Agent Provocateur, Anytime but not any size.

Agent Provocateur made a bit of a song and dance about expanding their size range at the start of 2021. I for one was very excited. I used to be a very loyal customer but as my body changed I was quickly sized out. Being one of the biggest names in the lingerie industry, this size expansion has been long awaited.

This size expansion is one brief size, one band size and one cup size above their usual offering. It’s advertised up to a G cup but it fails to mention that it goes from a F to a G and skips the standard FF on a U.K. bra size chart altogether.

When above a DD you can pretty much exclusively find everyday plain bras. What’s harder to find is something in the AP aesthetic in larger cups . So what they’ve given us is exactly what we already have access to just triple the price and with a worse fit. AP notoriously runs small or inconsistent so the one plus side I thought would be easy access in stores and the ability to try on. Turns out these styles are in store but not in the newly expanded sizes to try. Only up to a DD.

I took the risk and ordered the Brigette set online for the total price of £195. I have sister sized to a 36G, my regular bra size being somewhere around 32H/HH. I also ordered the matching roll on girdle and thong. The thong I ordered in the size 6 which is the equivalent of a UK 16 and the roll on girdle in a 5 which is a UK 14.

It arrived in their standard e-commerce packaging, the foldable pink box tied with the black ribbon. As I’ve said before, I haven’t ordered from AP in quite some time and the difference in packaging compared to other luxury brands is quite lacklustre. Visually its iconic but very flimsy.

The set itself is very nice but not iconically AP. The fabric used is a micro fibre, something you’d see at Calvin Kline or in sports wear. Think seamless underwear. So in term of its Anytime description I guess it does fit the bill although I resent the idea that fun colourful silk and embroidery is considered not appropriate at ‘anytime’.

The bra fits well enough or as expected for a sister size. The girdle fits well but I’m glad I went smaller rather than bigger. The thong I wish I got a size 5 not 6. I find the rise is really long and that’s saying something as I’m 5’9 with a long torso. I’m not sure if it’s the fabric used that has caused this but I find it kind of hangs down at the gusset when worn for a few hours.

The bra is a 3 part cup, two part foam with the third part the lace top and it is surprisingly comfortable. The cup lacks depth at the bottom, an issue that is usually found when a pattern is scaled up from a smaller size without the adjustments needed for bigger sizes. There are a few details that I’m really impressed with and I hope to see more of. One of which being where the hook and eye closure is, the strap is padded. It is honestly such a nice detail, sometimes my skins gets irratted from the bra band so this was a nice luxurious touch. I also love the fabric choice mixed with the leavers lace. So it very much fits the anytime theme, its elevated basics that are wearable with the modern wardrobe.

I’ve found myself wearing this set more and more as times gone on, most commonly just with the thong rather than the girdle. I find it really comfortable to wear, it still looks new after a few washes and it works really well under clothes. So while this isn’t the size expansion most were hoping for this set for the price isn’t bad and it has worked its way into my regular rotation which is saying something with a lingerie wardrobe the size of mine.

Overall I’d say this range is good but not great, I wouldn’t buy again at full price but I’m happy with the set that I have. What are your thoughts?