Agent Provocateur (lingerie)
Industry | Apparel |
---|---|
Founded | 1994 |
Headquarters | London, England, United Kingdom |
Key people
|
Joseph Corré Serena Rees Garry Hogarth |
Products | lingerie, sleepwear, hosiery, swimwear, accessories, outerwear, fragrances |
Parent | 3i |
Website | AgentProvocateur.com |
Agent Provocateur is a British lingerie retailer founded in 1994 by Joseph Corré and Serena Rees.[1] The company has 100 stores in 13 countries.[2] In 2007, 3i, the private equity firm, purchased 80% of the company for £60 million.[1][3]
Contents
History
1994: Early years
In 1994, Agent Provocateur was founded by Joseph Corré, the son of Vivienne Westwood, and his now ex-wife Serena Rees.[4] The first store was opened in Soho on Broadwick Street.[5]
The company sought to sell colourful and fashionable lingerie though began manufacturing a line of lingerie under the company's name after failing to source via other brands.[6]
2007: Purchase by 3i
After Corre's and Rees's divorce in 2007, Agent Provocateur was purchased by the private equity firm 3i for £60 million.[4][3] Garry Hogarth is the current CEO.[4][7][8]
Expansion
Following the takeover, the company expanded into 13 countries with over 60 stores.[4] By March 2008, Agent Provocateur's profits dropped 18% to £2.2 million due to the cost of expansion.[9]
Products and marketing
Current products
Fragrances
In 2000, the company released their first signature fragrance called Agent Provocateur.[10] Since then, the range has expanded to include more fragrances plus a selection of beauty products and cosmetics.
Marketing
Films
The company is famous for its provocative videos. Its most recent addition sees Melissa George of Home & Away fame, English model Chloe Hayward and American beauty Elettra Wiedemann all star in the John Cameron Mitchell-directed campaign, which urges women to control their own destinies (while wearing luxury AP lingerie, of course).[11]
In December 2001, company produced a short film that caused controversy due to the film featuring Kylie Minogue riding a bucking bronco wearing the company's underwear.[12]
Models
In previous years, these have included Kylie Minogue (2001)[13] and Kate Moss in 2006[14] and 2008. Hollywood actress Maggie Gyllenhaal took over for supermodel Kate Moss as the new face for the line in 2007.[15]
In January 2014, model Hailey Clauson is the focus of an ad campaign called “Behind Closed Doors,” which was photographed by Miles Aldridge.[16]
Logo and wordmark
The original Agent Provocateur logo and wordmark were set from an existing over-the-counter typeface. As Corre’s venture grew from a single storefront in London to a worldwide brand, graphic design company House Industries were given the task of redrawing and expanding on the logo. Corre and Rees wanted something that was different and executed in a way that their competitors could not easily steal but also blended in with the existing logo. House Industries penned a flowing Spencerian wordmark as well as a racy and lacy leg logo for everything from tissue paper to fabric monograms.[17]
Criticism
Agent Provocateur has had some of its advertisements banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom) for "being degrading to women."[18][19]
Stores
UK Boutiques
- Mayfair, London
- Soho, London
- Royal Exchange, London
- Notting Hill, London
- Knightsbridge, London
- Selfriges, London
- Harrods, London
- Bicester Village, Oxfordshire
- Selfridges, Birmingham
- King Street, Manchester
- Selfridges, Trafford Centre, Manchester
- Victoria Quarter, Leeds
- Glasgow, Scotland
Continental European Boutiques
- Pous Rue Cambon, Paris, France
- Rue de Grenelle, Paris, France
- Printemps, Paris, France
- Cannes, France
- Madrid, Spain
- La Puerto Banus, Spain
- Via Verri, Milan, Italy
- La Rinascente, Milan, Italy
- KaDeWe, Berlin, Germany
- Breuninger, Stuttgart, Germany
- Ludwig Beck, Munich, Germany
- Oberpollinger, Munich, Germany
- Alsterhaus, Hamburg, Germany
- Vienna, Austria
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Jelmoli, Zurich, Switzerland
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- De Bijenkorf, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- De Bijenkorf, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Knokke, Belgium
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Harvey Nichols, Istanbul, Turkey
- Bucharest, Romania
- Nevsky Avenue, St. Petersburg
- Kutuzovsky Avenue, Moscow
- Stoleshnikov side-street, Moscow
- Central Universal Department Store, Moscow
- Four Seasons Mall, Moscow
- Malaya Bronnaya, Moscow
- Smolenskaya Square, Moscow
- Crocus City Mall, Krasnogorsk
- Kiev, Ukraine
- Saks 5th Avenue, Almaty, Kazakhstan
North and Central American Boutiques
- The Mall at Short Hills, New Jersey
- Madison Avenue, New York
- Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles
- Mercer Street, Soho, New York
- Forum Mall, Caesars, Las Vegas
- Geary Street, San Francisco
- Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles
- Bloomingdales, Orange County
- Bal Harbour, Miami
- Coral Gables, Miami
- Oak Street, Chicago
- Newbury Street, Boston
- Atlanta, Phipps Plaza
- Bloor Street, Toronto
- Holt Renfrew, Vancouver
- Holt Renfrew, Montreal
- El Palacio De Hierro, Mexico City
- Bloomingdales, Beverly Center
- Bloomingdale's New York
Middle Eastern Boutiques
- Dubai Mall, UAE
- Dubai SAKS, UAE
- Pearl Mall, Qatar
- Harvey Nichols, Kuwait
- Beirut Central District, Lebanon
Asian and Australian Boutiques
- Lane Crawford, Hong Kong
- Lane Crawford, Canton Road, Hong Kong
- Park View Green, Beijing China
- Lane Crawford, Shanghai, China
- Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Cheongdam, Seoul, Korea
- David Jones, Sydney, Australia
- David Jones, Perth, Australia
- David Jones, Brisbane, Australia
External links
Gallery
References
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- ↑ Agent Provocateur Fragrances
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- ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-479630/Maggie-Gyllenhaals-steamy-Agent-Provocateur-campaign-revealed.html Retrieved on 2009-21-04
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