The Rolls Royce (or at least Mercedes) of Knickers (Agent Provocateur Underwear in general)

Member Name: louiseypees

Product:	Agent Provocateur Underwear in general
Date:	22/09/08 (387 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic shopping experience both on and offline

Disadvantages: Inconsistent sizing

Weirdly, as I live just outside London, I've only ever been to the Manchester branch of Agent Provocateur, and so this review will focus on this branch and the website, as well as the gorgeous underwear.

It's become something of a tradition now - whenever I visit my good friend in Manchester, we go to Agent Provocateur and lust after corsets, waspies, shoes and accessories. I just love this shop!

The first time I went into the Manchester shop I was astonished. Expecting it to be similar to the intimidating atmosphere I've found in Coco de Mer in London, Agent Provocateur really surprised me with its classy but welcoming atmosphere and friendly and helpful staff.

The decor of the shop is exactly what you would expect from Agent Provocateur - sexy and retro, with more than a nod towards their signature black and pink colours. The whole of their underwear range is clearly displayed on the four clothes racks, but with only one size on display of each item to keep the shop floor uncluttered and minimalist. This works well and makes for a hassle-free browsing experience.

Staff are attentive, as they need to be with only one size on display, but not overbearing or pushy. I am pretty indecisive about these big purchases and I've always found the staff in here to be very polite, never rushing me into a decision even when I must have been trying their patience to the extreme. Their uniforms are fantastic, with short pink Agent Provocateur-branded dresses being the order of the day. This, along with their no doubt very selective recruitment process, helps the staff to always look immaculate - if it weren't for their friendliness and great attitude, they'd be annoyingly well-turned-out for giving underwear advice!

Agent Provocateur doesn't only sell underwear. They also stock some naughty treats such as nipple tassles, whips, restraints, erotic literature and blindfolds. There are some less naughty treats on offer of t-shirts, shoes (which are, without exception, gorgeous), jewellry and perfumes too. All of these additional items are very tasteful (surprisingly so in some instances - yes, nipple tassles, I'm looking at you!), but nevertheless they are stored around the corner from the main shop floor in a glass display cabinet by the changing rooms to save blushes.

Next stop on the virtual tour - the changing rooms! I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that the changing rooms of this particular branch are the highlight. They are dark and moody, kitted out in sumptious purples and dark pinks, each changing cubicle surrounded by heavy jacquard curtains. Upon entering the changing rooms, though, you won't notice all of this as you'll be struck by the huge four-poster bed, complete with a mannequin posing seductively, proudly sporting the new season's range. It's spectactular.

But I should really tell you about the underwear!

My first Agent Provocateur purchase was a black corset, which was priced at £145 and made from a sturdy satin. This corset has seen me through some great times, and I loved it so much that I wore it out. £145, although it sounds like an obscene amount, is actually very reasonable for good corsetry. And this was good corsetry. Not only was the product itself perfect, but as I hope I've outlined above, the buying experience was just fantastic.

Once I'd made the important buying decision, my corset was wrapped for me - carefully protected with black tissue paper before being placed into a trademark pink gift box and secured with a black ribbon. The lovely staff then offloaded about 5 perfume samples on me and gave me a set of detailed instructions for doing myself up.

A few months later I managed to secure myself a boyfriend - yes, the corset did play some part in this! As it was a little while before my next trip to Manchester, I decided to get some Agent Provocateur underwear online - this time, two bra and knicker sets in their sale.

Shopping online is a similarly good experience - the website is beautifully designed, easy to navigate and exudes the same glamour as the shop does. Delivery was quick, and even though it was mail order and mail order sale items at that, my underwear arrived packaged in a familiar pink gift box. I thought this was a lovely touch.

This is where a complaint comes in - and it's to do with their sizing. The two bras I ordered were both the same size - my normal bra size. One fit me perfectly, and I was delighted with it. The other I couldn't even do up. This struck me as odd, so I offered the too-small bra to my mum, who is a smaller back size than me. She couldn't do it up either. I was devastated, as the set was gorgeous, but I decided to return them.

The quality of both the sets was fantastic though - you really do get what you pay for. The set I did keep is still serving me well, and I may well order again. I think, all things considered, I would only make a purchase in one of the shops next time. Half of the fun with Agent Provocateur for me is the great shopping experience, and although online is good, it doesn't quite match up - especially considering the risk you take with the sizing!

Agent Provocateur will never be everyday underwear (unless you are made of money!), but for sexy, occasional underwear that puts a naughty smile on your face and a spring in your step, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Summary: Beautiful stuff!