SAN FRANCISCO — Valentine’s Day was the target for saucy lingerie brand Agent Provocateur with the opening of a store here last week, as well as the launch of a film online by an Oscar-nominated director and a series of erotic literature in booklets.
With a black and chrome facade, the 1,000-square-foot store at 54 Geary Street off Union Square is filled with the London-based company’s signature boudoir trappings: black and pearl pink Perspex with laser-cut erotic images, fuchsia Chinese lanterns and mirrored furnishings.
“We knew San Francisco would be a great market because we’ve always had regulars from this city visit our boutiques in London and Los Angeles,” said co-founder Joe Corre amid the throng of lingerie-clad models at opening night last Thursday.
His wife and co-owner Serena Rees was unable to attend the event, which drew a packed house, but Corre was in good company with old friend and British expat Nick Graham and local social figures.
As models seductively danced their way down a grand staircase, guests such as Sloan Barnett, Kimberly Bini, Vanessa Getty, Kendall Robinson and Stephan Jenkins sipped on vodka Valentinas. Later, Corre and his new pals supped on duck salad and sushi at the new 415 restaurant nearby. The party favors: Agent Provocateur fragrance and red lace logo knickers.
This is the company’s fourth store in the U.S., and 17th worldwide including in-store shops in two Selfridges in the U.K.
The company expanded its publishing activities this month (it has long produced the magazine Knickers Forever) with two booklets featuring original short stories by authors such as Angela Jackson, Bret Goldstein and Molly May. “Secrets” and “Confessions” sell for $18 at Agent Provocateur stores, select U.K. bookstores and online.
The company’s Web site is also offering “Tied Up at the Office,” an eight-minute, black-and-white film by Mike Figgis for Agent Provocateur.
A friend of Corre and Rees, Figgis was nominated in both the best director and best screenplay categories for the 1995 hit “Leaving Las Vegas.” Among other cultural footnotes, he also taught Bryan Ferry to play piano when they were in the R&B band GasBoard together.
The short runs online through Feb. 20.