, all Von Teese had to do was delve into her two closets and four chests of lingerie to see what really worked. ‘I’ve worked in lingerie from the age of fifteen to twenty five, when I worked as a lingerie sales girl, so it’s great to be able to use my years of experience to create something that I am really passionate about,’ she explained.

In a quick-fire knicker interrogation, we discovered that she prefers a balcony over a plunge, a waspie over a basque and a French knicker over a thong. And always stockings, never hold-ups.

But what we really loved the sound of was Von Teese’s deliciously decadent routine when getting ready for a night out on the town: ‘I wear a vintage Chinese-style robe or 50s slip, put on some music and have a cocktail while I’m getting ready – usually a margarita. I always have limes, tequila and Cointreau on hand – it’s easy – and strong.’

Indeed this sacred part of a woman’s ritual is something that the nascent designer would like to focus on in her next collection. ‘I’d love to do a line of loungewear because it’s so important; just because it’s comfortable doesn’t mean it can’t be fabulous. I’ve just got to convince them first that it’s necessary to have extravagant loungewear, and I’ve got a closet full of vintage robes from the thirties and forties to use as inspiration.’

Von Teese admits that she has so much underwear that she could go for ‘easily a year if not more without having to do laundry.’ Which must be useful for her globetrotting lifestyle. When in London, she always like to stop off at Claridges, and have lunch at the Wolseley or the Arts Club. ‘

Mainly the swanky places,’ she confided, ‘but next time I need someone to show me around so I can discover the less fancy spots.’

Von Follies is priced from £20 and is stocked at www.debenhams.com

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