11 posts tagged "Agent Provocateur"
VERA: Changing the World, One Corset at a Time
Corsets, cell phones, fashion, and microfinance might seem like they’d make for strange bedfellows, but those things are all coming together for a good cause at tonight’s launch event for VERA, a new phone application (created by mobile-intelligence firm Validas) that targets wireless waste (unused minutes and data on your cellular bill) and donates that money to the Seven Bar Foundation—a group that aims to empower women in need around the globe with targeted business investments. Sounds complicated, but basically it’s an innovative way to give back and become a mini-philanthropist, if you will. In the past, Seven Bar has raised funds and awareness for its mission with unique lingerie runway shows. And tonight—at the United Nations, of all places—the organization will be hosting one such extravaganza. “If we’re going to launch this, we’re going to do it in true Seven Bar style,” the foundation’s founder, Renata Black, told Style.com.
Black and the team behind VERA recruited several fashion designers—Erin Fetherston, Zang Toi, Guy Laroche artistic director Marcel Marongiu, and Sarah Shotton of Agent Provocateur—to create corsets for the occasion. (Mary Alice Stephenson is the master of ceremonies, and Tennessee Thomas, Hannah Bronfman, Kelly Rutherford, and Jennifer Creel are among the expected attendees.) Why corsets? you might ask. “They’re traditionally associated with restriction, but we’ve asked the designers to reimagine them as inner armor for outer empowerment,” Black explained. The designers gave Style.com an exclusive sneak peek at the custom corsets that will parade down this evening’s runway. “I’m known for my feminine aesthetic and that comes through in the draped chiffon, embellishments, and sweet bow gathering in the back. It’s romantic and modern,” said Fetherston. Meanwhile, Toi looked to Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE sculpture for corset inspiration, and Shotton did a quintessentially Agent Provocateur (read: sexy) take on the undergarment. To top it all off, Imitation of Christ designer Tara Subkoff will give a live performance at tonight’s event. Known to dabble in all forms of film and theatrics, Subkoff will make her own corset on the spot, and promises that the result will be imaginative. Corsets for change—why not?
A Shoe-In: Charlotte Olympia X Agent Provocateur
Agent Provocateur seems to have found its go-to girl in Charlotte Dellal. Just last year, the shoe designer lent her fashionable hand to the luxury lingerie label’s ad campaign, starring Josephine de la Baume, and now she’s done a sexy Charlotte Olympia shoe collaboration for AP’s premium Soiree line. Two styles of sky-high heels (pictured), the Candice, a modern take on a classic boudoir slipper, and the Bellatrix, a black patent leather stiletto with zipper detail, will make their debut tonight at Seven Bar Foundation’s Lingerie London Fashion Show and Gala. But those who are itching to get their hands on a pair right away are in luck. Both variations ($1,190) are available on Net-a-porter.com starting today.
Shop The Look: Suit Up
It’s hard to believe that the end of the summer is just around the corner. But there is still time to get in a few last-minute beach getaways before putting all of your warm-weather clothes in storage. And what’s a better way to celebrate your last few days at the beach than wearing a brand-new bathing suit? From Agent Provocateur’s cutout creation to Zimmermann’s perfect floral bikini, see our picks to ride out the last waves of summer in style.
1. Madewell telegraph stripe string bikini top, $34.99, and bottom, $34.99, www.madewell.com
2. Michael Kors color-block scuba swimsuit, $327, similar styles available at www.bergdorfgoodman.com
3. Agent Provocateur Mazzy swimsuit, $450, www.agentprovocateur.com
4. Mara Hoffman Inca printed bikini, $215, www.saksfifthavenue.com
5. Zimmermann floral-print bikini, $225, www.net-a-porter.com
6. Lisa Marie Fernandez + Peter Pilotto Leigh swimsuit, $190, www.matchesfashion.com
To view more looks, click here.
Franca Sozzani On Her Harvard Speech, J.Brand In Expansion Mode, And More…
Vogue Italia‘s editor in chief, Franca Sozzani, recently took to the blogs to express how hard she’s found it to write a speech for her appearance at Havard University on April 2. She has decided to discuss the controversial topic of body image and explained, “It’s a commitment and nothing must be left to chance. You speak and know that each word carries weight and consequences.” [Telegraph]
J Brand, which expanded its denim offerings to a full ready-to-wear line earlier this year, has announced plans to open the brand’s first flagship stores in New York and London within 15 months. Handbags and shoes, says J Brand CEO Jeff Rudes, are also not too far on the horizon. [WWD]
Former O.C. starlet Mischa Barton has just launched a shopping Web site called Mischa’s Place. Barton collaborated with her mom on the e-commerce endeavor, which offers cosmetics, handbags, and clothing. [Telegraph]
With Madonna clad in Agent Provocateur on the cover of her new single “Girl Gone Wild” and stars like Kylie Minogue and Elle Macpherson launching their own lingerie collections left and right, The Wall Street Journal reports that über-sexy undergarments are becoming more mainstream. And the numbers tell all—following celebrity endorsements like Madonna’s, sales of the Vivienne Westwood-backed Provocateur label have risen 12.5 percent in the last year. [WSJ]
Provocateur Paz De La Huerta, McQueen Exhibit Could Be Bound For London, Donna On Deborah Turbeville, And More…
Paz de la Huerta is the new muse for lingerie label Agent Provocateur. The Boardwalk Empire star will appear in a series of short films to be shown on their Web site, along with a series of stills. [WWD]
In case you missed the record-breaking Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Met, you could get a chance to redeem yourself if it opens in London. British Vogue reports that the McQueen design house has been in talks with several London venues about hosting the hugely popular exhibit. [Vogue U.K.]
Fashion photographer Deborah Turbeville’s Tainted Beauty exhibition at Donna Karan’s London boutique is set to open next month, along with a Rizzoli book featuring her works. Nowness spoke with Donna Karan and the exhibit curator on the photographer’s legacy. [Nowness]
Marc Jacobs isn’t the only designer impacted by Hurricane Irene. Olivier Theyskens’ Theory runway show has been moved from Monday, September 12, to Tuesday, September 13, due to this weekend’s wild weather. [WWD]