Agent Provocateur's new campaign focuses on strong women from across the globe

The titillating British lingerie company is gearing up for fun in the sun. Launching on July 7, the brand unveiled its latest ad campaign, 'Provocation Nation, The International Language of Lingerie', by enlisting a roster of talents across the globe to showcase its latest offerings of tastefully risqué undergarments.

The campaign features multi-hyphenate models selected for hobbies and talents beyond physical attributes and was shot by Pixie Levinson, the rising British photographer-slash-model based between London and Los Angeles. Qualifiers such as The Surfer, The Boxer, The Muse, The Matriarch, and more, further defined their roles.

In the release, creative director Sarah Shotton expressed reimagining the sun goddess, one who is presumably dynamic, sensual, individual, and fearless.

The shoot concept was born from a campaign shot in 2020 when remote shooting was a necessity. The first remote campaign featured Daisy Lowe, Caroline Vreeland, and others sporting a new, everyday collection Shotton conceived called 'Anytime Collection'.

"We noticed ladies that were home and a bit bored posted images of themselves wearing their Agent Provocateur using #lefttoyourowndevices," Shotton explained.

Thus, the 2020 campaign captured this phenomenon by recruiting models across the globe, and Provocation Nation carries on this notion.

The crew of the shoot all worked remotely, with subjects being sent products to style and model in their way, including doing their hair and make-up, which often was a natural look.

"We know from our social media feeds that we get a stronger response from images of women who look natural and shoot themselves in their environments; normally, our campaigns are quite high fantasy-driven," she continued.

The shoot took place mainly over an intense two-week period in April, where Shotton following the office workday, would log on at home for a two-hour Zoom photo session. The image's grainy effect is a desired effect from the shooting method.

"If we had to get on a plane and travel the world, this shoot would have been harder to coordinate," said Shotton, noting initially the list of models she wanted to shoot was much bigger, but the producer insisted they cut the list for practical reasons.

"I need to be at every shoot. I was in Milan on the Zoom, but we let the girls work directly with Pixie. We enjoyed, especially watching Julia (Muniz) in Australia on a beach with her surfboard and the turquoise ocean behind her."

Muniz is a surfer who grew up in Brazil, has called Hawaii home, and currently resides in Australia. She demonstrated that sheer black leopard is perfect for the beach and crystal blue waters in her images.

Australian-native boxer Avril Mathie, based between Miami and Greece, was photographed in her Florida training spot at the World-famous 5th Street gym, where she demonstrates black lace works nicely on the ropes.

Three models represent rock royalty and are a mother and two daughters. Guns N' Roses bass player Duff McKagan's wife, Susan Holmes McKagan,

Modeled with daughters Grace, 24, and Mae Marie, 21 proving that lacy lingerie can be a family affair. Several shots of the trio posing together challenge the identity of the eldest McKagan; good genes appear to run in the family.

"Susan was a fan of Agent Provocateur from the Nineties who has the AP rock' n roll DNA, and now her daughters love it as well," Shotton said, adding, "These ladies are dressing for themselves, no one else. When Agent Provocateur started in the 90s, it was about sexual liberation. In 2022 women buy it because they know the need and deserve good fitting undergarments that give them inner confidence because it makes them feel good about themselves."

Shotton counts female boardroom executives, lawyers, and the Hollywood elite as clients.

"It's like armor, like wearing high heels or shoulder pads in the eighties. It's a powerful tool. Actresses wear it to get into character," she said. Most of all, Shotton says it should emancipate women, a topic currently on the minds of American women.

"I'm a 90s girl from London from the Ladette culture. I am about freedom of choice, what you want to do, and being who you want to be. That is what Agent Provocateur is about, having a voice. The world is changing, but we are about empowering women."

Agent Provocateur's new campaign focuses on strong women from across the globe

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