Rees founded Agent Provocateur in 1994 with her then-husband Joseph Corré, building it up from scratch and eventually earning around £30 million from its sale 13 years later.
The husband-and-wife team were hailed as one of the great British entrepreneurial couples of the 1990s. Spotting a gap in the market, they pushed ahead with bold, bright colours, eventually deciding to design their own underwear as they struggled to find a supplier making the sort of things they had in mind.
It's slightly surprising, with that in mind, to see the elegantly understated design of her London home, a five-storey house (now up for sale) on the John Nash-designed Cumberland Terrace, overlooking Regent's Park. It's a famously beautiful street, described by Savills's Stephen Lindsay as 'one of London’s most magnificent terraces'.
Rees bought Cumberland Terrace in 2014, refurbishing the place entirely to her own tastes – she wanted to avoid using an interior designer since 'they make everything match' she told The Times earlier this year.
Since buying the place she has moved on to both to a new business and a new partner, and is selling up.
The house is as grand within as its magnificent facade suggests. The master bedroom, for example, occupies the entire second floor and includes an original fireplace, large windows with sensational views over the Royal Park, as well as a dressing room and en-suite bathroom.
There are three further bedrooms (two of which are en-suite), a family bathroom and separate staff accommodation.
In addition there are five grand reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, study/dining room, two guest cloakrooms, a superb wine cellar and garage.
Rees describes it as a 'privilege' to have lived in this Nash masterpiece, which she calls 'a special place of such beauty and landscape. To have total greenery in sight from one’s window, despite being so centrally situated, is remarkable.'
We can only imagine. But life moves on and no doubt the new owners will get every bit as much pleasure from the place.
Serena Rees's house on Cumberland Terrace is for sale through Savills with an asking price of £13.95 million – see more details and pictures here.
One of John Nash’s least-known country houses comes to the market
Principally designed by John Nash, Warrens at Bramshaw in Hampshire is surrounded by the New Forest.
Cumberland Lodge: The 17th century marvel 'a thousand times more agreeable than Blenheim'
This year, a remarkable educational foundation in a spectacular parkland setting celebrates its 70th anniversary. John Goodall considers the history
A chance to buy a house next to the Duke of Buckingham's former home
Gazing out from the windows of Wotton House, a famous Grade-I listed Georgian house in Buckinghamshire, you perhaps wouldn't imagine
-
Athena: We need to get serious about saving our museumsThe government announced that museums ‘can now apply for £20 million of funding to invest in their future’ last week. But will this be enough?
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow downThe glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heartStokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
-
Schreiber House, 'the most significant London townhouse of the second half of the 20th century', is up for saleThe five-bedroom Modernist masterpiece sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
