Sarah Shotton Gets Talking About Agent Provocateur's SS'18 Collection In An Exclusive With Brides Today

Agent Provocateur, makers of fashion’s fiercest body armour for the past 24 years, have combined shock-value with craftsmanship to create apparel for women who embody the femme fatale aesthetic. Founded in 1994 by Vivienne Westwood’s son Joe Corré and Serena Rees—with the original kink shop at London’s Broadwick Street—the brand has been synonymous for creating lingerie which is a beguiling mix of soft-focus glamour and cosy approachability. Back in the ’90s, with only Ann Summers and Marks & Spencer offering everyday innerwear, they [Corré and Rees] created something revolutionary in the United Kingdom.

Agent Provocateur's SS'18 ad campaign

Today, headed by creative director Sarah Shotton, Agent Provocateur has become every woman’s best friend. With her vivacious personality, 43-year-old Shotton seems to embody everything the brand stands (and has stood) for: A woman in charge. Since joining the brand in 1999 as a shop assistant to becoming its creative director in 2010, Shotton has done it all. She understands different aspects of the business and what customers want, which makes her more socially aware. But Shotton’s interest in fashion sparked at a very young age when she noticed little girls running around in pretty dresses. “When I was 17, I saw Vivienne Westwood’s autumn/winter 1989 show where models wore clothes that barely covered their private parts—it was genius!” she tells us, with a laugh. “From there on, becoming interested in the female form, I went to Central Saint Martins to study Fashion Design and Print, and finally, ended up working at Agent Provocateur,” she adds.

Sarah Shotton, creative director of Agent Provocateur

Though Agent Provocateur has been primarily known for lingerie, Shotton has incorporated a pragmatic approach to read-to-wear, as well. “When I design a collection, I look at it from my own perspective and then see whether it’s applicable to a woman’s wardrobe or not,” Shotton shares. “Every woman needs a perfect mackintosh or a pantsuit and at Agent Provocateur, we design those, but with our own twist,” she adds. Talking about her SS’18 collection for the brand, she tells us, “I was inspired by my teenage years, hanging out with my friends on hazy summer days, listening to music, and dancing in fields.” And that spontaneous memory has been very well translated into the garments that Shotton offers. There are intricate embroideries seen on hand-darted bras painted in soft pastels and burnished reds. The brand’s iconic elastic strapping under the bra cup—artfully moulded and bonded—gives a “fetishistic feeling of bondage.”

Exclusive illustrations for Brides Today

French Chantilly lace is delicately appliquéd on the brand’s ‘Kelsie’ bra, and with perfectly wired cups, it fits smoothly against the skin. “Each collection features traditional corsetry, the ultimate form of clever construction technique to manipulate the body and accentuate the curves,” Shotton muses. In this day and age, where most of the brands believe in mass-production, she takes pride in the craftsmanship, the quality, and the uniqueness behind every collection that her team at Agent Provocateur designs. Staying true to the name, Shotton wants to focus on the brand’s boutique experience, which has to be both immersive and magical. Having launched a new concept store in Harrods, she tells us, “Taking a step back from the darker textures that we have utilised at our stores over the past seven years, this boutique will feel light, airy, and feminine as we will focus on a lot of tonal pale pinks.”

Agent Provocateur's SS'18 ad campaign

Fret not there. Pink is a colour that has often been subjected to a certain kind of ‘femininity’. But can ‘femininity’ also mean strength and do we need it now more than ever? Shotton replies, with a resounding ‘yes’, “The fundamental roots of Agent Provocateur are to empower women and make them feel confident about their own sexuality.” She very much seems to be echoing those sentiments with her clothing. How about thinking that, when you think ‘pink’? It’s not just feminine; it can be feminist.

Agent Provocateur's SS'18 ad campaign

All images: courtesy.