She is usually spotted dripping in sparkling crystals during her renowned burlesque act, but Dita von Teese swapped costume jewellery for a handmade silver claddagh at a visit to a Dublin craft workshop recently.
The burlesque icon was visiting Dublin as part of her Nocturnelle world tour, which brought the glamorous performer to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on Sunday 8 February.
No doubt in need of some rest and decompression on tour, it appears the star stepped into one of the city's most hidden gems.
Silver Works Dublin shared a video of Von Teese attending one of their Claddagh Ring Workshops, one of the many workshops the cosy jewellery studio offers. Dressed in a simple black top and skirt, with her raven hair perfectly coiffed into shiny waves, the performer was shown hammering away at her design, red lipstick applied to perfection.
Located on Drury St, on the top floor of The Collective jewellery shop, Silver Works is a firm favourite for those looking to get crafty in style. The team offer everything from gemstone setting and ring forging classes, to an Introduction to Jewellery Making course, and are especially popular for couples, hens, birthdays and more.
The class that caught Von Teese's eye was the Make Your Own Claddagh workshop, which costs €130 per person.
Shrouded in myth and folklore, the claddagh is a beloved staple of Irish jewellery and iconography and has been having a resurgence in popularity in recent years.
As fashion historian Laura Fitzachary wrote for RTÉ Lifestyle, "origin stories vary from the rational, such as competing goldsmiths in Cork, to the absurd, such as an eagle dropping the original design into the lap of one Margaret Joyce in the much earlier 16th century".
She writes that one of the oldest examples of the ring dates back to c. 1700, and they have been a feature of Irish design for centuries.
Origin aside, the symbol is firmly associated with Galway in particular and carried heavy symbolism: the heart represents love, the crown stands for loyalty and the two clasped hands symbolise friendship.
Of course, Von Teese is no stranger to Ireland, having gotten married to rocker Marilyn Manson at Gurteen Castle in Co Tipperary - the home of the couple's friend Gottfried Helnwein, an Austrian-Irish artist - in 2005. The couple eventually divorced after a year of marriage, but that doesn't seem to have soured her fondness for Ireland.
