Burlesque: Behind the Velvet Curtain

When Lady Josephine steps onto a stage, she does more than perform—she transforms the space around her. For the latest blush holiday campaign, Lady Josephine brought her magnetic energy behind the velvet curtains of Montreal’s Le National Theatre, crafting a campaign that celebrates artistry, movement, and self-expression. She is not only a performer but a storyteller, a founder and teacher at Arabesque Burlesque, and a living embodiment of the burlesque ethos: fearless, glamorous, and unapologetically confident.

From the moment she arrived on set, Josephine carried with her a collection of hand-crafted accessories, each piece carefully chosen to enhance the story of each setting. The silver helmet she crafted, her rhinestoned burlesque shoes, show-stopping feather fans, handmade mesh gloves, and silver jewelry all contributed to her presence. Every accessory added sparkle, yet it was Josephine herself who became the centerpiece of every shot, commanding attention and turning every frame into a theatrical performance.

Then I was going to university at McGill, and in the back of my mind, I was definitely missing dance. My partner at the time took me to a burlesque show in Vancouver. He just thought that that was something that I would love, because of the pretty costumes and because I've always been obsessed with design. What I saw on stage was a way for me to get back into dance without it being something technical, right? It was the endorphins and the freedom of expression that I had always loved about dance classes as a kid. I had always rebelled against the really technical parts of it, and hated how you're supposed to look a really particular way. When I found burlesque, it was a way to get back into dance while staying authentically me.

Also, at the time I was living with a bunch of leftists. We were fixing bikes and going to protests. Even though I was fitting in by wearing the all-black, ripped clothing, I was looking for a way to get back into hyper femininity that I had enjoyed earlier in my life. Burlesque seemed like a way to be political, a feminist and hyper feminine.

And then I truly fell in love with performing burlesque when I realized it was an artform where I could pretty easily share all of these big ideas I had inside me. Where I could use my hands to sew, glue and mold until the thing became real. I love making beautiful things."

Her performances are a study in contrasts: fierce yet playful, hyper-feminine yet deeply empowered. As a teacher at Arabesque Burlesque, Josephine helps her students discover confidence, individuality, and the art of commanding a stage. Her YouTube channel is also a key space where she shares both theatrical work and class content.

When you first stepped on stage, what did burlesque mean to you — and how has that meaning evolved over the years?

"When I first started, burlesque was a place to be imaginative and to subvert the expectations my family had for me. Then it turned into a job. And then it came full circle to where I am today... where burlesque means leading an audience through big emotions, being provocative and staying up all night making a fancy hat.

There were a number of years where I was earning a big chunk of my income from burlesque, and it was really my job. I was doing lots of shows every week, and I was working in a lot of “mainstream spaces,” like clubs in the Old Port, corporate events, and restaurants. For those types of shows a burlesque dancer is most often expected to be not only thin and white, but also feminine in a way that pleases the male gaze - submissive, flirtatious, and hetero-normative. And there was a period where I felt really empowered in that role. I had flipped the power dynamic on it's head and was in control of how I was being objectified after a lifetime of being sexualized in ways I hadn't consented to. In more recent years however, as I've come more into my queerness and also seen how terribly fat people and gender diverse people are treated in those spaces, I've felt much less empowered by that type of work. I wanted to be the voice that changed people's minds. But those establishments are built on a foundation of misogyny and the disenfranchisement of people I love. So I've come back to performing mostly in small public shows. Shows that have ties to Montreal's burlesque community and are done in spaces that support its magnificent diversity. I believe Burlesque can change the dominant narrative around gender roles and body acceptance and I teach my students this with the hope that their art will pick up where I started."

 Costumes and props are such an essential part of burlesque. How do you approach creating your looks — do they start with a feeling, a song, or a character?

"There is no single road map for this... these days often it's a single costume piece or a themed show that I'll get booked for that will spark the process. And it's through the daily grind of building the act that the personal meaning will arise. I make acts about everything that affects me deeply: my community, my family, my lovers, my first time on psychadelics, the parts of myself I uncover in therapy. To the audience it's a captivating stripease but to me it's always more than that."

What’s a moment throughout your years performing that you’ll never forget?

"One most memorable would have to be a show I did in Brooklyn NY in my first years of performing, with a troupe called the Blood Ballet Cabaret. We stripped outdoors in a
cobblestone courtyard behind an art gallery. The area was lit by torch flames and the audience of like 12 people all had silver space blankets to keep them warm. My heel got caught in the cobblestones and my teeth were chattering through the whole thing. It was so absurd I felt like I must be living in art film. 

I've also peformed for 1000 people in gorgeous grande theatres and felt them with me in every moment - that's a high that truly cannot be replicated that I'm sure I'll think back to on my deathbed."

Her inspirations range from neo-burlesque icons like Lola Frost, Julie Atlas Muz, and Dirty Martini, to classic cinema, Sci-Fi, and runway fashion. These eclectic influences infuse her acts with playful sophistication and daring originality.

“Someone once told me a definition of burlesque that really stuck with me: It's a cry for revolution, dressed up in a pretty costume. Classic burlesque takes a very wealthy, aristocratic persona and slowly taps into their sensuality, shedding traditional expectations of what a woman should be. You spend the first half establishing a connection with the audience where you're like, ‘look how pretty and beautiful I am. Look how controlled, and poised and funny and approachable.’ Then finishing by telling the audience where you want them to look on your mostly naked body, and how much of like an animalistic sensuality you are demanding the right to share in public spaces.”

The campaign was shot at Le National Theatre, an iconic Montreal venue with over 125 years of history. Its red velvet seats, golden architectural flourishes, and warm, intimate lighting provided a setting that perfectly complemented the drama and sensuality of the Burlesque collection.

Lisa Fortin, behind programming and general coordination at Le National shares its history:

“It all began in 1898, when actor Julien Daoust returned from New York after spending eight years performing there. He noticed that despite the abundance of theaters in Montreal, plays written by French Canadians were still absent from the programming. He also realized that local artists were not being asked to play leading roles and that instead, artists from Europe and the United States were being brought in to fill these roles. Daoust, who firmly believed in the potential of local artists, was outraged that the Théâtre Royal, the Variétés, and the Renaissance theatres refused to trust them. His solution: build a new theater for and by the French-Canadian people.

Two years later, on August 12, 1900, he inaugurated Le Théâtre National Français. But the venue was quickly taken over by Georges Gauvreau, a visionary and cultured restaurateur from the neighborhood. With actor Paul Cazeneuve, Mr. Gauvreau presented the great hits of Broadway, played in Québécois, to attract French-speaking customers. Le Théâtre National Français will therefore offer large productions dedicated to Montcalm, Jos Montferrand, De Lorimier, etc. But the public also likes to laugh, and the venue will become a privileged place for Québécois comedy, giving way to musical reviews with an insolent commentary on the news, punctuated by songs and sketches. For several decades, it will house the greatest artists of Quebec burlesque and melodrama: in particular Tizoune father, Juliette Pétrie & Grimaldi. Rose Ouellette - La Poune - will also be director from 1936 to 1953. Historica Canada produced a short video on this period of Rose Ouellette's career: https://youtu.be/qXw3UHrmo5E

With the arrival of television in homes in the mid-1950s the establishment hit hard times. It was even abandoned for a time in the early 1960’s. Then, over the following years, the building was used as a nickelodeon, a vaudeville house, a Chinese cinema, a classroom (Conservatoire d'art dramatique de Montréal), and even housed the O'National—which went bankrupt after a month—as well as a gay porn theater, Le Cinéma du Village. Under the leadership of Bernard Rousseau, in collaboration with three partners, the latter was initially designed to show gay-themed art films, before turning to erotic films from 1984 to 1993.

In 1997, the venue gradually resumed its vocation, and La Compagnie Larivée Cabot Champagne (that's us!) took over management in February 2006 and to this day, continues to promote artists from here and around the world. Here is a list, just to name a few : Suzie Arioli, 30 Seconds to Mars, Ariane Moffatt, Caribou, Chromeo, Cœur de Pirate, Daniel Lemire, David Usher, Devendra Banhart, Duran Duran, the screening of Arcade Fire’s film Miroir Noir, Habib Koité, Half Moon Run, Keren Ann, KRS One, Mistress Barbara, Mumford and Sons, Robert Charlebois, Simple Plan, Steve Earle, Vampire Weekend, Vincent Vallières, X Ambassadors, Cupcakke, The Empire Strips Back burlesque show ... and many more!”

What do you think makes Le National such a special, magnetic place for artists and audiences alike?

"For the audience, the venue is just the right size, between small and large. You get to see your favorite artists up close. For the artists, the acoustics are perfect and I believe that a lot of them enjoy the aesthetics of our 125-year-old room. I also know many get a kick out of playing in a place with so much history."

The theatre has such an old-world charm — how do you preserve that while still keeping the venue current and alive for new generations?

"We are very careful with any modifications or repairs we do in the venue. Our priority is to preserve that charm. And to keep the venue current and alive, we have to thank the very dynamic promoters we work with."

Just as Josephine brings story and movement to every performance, each piece in our Burlesque collection tells a story of confidence, glamour, and empowerment:

• Dulcie: Sleek satin with a soft shine, perfect for quiet boudoir moments or everyday elegance.
  
  

• Deception: Luxurious lace that flirts and teases, revealing just enough.
  
  

• Luster: Satin microfiber that embraces curves with a silky-smooth finish.
  
  

• Axil: Ultra-bold mesh, daring and provocative.
  
  

• Carmen: Dreamy embroidered roses, stretch mesh, lingerie made to shine center stage.
  
  

• Liora: Fringe, satin, and gasp-worthy silhouettes that move with you.
  
  

• Saint: Provocative accessories for behind-closed-doors moments.
  
  

• Ondine: Moody embroidered mesh florals designed to enchant.
  
  

• Vice: Scalloped stretch lace, strappy details, and daring cutouts for nights that go past midnight.
  
  

Each piece acts as a costume for your personal stage, allowing you to embody confidence, presence, and theatricality.

Shooting at Le National brought layers of history, elegance, and performance together. The velvet curtains, golden chandeliers, and echoes of legendary performers became part of the narrative. Josephine’s hand-crafted accessories and her magnetic presence turned every pose into a story, every frame into a scene from a living theatre.

This holiday, step behind the velvet curtain, explore the Blush Burlesque collection, and celebrate confidence, glamour, and daring femininity. The spotlight is yours, and every piece is designed for you to shine.