AGNES B IN THE BOUTIQUE ON RUE DU JOUR IN 1976

She was born trouble. Literally. Agnes Trouble, in fact. Then, at 17, she married Christian Bourgeois, a family friend nine years older than her. The marriage didn’t last but the surname did, shortened to the letter b (lower case). Agnes b. A fashion designer was born.

In 1975 she opened her first store in a former butcher’s shop in the neighbourhood of Les Halles in Paris. This image captures that moment in time. DIY meets couture. In this space Agnes b designed the clothes while her friend Fanny Deleuze did the paperwork upstairs. From this shop a fashion empire grew.

Agnes b is now 75 years old, has stores around the world and has supported artists and filmmakers. Look hard enough and you can see the future in this picture.

Taken from Agnes b: Styliste, published by Abrams, priced £30