|
|
|
erotica  fictiongallerylifestyles fetishbdsmqueer/bi/transswingersfeatures news briefsarticlessexy spreadseros bits sound offtriviasexfessionsreviewsevents sf archiveslondon archiveslos angeles archivesnew york archiveslas vegas archivesinternational calendareros photo classified ads about eros ezine daily cartoon select different zine:
|
London's Agent Provocateur didn't land on the fashion scene with the intent of becoming one of the most popular lingerie lines, especially among celebrities and the fetish world. But in their eighth year, they've overwhelmed even the most critical of fashion writers and secured a credibility no other lingerie line has yet seen. Millions of cinemagoers who saw the Catherine Zeta-Jones/Renee Zellweger hit Chicago have seen Agent Provocateur's fishnet stockings, which were displayed prominently throughout the film, whether they know it or not.  Not all lingerie lines are about style and creativity. Some are solely about sex. What makes Agent Provocateur the most interesting (and coveted among celebrities ranging from Madonna to Paula Abdul) is the image it promotes.Founders Joseph Corre and Serena Rees opened the first AP shop in London with a vision of lingerie avoiding the usual British prudery and aimed, according to the AP website, "to create an availability of high quality lingerie with creative flair to stimulate, enchant, and arouse both wearers and their partners." Their naughty and somewhat dark images of models actually enjoying the lingerie and the feeling it gives them (as opposed to promoting a typically traditional image of a woman principally attempting to please a man), through the meticulous detail and craft of the designers, is what has gained AP their notoriety, and made their reputation more closely associated with the confidence and creativity in sexuality, rather than merely the promotion of a rudimentary sexual image. The influence of Corre's parents (fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren) is evident as well, and provides some context for the creativity of the Agent Provocateur husband and wife design team. Westwood has consistently been considered Britain's bad girl of fashion, and is more closely associated with the punk generation than any other designer. And their fetish clothing is sexy as hell. AP's cutting edge website features beautiful photography by Tim Bret-Day, and is designed to feel like you're entering a hotel. With all elements ranging from boudoir glamour to punk fetishism, the line is designed with varying interests in mind. Strip poker games, corsetry, suspender belts, fishnets—the line is completely accommodating to different tastes.  The different themed bra-and-panty sets (among many other combinations) make their line so genuinely fun. Set ranges with names like "Lucky," "Sweet," and "Diva" give a hint of the feelings they evoke.For something a little less demure, click on "Boudoir" and you can check out alternate views of the "Joli" Playsuit. Looking for accessories? Click on that heading for the "Diamante" handled whip, pasties in black and red, and even cat collars. Their corsetry is intricately and carefully designed. And the AP footwear is hot. I'm still aching with desire for the black and pink "Minnie" peep-toe stilettos. The AP site documents all their good press and has a chronology of events of their lifespan, complete with PDF-formatted articles from The Observer, The Face, Arena, and ES Magazine, as well as fashion spreads the company's been featured in. AP is adamant about not adhering to trends, and this is possibly their strongest trait. Their philosophy centers around the intimacy of the erotic experience they offer. That might sound like a lot to brag about, but with three stores in London and two in the US (the newest one is on Melrose Blvd. in Los Angeles), as well as the loyalty of countless celebrities and fashion critics, they no longer have to. Their fetish clothing speaks for itself. Photos courtesy of Agent Provocateur.
|
|
|
 |
|