Dita Von Teese turned 40 last fall, which is not usually a happy milestone for a stripper.

But the irrepressible burlesque star is proving that great second acts are possible in everyone’s life, especially for women, despite what F. Scott Fitzgerald might have said to the contrary.

Dita has accomplished the rare feat of turning her body into a brand. And these days that brand is everywhere, reaching into more homes and in more ways than anyone could have imagined.

Here’s what our favorite icon-in-the-making got done in the last week alone:

• She announced her Von Follies lingerie collection, a modestly priced faux retro set launched in Australia a year ago, will reach American consumers next month when it debuts on the Home Shopping Network. It has already been picked up by Debenhams in the UK as well as online retailers ASOS, StyleBop and Glamuse, and a new seasonal collection is in Aussie Target stores now.
• Dita just wrapped a sold-out four-night run of her Strip, Strip, Hooray! burlesque revue at New York’s Gramercy Theater, which won positively orgasmic reviews. Dita’s show — now 21 years after she first started performing! — is leading a major resurgence (and reappraisal) of this art form, and more touring dates for the ultra-glamorous production are promised.

• She made history last Monday by debuting what is being called the world’s first 3-D dress (above). The see-through wonder was designed by Michael Schmidt and architect Francis Bitonti and was fabricated from powdered nylon adorned with 13,000 black Swarovski crystals. Is this the next giant leap in fashion technology? See for yourself when the outfit shows up at a museum near you soon.
• To top things off, Dita previewed a new fragrance (her third) called “FleurTeese” and her dress collection made its New York debut at a two-day pop-up shop on Park Avenue.

The rapid emergence of Brand Dita follows a booming 2012 in which she landed five magazine covers and — get this! — her 2005 wedding dress was included in an exhibition of historic bridal fashions at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

How has she been able to pull all this off? First, by resisting many of the countless and pointless media engagements that have taken up much of her time in the past decade. And second, by entering into a fruitful partnership with Aussie brand development company Lime Door Brands, which coordinates her apparel products. Dita’s recent activities have been a case study in focus, commitment and careful brand management.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in all this is Dita’s admission, in an interview with Elle this week, that she’s still just a one-woman show, in more ways than one.

“I do not run with an entourage of makeup stylists, and I don’t have someone dictating to me what is the right thing to wear,” she said. “I don’t have anyone advising me. Every one of my products — my lingerie, my perfume, and everything that I do beauty-related with regard to building my burlesque shows — is just me. And I’m really into the motto: I can do it, you can do it.”