Emily Atack Dazzles in Agent Provocateur's SS26 Campaign Launch
British actress Emily Atack turned heads on Wednesday as she posed provocatively in the windows of Agent Provocateur's flagship Soho store. The 36-year-old star, fresh from featuring in the lingerie brand's sizzling SS26 campaign, made a spectacular appearance to promote the new collection.
Daring Display in Soho
Atack arrived at the Valentine's Day special shoot wearing chic sunglasses and a striking black latex coat with a peplum design, cinched at the waist with a matching belt to accentuate her slender figure. Inside the store, she changed into a pink satin version of the iconic staff uniform dress, originally designed by Vivienne Westwood, leaving it daringly unbuttoned to reveal a glimpse of black lace bra underneath.
The actress confidently leaned against the storefront, drawing attention to her long legs before moving inside the glass window display. There, she worked various angles and playfully blew kisses to passersby, with the words "Emily is The Duchess" emblazoned on the glass - a reference to her character in the eye-catching campaign.
Behind the Scenes of the SS26 Campaign
The full campaign, which launched earlier this month, was shot at Camfield Place in Hertfordshire. Atack modeled an array of bondage-themed lingerie pieces, including a dominatrix-style PVC ensemble, a provocative maid's outfit, and intricate lace corsets. In one memorable shot, she holds a riding crop - a nod to her role as Sarah Stratton in Disney+'s adaptation of Jilly Cooper's "Rivals."
Reflecting on the experience, Atack shared: "I've always loved Agent Provocateur as a brand, but had no idea there was such an incredible, creative team bringing it all to life. From our first lunch meeting to a brilliantly fun afternoon in Soho trying on lingerie to our shoot day at Camfield Place, I not only felt like I was part of that team but also felt entirely happy about trusting the process."
She added: "From start to finish this has been one of the most special projects I've worked on, and one I feel truly empowered by."
Creative Vision and Selection
Creative director Sarah Shotton explained why Atack was chosen as the face of the SS26 collection: "I was up North when Rivals came out, with its brilliant cast and costumes, and I just fell in love with all things British once again. SS26 is very late-1980s, it's over the top and really fun, with lots of fabulous prints and fabrics. It's one of my favourite collections in a long time."
Shotton emphasized: "We needed someone bold, British and utterly gorgeous to bring it to life; it could only ever have been Emily for the campaign."
Agent Provocateur described the collection as bringing "to life the refined elegance of British aristocratic glamour reimagined through the scandalous, indulgent rhythms of countryside living in the late 1980s." The brand noted the collection grew from Shotton's "ongoing love-affair with the 'Great North,' where she was born, and a Jilly Cooper 'bonkbuster' revival - with polka dots, florals and PVC a-plenty."
Post-Baby Confidence and Body Positivity
The campaign comes as Atack embraces her post-baby body with renewed confidence. The actress, who welcomed son Barney with scientist fiancé Alistair Garner in June 2024, has sparked speculation about weight loss methods but remains focused on body positivity.
An insider revealed: "Emily has remained tight-lipped on how she has slimmed down, but she feels confident in her post-baby body and is making the most of all the opportunities that come her way. She is used to people being interested in her body and is feeling really confident in her skin so is happy to show it off."
Speaking on Jamie Laing's Great Company podcast, Atack discussed the pressures new mothers face: "There's something quite liberating about having a baby. Your body goes through so much and you genuinely look at your body as a completely different vessel. Being pregnant and desexualised, looking at your body, you create a human inside you."
She continued: "You get home and the first thing people say to you is, when are you going to get back in the gym? I've just created a human, I am exhausted! The last thing I want to do is go to the gym but the first thing you're expected to do is get back into shape. Where's the congratulations for being a mother?"
From Teen Icon to Empowered Woman
Atack first gained fame playing Charlotte 'Big Jugs' Hinchcliffe in Channel 4's The Inbetweeners during the late 2000s. The role, which involved wearing a low-cut white blouse while being fawned over by male peers, inadvertently established her as a sex symbol.
The actress has previously insisted that "Charlotte was not supposed to be a sex symbol - and only became one because 'the world is full of perverts.'" In a recent interview, she reflected: "They see the blonde hair, the school uniform and they go 'Oh wow, seductive, what a seductive role,' but I was just a schoolgirl playing a schoolgirl."
A source close to Atack noted: "You can't blame her for wanting to grow up and rid herself of that - Charlotte 'Big Jugs' is no more. She was lusted after in a pretty disgusting way, she was a teenager back then, as was her character. But the whole sex symbol thing has stuck with her until now."
With her Agent Provocateur campaign and confident public appearances, Atack continues to redefine her image while embracing opportunities that celebrate her on her own terms.
