Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Business
Joanna Bourke

Lingerie retailer Agent Provocateur narrows losses and heads towards profitability

Agent Provocateur press image

Upmarket lingerie brand Agent Provocateur on Wednesday said it is on track to hit profitability in the near future, as it posted its first set of full-year results since being rescued in a deal backed by retail tycoon Mike Ashley.

Accounts just filed for retailer Agent Provocateur Limited and its continuing operations show sales in the UK business edged up 19.7% to £17.6 million in 2018. It recorded pretax losses of £7 million, improved from a £23.7 million loss.

Total group global sales reached £40.5 million last year, according to the company.

Launched by designer Vivienne Westwood’s son Joe Corré and his wife in 1994, the chain went on to become owned by private equity and entered administration in 2017. Four Holdings, which Ashley-backed Sports Direct has a stake in, bought the company shortly after.

Agent Provocateur said the latest figures are reflective of a turnaround business and in line with expectations.

It expects to return to the black “in the near future”.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.