Agent Provocateur co-founder Serena Rees launches new label

Serena Rees, who co-founded Agent Provocateur in 1994 and sold it in 2007, is back with a new "bed to street" label, Les Girls Les Boys.

The men's and women's underwear, intimates and streetwear brand launches on 1 September and promises to be an "updated observation of self identity and sexuality".

Agent Provocateur had a highly provocative, luxury image and became a defining brand of the 90s when Rees and her then husband Joe Corré launched it in 1994.

Les Girls Les Boys looks set to be equally era-defining while offering a totally different aesthetic and a more accessible price point. "There is a real need for an open-minded brand, with a more diverse story to tell," explained Rees.

"Les Girls Les Boys is for the customer who treads their own path, are proud of who they are and proud of who they love. The idea of ‘bed to street’ is core to our brand philosophy – blurring the boundaries between inside and outside. This is the new sexy," she added.

The brand will include bras, briefs, bodysuits, rib jersey, T-shirts, vests, pyjamas, boxer shorts, hoodies and  joggers in sizes from XS to XL with prices ranging from £20-£120. It will initially be available from the Les Girls Les Boys website as well as Selfridges, Nordstrom, Shopbop and Zalando.

Les Girls Les Boys will be targeted at a millennial audience and digital content and commerce will be central to its strategy. "While the concept of physical connectivity lies at the heart of the creative, digital connectivity will inform the Les Girls Les Boys brand strategy," a statement said.

Rees began her career in fashion photography, moving on to become an art-buyer in advertising. She then moved back into fashion to work with Vivienne Westwood (the mother of her ex-husband Corré) before founding Agent Provocateur in 1994.

Agent Provocateur grew from one small store in London’s Soho, to an internationally recognised brand selling in 30 countries worldwide. Rees was awarded an MBE in the 2007 Honours List for her contribution to the British fashion industry.

Her former business hit the headlines recently when 3i, the private equity house which acquired it in 2007, placed it into administration and sold it to Four Holdings, in which Mike Ashley's Sports Direct holds a stake, in a pre-pack deal.

Image: Ana Cuba