Halloween is right around the corner, and I’ll readily admit that my costume has yet to be decided. Agent Provocateur must be counting on the fact that girls all over will not only wait until the last minute to decide their alter ego for the night, but also on the idea that Halloween is an excuse to dress as slutty as possible. The undies brand launched their newest superhero-inspired collection just in time for the holiday celebration. Sexy Tarantula? Check. Racy Reptile? Also there.

The women in comic books have a tendency to be scantily clad, buxom babes (i.e., Barbarella). Lingerie brand Agent Provocateur is capitalizing on this rule of thumb by creating its own graphic novel with characters that wear the label’s skimpy bedroom clothes while saving the world from extinction. (According to the plot line, the ladies have lived without men for centuries, but now they’re out of semen and on the brink of extinction.)

Do you think it’s clever when brands do more than buy ads in magazines to get people to buy their wares? Or is this catalog in the form of a comic book a total waste of Agent Provocateur’s money? [Agent Provocateur via View On Fashion]

To celebrate the launch of their “New World Order” line of lingerie, Agent Provocateur deposited a fleet of underwear models wearing leather, thigh-high boots in front of the department store Selfridges and managed to literally stop traffic. Wonder why? [9/16/09, London]

Yesterday eve we went backstage at Agent Provocateur‘s show—our favorite purveyors of classy yet kinky underthings and beyond—to see how the hair and makeup team were going to be able to make a strong statement against all that studded leather and French lace dusted with Swarovski crystals. The answer? They stayed true to the sex appeal that’s inherent in the label. MAC makeup artist Chantel Miller looked to recreate the kind of sultriness, with an expensive edge, you’d find in a ‘70s-era Playboy (which is certainly my personal favorite decade for the mag, but no one’s asking, so ...). Anyhoo. “Before I spoke to anyone regarding the makeup for the show, the word ‘sex’ came to mind,” Miller told us. Naturally. Pasquale (it’s just “Pasquale,” thanks), one of our favorite hairstylists, was there dousing girls’ hair in Davines hairspray and he totally concurred. We love the makeup Miller used: Hefty doses of Golden Lemon and Golden Olive Pigment (the turquoise effect was from the light) and a blend of Cherry liner, Crimson Lipmix and Burgundy Lipmix on the models’ kissers. But while we had her attention, our minds turned to more carnal—and realistic matters—so we also begged her to tell us what kind of makeup to wear when we’re pretty sure we’re gonna get laid and don’t want to look too shameful on the walk home. Her professional opinion, after the jump!

I’ve just been treated to a preview of Agent Provocateur‘s new ready-to-wear fashion line (lingerie dress and trench recently worn on It girl Daisy Lowe in London, above), debuting for fall. The full review: While the cashmere corset-print dress with detachable garter may be a bit tricky to pull off, the PVC pink trench vaguely reminds us of something Karl Lagerfeld would design for Chanel. And there’s a retro black tulip dress that’s practically office-appropriate, save for gold buttons that unfasten all the way downtown. Kate Moss may have been the face of the brand before—and Daisy certainly looks cute in this outfit, too—but we think these clothes deserve a real bombshell. Perhaps a certain curvier “Mad Men” redhead? 

Now that fancy British underwear brand Agent Provocateur is invading New York Fashion Week, we’re going to have to pick our allegiances: Is your loyalty to American mainstay Victoria’s Secret or Agent Provocateur, home to all things even vaguely kinky? Here are a few points to consider as you choose sides…

Lingerie line Agent Provocateur has always been a cult favorite, but they’re now beginning to monopolize the sexy lingerie market thanks to lots of excellent news today:

• The label is launching a new jewelry line. (They currently offer some slightly unwearable rope and tassel bedroom accessories and a few necklaces.) The designs to launch in September will be much stronger with leather cuffs adorned with silver plates and Swarovski crystals. [InStyle.co.uk]
• Also for fall, Agent Provocateur brings back its classics collection filled with the standard colors—pink, black, white, red—and featuring lacy corsets, nipple tassels, and demi-cup bras. [ViewOnFashion.com]

Kate Moss is the face of Agent Provocateur’s bridal line, and the company has been releasing “artsy” video shorts over the past few days to go along with the print ads. In the first, harp music plays while Kate wears the “Sophie” babydoll near a wind machine. Hearts are everywhere, and it feels like a strange dream. Men would probably find it very alluring. After the jump, see a few designs from Agent Provacateur’s wedding collection. Our favorite is the “Kate” corset, but of course.

Agent Provocateur is known for creating obscene displays. True to their name, the windows of their shops have always pushed the envelope. Photographer Enzo Peccinotti has captured and compiled all the lacey and racy spectacles over the past decade, as well as comments from chic fans like Vivienne Westwood (the owner’s mother), Blondie’s Debbie Harry, and Kate Moss. Suffice it to say, with all the sexy shots in Agent Provocateur: Exhibitionist, the lingerie line is rendered the same way as their clientele—in an attractive package. [Amazon.com]

We love Maggie Gyllenhaal, we loved her in Secretary, and we thought she was sexy as hell in those Agent Provocateur ads, even if no one else did. This month she’s on the cover of Interview looking glam in a way that isn’t trying to hard. [Interview Magazine]

Lily Allen has reportedly been dropped by Agent Provocateur as the face/body of its lingerie, and her ads (featuring her in a corset and stockings) haven’t even run yet. The company’s bosses, Joe Corree and Serena Rees, are in the midst of a divorce, and supposedly can’t agree on anything, including Lily. This is a downside of working with your significant other. [Female First]