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Agent Provocateur (lingerie)

Agent Provocateur is a British lingerie retailer founded in 1994 by Joseph Corré and Serena Rees.[1] The company has stores in 13 countries.[2]

History

1994–2007

In 1994, Agent Provocateur was founded by Joseph Corré, the son of Vivienne Westwood, and his then-wife Serena Rees. The first store opened in Soho on Broadwick Street.[3]

The company sells colourful and fashionable lingerie.[4] Joseph Corré is the designer for the brand.[5]

2007–2017

In 2007, after the divorce of Corré and Rees, 3i, a private equity firm that invests in mid-size companies,[6] purchased 80% of the company for £60 million.[1][7]

Between November 2007 and March 2009 the company opened 13 shops, expanding to the US, Russia, Dubai and Hong Kong. By March 2008, Agent Provocateur's profits dropped 18% to £2.2 million due to the cost of expansion.[8]

Garry Hogarth stepped down as CEO in February 2016.[9]

In March 2017, the business entered administration. As part of a "pre-pack" deal, it was purchased by Four Holdings, a company one-third owned by British businessman Mike Ashley who reportedly paid around "£25m after seeing off competition from private equity firm Lion Capital."[10] Its US business entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy the following month, with US stores also being sold to Four Holdings.[11]

Marketing

The company is known for its provocative videos. Australian actress Melissa George, English model Chloe Hayward and American model Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann appeared in a John Cameron Mitchell-directed campaign, which urged women to control their own destinies while wearing the company's lingerie.[12]

In December 2001, company produced a controversial short film featuring Kylie Minogue riding a velvet bucking bronco while wearing the company's underwear to prove that their lingerie brand is the most erotic according to the male viewers.[13][14]

In the 2000s, the brand's annual revamp of its website, first by Wax New Media[15] and then Large Design,[16] became an industry benchmark.

In 2006, Mike Figgis directed a short film for Agent Provocateur starring model Kate Moss.[17]

Other models have included actress Maggie Gyllenhaal in 2007, British model Daisy Lowe in 2008,[18] and model Hailey Clauson in a 2014 ad campaign photographed by Miles Aldridge.[19] In January 2019, the brand hired plus-size model Charli Howard to front their Valentine's Day campaign, entitled "A Love Letter To Myself".[20]

The original Agent Provocateur logo and wordmark were set from an existing over-the-counter typeface. As Corré’s venture grew, graphic design company House Industries redrew and expanded on the logo. They penned a flowing Spencerian wordmark as well as a racy leg logo for products including tissue paper and fabric monograms.[21]

Criticism

Agent Provocateur had some of its advertisements banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom) for "being degrading to women."[22][23]

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many Western companies curtailed their operations in Russia.[24] According to Agent Provocateur's Russian website[25] there are 10 Agent Provocateur franchise stores still operating in Moscow, leading to claims that the company is helping to finance Russia's war in Europe.[26]

Agent Provocateur said that the stores are "operated by franchisees under franchise/license agreements" according to "a system established by the previous owner of the business, many years ago" and that the company itself "does not 'operate' in Russia."[27]

References

  1. Leonie Cooper. G2: Style: Frilly business: We may demand cheap clothes, but we are prepared to splash out a lot more on what lies beneath. Leonie Cooper on the boom in luxury underwear The Guardian (London), 11 January 2008^
  2. Glynis Traill-Nash. Agent Provocateur set for big bash to mark 100th store opening in Sydney theaustralian.com.au, The Australian, retrieved 11 April 2016^
  3. Alan Hamilton. Lingerie boss rejects MBE because Blair is morally corrupt The Times, 21 June 2007, retrieved 23 April 2010^
  4. Joe Corré and Serena Rees: Sex and the City The Independent, 29 July 2002, retrieved 23 April 2010^
  5. M&S launches underwear boutiques BBC, 23 October 2000, retrieved 15 March 2017^
  6. 3i announces restructuring to cut costs BBC, 29 June 2012, retrieved 1 April 2017^
  7. Karen Attwood. Agent Provocateur sold to private equity firm 3i for 60m Pounds The Independent, 16 November 2007, retrieved 22 March 2017^
  8. Amy Wilson. Agent Provocateur says lingerie sales hold up The Telegraph, 23 March 2009, retrieved 22 March 2017^
  9. Agent Provocateur lined up for possible sale as boss Garry Hogarth steps down The Independent, 2016-02-09, retrieved 2017-09-15^
  10. Mike Ashley firm buys lingerie firm Agent Provocateur BBC, 2 March 2017, retrieved 2 March 2017^
  11. Stephanie Gleason. Lingerie Company Agent Provocateur Places U.S. Assets in Chapter 11 The Wall Street Journal, April 11, 2017, retrieved October 11, 2025^
  12. Alice Newbold. Melissa George frolics on catwalk for Agent Provocateur's 2012 autumn campaign The Telegraph, 2 September 2013, retrieved 15 March 2017^
  13. Giles Wilson. Happy hours with non-stop ads? BBC, 7 September 2004, retrieved 15 March 2017^
  14. Top 10: Agent Provocateur Models - First black supermodel Shar Michelle to model Campaign Number 2 Askmen.com, retrieved 24 January 2014^
  15. Serena Rees explains how Agent Provocateur has found success on the internet Campaign, retrieved 21 December 2018^
  16. Agent Provocateur site offers voyeuristic experience Campaign, retrieved 21 December 2018^
  17. Caroline Briggs. Film-maker Figgis frames London BBC, 27 October 2006, retrieved 15 March 2017^
  18. Daisy Lowe BBC, 2008, retrieved 17 March 2017^
  19. Samantha Conti. Agent Provocateur Takes to the Kitchen WWD, 22 January 2014, retrieved 22 January 2014^
  20. Glamour. 'You were perfect already - I was just blind to it': Charli Howard's love letter to her body is so damn empowering Glamour UK, 26 January 2019, retrieved 2019-01-26^
  21. House Industries^
  22. Tony Yeshin. Advertising Cengage Learning EMEA, 25 July 2005, retrieved 22 October 2012^
  23. Jim Blythe. Principles & Practice of Marketing Cengage Learning EMEA, 2006, retrieved 22 October 2012^
  24. Over 1,000 Companies Have Curtailed Operations in Russia—But Some Remain Yale School of Management, retrieved 13 December 2020^
  25. Agent Provocateur's Russian website Agent Provocateur (Russia), retrieved 13 December 2020^
  26. Lingerie firm Agent Provocateur under pressure over Moscow franchise stores The Guardian, retrieved 13 December 2020^
  27. Daniel Boffey, Daniel Boffey Chief reporter. Lingerie firm Agent Provocateur under pressure over Moscow franchise stores The Guardian, 2022-12-13, retrieved 2023-05-19^
  28. Maggie Gyllenhaal Stars in New Agent Provocateur Campaign Elle magazine, 2007-03-09, retrieved 2020-05-26^
  29. Ella Alexander. Last year, Agent Provocateur entered administration - this year, its future couldn't look brighter Harpers Bazaar, 2018-03-22, retrieved 2020-05-26^