In France We’re Pretty Naughty—We’re Not A Prude Population”

Talk about an eye-catching window display. Last night, at the opening party for Agent Provocateur’s new Madison Avenue boutique, lingerie-clad models were gyrating wildly and working their way up and down a stripper pole. More than a few passersby stopped to watch and take photos. We even spotted a school bus slowing down.

“Today, when we were rehearsing, we had traffic stopped on Madison. We had police cars outside,” said the brand’s creative director, Sarah Shotton. Turns out New York’s Finest was just doing a friendly check-in. “They came in and shook the doorman’s hand. They said he had the best job in the world. So I think they’ll be looking after us,” Shotton concluded.

The brand will be hoping for the same warm welcome in Los Angeles, where it opens a store on Rodeo Drive store on Thursday. That means more eyes on the racy new film the brand shot with Josephine de la Baume, which features the French beauty enticing an unseen voyeur in bra and panties.

“It made me think of Rear Window, and there’s something very French New Wave about it,” explained de la Baume, who was circulating in a sheer tulle dress from the label’s Soirée collection. “In France we’re pretty naughty—we’re not a prude population.” Meanwhile, around her, dancers in cowboy leather swung their nipple tassels and pulled bananas out of their holsters.