SARAH SHOTTON
Creative Director
In March 2010, Sarah Shotton was appointed Creative Director of Agent Provocateur. Sarah grew up in County Durham, in the northeast of England and studied fashion at Central Saint Martins College London.
Sarah began work as an apprentice at Agent Provocateur in 1999, under the founders Joe Corre and Serena Rees. With over a decade of experience within the company, she has been involved in many aspects of the business and been integral in maintaining and evolving the brand image and philosophy. While working on the shop floor in the Soho boutique, she gained a great understanding of the AP woman and her needs She has also created many ingenious windows and has developed individual store concepts with each store having its own personality.
Throughout the years, Sarah has developed numerous collections ranging from signature AP to iconic such as the sensual Fifi, sexy Cendrillon, and the dramatic Nikita with its naughty ouvert. Her belief that bigger girls should be able to wear sexy underwear has seen Agent Provocateur grow their size ranges extensively. The Ohh Err Mr range with its fun postcard print, was one of the first cup-sized bikinis and was famously featured on an iconic Jennifer Lopez Esquire cover. Sarah has also worked on projects with Giles, Pringle and John Smedley.
Fenn-Tastic—December 1990
I remember when Sherilyn Fenn posed for this issue of Playboy as I somehow got my hands on a copy. At the time I was 15 years old and obsessed with Twin Peaks. I was at an all girls, boarding school and we all use to sneak into the attic after lights were turned out to watch each episode. Audrey Horne was probably another reason I am in the job I am in. I found her addictive – with her 1950s Monroe hair do and her bob socks and her manipulative sexuality. It was probably then that I realized the power of a women’s sensuality over men. We all wanted to be her and of course we all would practice for hours to twist cherry stems in our mouths in a similarly provocative manner! But we did it for our own amusement, not for boys. This cover story is special for me as it brings back these nostalgic memories. I love the way Sherilyn has been photographed so that she looks so empowered. The pictures are demure and ladylike but also sexually charged.
Thierry Mugler’s Sex Couture—January 1999
Thierry Mugler has always been a big inspiration for me. I love the way he made women look. I think he made women look iconic and sexually empowered. He celebrated women’s curves and with his amazing tailoring skills made beautiful sculpted pieces that defined and accentuated the female form. I started working for Agent Provocateur the same year this Playboy came out. I have a copy of it in my studio and I can’t tell you the number of times it has been referenced for inspiration. I love this shoot because it is Mugler through and through. I love how surreal it looks and the use of styling within the set. The girls look slightly android like with there uniforms of black Mugler Jackets, suspenders and stockings.
What Makes Marilyn?—December 1953
This it where it all began for Playboy. Marilyn Monroe has to be one of the most iconic sex symbols in history. I love that the nude images of her inside are of her more as Norma Jean than Marilyn. I watched a film on her life story when I was very young and remember trying to saw one of the heels off my shoes to get the famous wiggle. I love the sentence in the write-up about her: “marilyn shatters whole row’s of beer steins with a single, seductive look” It’s an all-powerful line I’ll remember all my life.
Cindy Crawford by Herb Ritts—July 1988
I love the pictures Herb Ritts shot of Cindy Crawford, the cover is mesmerizing. For me, Cindy was the most iconic super model of the late 1980s early 1990s. With her wholesome glow and jaw-dropping body, it was Cindy who made curves possible in the world of fashion. I love the simplicity of these shots, paired back from fancy lighting and effects.
James Bonds’s Girls—November 1965
Well the cover says it all really. James Bond Girls. I love how strong this cover is with her hair blowing behind her as if she were an agent in action. To be a Bond girl in that era, must have to be one of the best jobs ever. You are beautiful, intelligent and a professional seductress. Plus you get to wear great gowns. But most of all, you get to roll in the hay with James Bond.