Eden Berlin's style flawlessly replicates American forties pin-up glamour but her beauty is timeless. Other burlesque performers may appear to be charming anachronisms, chorus girls or starlets who have materialized today. If Berlin had been born a century ago, she would unquestionably have become a star at the peak of Hollywood's hierarchy. Berlin’s beauty would give Rita Hayworth a run for her money. So the city that she is named after is lucky that she lends her perfect Vargas physique, lovable charm, admirable intellect and features, recalling Joan Fontaine, to the local pin-up and burlesque scene. Coming from a small German town, she flirted with punk before brilliantly perfecting her look as an avatar of ‘40s style who has been photographed by Peter Lindbergh for German Vogue's 30th anniversary issue. And mothers of any era would be happy to know that underneath her sumptuously sculpted beauty is a thoughtful, warm and witty person.
Ana Finel Honigman: How did you develop your style?
Eden Berlin: I always loved femme fatale looks. I love exaggerated female curves, red lipstick and the whole package. But it is not easy to find the courage to really live this style. People give you lots of trouble just because you like to look elegant and sexy in a different way than the girls they are used to seeing on the street.
AFH: I am shocked that people are nasty or aggressive towards you. I can only imagine people being delighted by your appearance. What are their reasons? Is it mostly a feminist issue of misinterpreting your style?
EB: Oh, it's not that I only get negative reactions. Mostly they are positive. It's more that I get strong reactions sometimes of either kind. But in that case you mention, I think it's often about a wrong interpretation of equal rights for woman, or sexism. It is a misjudgment of making an object out of yourself. I am not much on that mode of thinking. We are all objects to others. Just some are prettier than the others. I think that there is no need to hide that you're hot. Enjoy your hotness and use all kind of expedients to bring it out if you want. But I prefer if you do it with class, of course!
AFH: Eden, the perfect demonstration of how to do it properly! Generally do women respond differently to your look than men?
EB: Not much different than you'd expect.
AFH: Why do you combine charming, flirty, pin-up aspects with more sexually submissive fetish elements in your routine?
EB: I love to combine the sweetness of a pin-up with the mystery of a femme fatale. It's the perfect mix for me. Betty Page had a similar charm. She also did S&M bondage, spanking, and fetish pictures. But she always did them all that with the brightest smile and a wink in her eye.
AFH: How do people treat you differently when you're fully dressed in your look than when you're a bit more causal?
EB: Well, what is casual for me is still really dressed up for others. So people always stare. I just don't like the jeans or sportswear look.
AFH: How do you define feminine allure?
EB: It goes without saying that every woman's allure is unique and individual. For my personal taste a woman should have an appearance of sensuality and a bit of mystery. A woman should have a good manicure when it’s the right time for that. And she should not be too rude when speaking. I guess my taste would be considered a bit conservative.
AFH: What do you think of today's glamour girl look like England's Jordan, America's Paris Hilton or their countless little copies?
EB: With glamour girls, do you mean the so-called "it- girls"? I am not interested in them. Having lots of money doesn't mean that you have taste or style. It is just not inspiring at all for me.
AFH: By "glamor girl," I also mean the contemporary pin-ups—the girls typically seen in the lad's mags like Maxim or FHM.
EB: I don't have anything against Maxim or FHM models. They are just not interesting to me.
AFH: What do you think of the typical raw Berlin fashion sense?
EB: The Berlin-Mitte style is not my thing at all. It is far too casual and not sexy!
AFH: Do you feel that women today might be uncomfortable appearing sweet or feel overly pressured to be brash and ballsy?
EB: Yes. I think that it is often like that. I was watching Germany's Next Top Model lately and I was kind of shocked by the young girls' conversations and behavior. It is so sad to me that they do not realize what power they could have using the advantages of being a real lady.
AFH: What inhibitions do you see troubling contemporary men and women the most?
EB: Inhibitions? Hmm ... I think it's like in every other era. If you don't fit in the contemporary rules of beauty and fashion then you get in trouble with people and have to explain yourself all the time. People have often laughed about my way of dressing. Then the next year it was suddenly and inexplicably in fashion and everyone dressed this way. This is the way life is, isn't it? So, at the moment it's not "in" to be fat or to be "not natural" ... or whatever else. But in other eras it was beautiful to be a Ruben's woman or to wear tons of makeup, a powdered wig and a tight corset everyday. So I think, just don't give a blankity blank and do whatever makes you feel beautiful and happy.
AFH: What do you think of Christina Aguilera's appropriation of fetish/pin-up style?
EB: I do not think it's "real," as in genuine. But it looks nice anyway.
AFH: Do you think that Dita von Teese does positive things for the whole aesthetic and community, or is she cheapening it by making it more mainstream?
EB: Bringing beautiful things to more people can't be wrong to me.
[Images: Eden Berlin was photographed on the roof of the sugarhigh offices, by Maxime Ballesteros]
