Agent Provocateur (lingerie)

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.

The company sells colourful and fashionable lingerie. Joseph Corré is the designer for the brand.

2007–2017

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

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.

Garry Hogarth stepped down as CEO in February 2016.

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." Its US business entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy the following month, with US stores also being sold to Four Holdings.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Logo

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.

Criticism

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

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many Western companies curtailed their operations in Russia. According to Agent Provocateur's Russian website 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.

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."

References

References

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