18 year old, Blond, Dita Von Teese

Before she was famous: Burlesque star Dita Von Teese aged 18, as she was captured in her high school yearbook in 1990. Von Teese changed her name from Heather Sweet to its current incarnation when she embarked on a career as a glamor model and performer.

But behind that sweet smile, as she approached her 18th birthday a steely Heather knew exactly what she wanted to do when she passed that milestone.

And in the same year the yearbook picture was taken, she began the metamorphosis which set her on the path to fame and fortune.

Dita said in an interview: "As soon as I was of legal age I wanted to take my clothes off and be photographed recreating old pin-ups."

And at just 18-years old, she arranged a shoot with a photographer who had taken pictures of her older sister for Penthouse, and posed in just a pink and black corset.

She gave the pictures to her then-boyfriend for his birthday.

Dita told The Telegraph: "There were times my parents weren't so sure about what I was doing, what this bondage modeling was all about.

"When I was on the cover of Playboy my father suddenly had much more respect for what I did."

Now she can regularly be seen on stage in oversize champagne glasses and once performed naked save for $5million worth of diamonds for a benefit show at the New York Academy of Art.

The former glamor model has even outlined her unique take on undressing in public in a bestselling book Burlesque And The Art Of The Teese/Fetish And The Art Of The Teese.

And she recently appeared completely nude in the January issue of Spanish Playboy.