| Serena Rees | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 March 1968 (age 44) England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Spouse | Joseph Corré (divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
Serena Rees (born 14 March 1968[1]) is a British businesswoman best known for cofounding Agent Provocateur with her then husband Joseph Corré. She currently owns Cocomaya chocolatiers.
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Rees met Joseph Corré, Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren's son, in 1992 at a nightclub. At the time, she was working at a model agency in Chelsea on Kings Road.[2] The pair kept running into one another and began dating. The two eventually married and later divorced in 2007. They have one daughter together.
Rees -- tired of seeing women dressed in drab undergarments -- came up with an idea to start a lingerie store that was filled with colorful and fashion-forward lingerie. With her former husband, a former Vivienne Westwood employee, the two opened Agent Provocateur in the Soho District on Broadwick Street. When they first started, Agent Provocateur was strictly a shop. Neither Corre or Rees had any intentions of designing lingerie. After having difficulties finding attire they liked, the two started their own line.[3]
Since 1994, Agent Provocateur grew into a brand spanning into 13 different countries with over 30 stores. Rees made sure to cater to a celebrity clientele by enforcing a strict confidentiality policy.[4] Consequently, all employees sign confidentiality agreements not to talk about clients. Due to their popularity among celebrities, the brand often features celebrity models such as Kate Moss.[5]
After Rees' divorce in 2007, Agent Provocateur was purchased by the private equity house 3i for £60m.[6] Rees sold her shares in Agent Provocateur. She now owns Chocomaya, a bakery in London, where she resides with her daughter.[7]