I think Dita is the only burlesque star who's come close to making herself a household name, which is part of it. She's a brand now, and once that happens it doesn't always matter how you got there. I mean, look at the Kardashians. They've done nothing really notable or worthwhile.

Not that I think DVT isn't talented, because she is. But she's also just really smart.

Possibly she's worked harder to promote herself? (I genuinely don't know, but that's one thing that occurs to me.)

t edit Or what Amy said.

she does go out looking relatively mundane at times

That mundane is still consistent with her brand, though -- flirty, vintage, put together. Also, super cute. Man, I love that dress.

So her consistency sets her apart from the pack?

I mean, I dig that she's smart, because she doesn't appear to have lucked into anything--I'm just wondering what her smart decision was. If someone else pretty and talented had gone out there, done burlesque, and never appeared in jeans, her chances would be good to sit so far above everyone else?

If someone else pretty and talented had gone out there, done burlesque, and never appeared in jeans, her chances would be good to sit so far above everyone else?

I think, if all things were equal between DTV and Other Hypothetical Equally Talented And Beautiful And Stylistically Consistent Burlesque Performer, then the person who has the better PR is going to end up being the most well-known.

Didn't she really get famous when she was with Marilyn Manson?

Okay, and a few other things factor into DTV's recognition -- she was married to Marilyn Manson, who is himself not an unknown fella. And I think her fetish modeling -- which is not the same as burlesque performance -- broadened her audience as well. Therefore, more recognition.

t edit Marilyn Manson x-post! I love the b.org shared brain.

So her consistency sets her apart from the pack?

That's definitely part of branding, yeah. I think so, anyway. Plus good PR, like Steph said, and the Marilyn Manson thing, and also the elusive "right place, right time" factor.

Yeah, Marilyn Manson was when she came to my attention, and I saw her and went, Wow! So then I noticed when she popped up again, which was pretty frequent from that point.

I mean, I think there's a celebrity element that happens or doesn't happen for people. And burlesque doesn't lend itself well to mainstream attention, in general, I don't think, so her getting through that let her build her brand, after the public had to deal with who she already was.

OMGWORK. Why did I ever come back from vacation, I ask you.