The next James Bond needs an entirely new, very British wardrobe
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The announcement of a new Bond is more or less the only time that Hollywood has news which genuinely sits in the ambiguous arena of “public interest”.
Idris Elba was once tipped as a shoo-in, but the spotlight is currently on British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson to be named in the role. This week, former Bond Pierce Brosnan backed him, praising his “chops, talent and charisma”. Whoever gets the gig, the first new 007 reveal in nearly 20 years should also come with a proclamation of a new outfitter. Bond needs a whole new wardrobe.
It has always seemed jarring that Daniel Craig’s outgoing Bond was largely dressed by a Texan designer, Tom Ford, whose suits were made in Italy. The final straw was the el Dia de Muertos set piece at the beginning of Spectre with the unforgivably large “triangle of death” (where the jacket spreads beneath the buttoning, unveiling a triangle of shirt down to the waistband of the trouser, a tell-tale sign that the jacket is too tight and short). It showed a lack of sartorial prioritising that previous Bonds would have baulked at.
Ford should have his due; he is one of a very limited number of designers who have excited men’s imaginations with regards to dressing well. He is also one of the last true champions of the suit in fashion. Nonetheless, Bond should operate on a higher sartorial plain, and just as Ford has left his eponymous brand, so too should Eon, the producers of the franchise. They should go British.
The Kingsman franchise has turned Huntsman – the Savile Row tailor on which the film is based – into something of a tourist hotspot and demonstrates the enormous impact films can have on our world famous bespoke tailoring trade and the importance of the ‘Row. Huntsman would make a perfect choice with their military, structured silhouette, but perhaps Eon have missed the boat there.
Bond’s legend, even to the most devoted disciple, is not about how many henchmen he can off in a sitting, it’s that he looks so good when doing it. Author Ian Fleming put this taste in print, and then Cubby Broccoli stayed true to it on celluloid. Sean Connery had his suits made by Anthony Sinclair on Conduit Street, George Lazenby was kitted out for his single outing by Dimi Major, and Roger Moore chopped-and-changed between Cyril Castle and Doug Hayward. The latter was based on Mount Street and dressed everyone from Mark Birley, Michael Caine, Jean Shrimpton and Steve McQueen.
What Connery and Moore – the two best-dressed Bonds – brought to the table past the one-liners and connoisseurship of Bollinger and Mouton Rothschild, was their ability to demonstrate how tailoring can become both a suit of armour and an artistic expression, with flattering lines and empowering silhouettes that made the wearers stand straighter, bolder, more British.
“With the early films, it is not just about the clothes, it’s the attention to detail within the ensembles – the emphasis on perfect fit, the accessorising, the variety,” observes ardent James Bond devotee and aesthete Shary Rahman. “Bond films of today focus a lot more on people and less on what they are wearing.”
Then came the Dalton years where Bond fell victim to the late-80s and early-90s habit of oversizing everything. This worked really well for louche American characters like Julian Kay in American Gigolo, but it was improper for 007. The Brosnan era thrived with the Brioni-ification of Bond, where that briefly-worn navy blazer in GoldenEye and the gasp-inducing tuxedo for Craig in Casino Royale really stood out.
There is no legitimate argument to be fully against fashion houses. If they manage to do it correctly, they can meet the needs of the scale and wear-and-tear of the film’s production to which some tailors may struggle. Yet too many British houses have been overlooked, which seems ludicrous considering the abundant depth chart.
Dunhill’s recent revival should put them in serious consideration. Simon Holloway, the brand’s new creative director, unveiled a classical masterclass at the National Portrait Gallery last London Fashion Week, and restored Dunhill’s dashing heritage. They also have an excellent bespoke department too at their Mayfair flagship, Bourdon House.
Other brands which should populate Bond’s wardrobe include Turnbull & Asser, Emma Willis and Budd for shirts. Swaine for various hats, bags and umbrellas (they made the attaché case in From Russia with Love), and New & Lingwood for dressing gowns, which works especially because of their place as the outfitter for Eton College, Bond’s Alma Mater. At the very least there is sense shown already in using brands like Connolly and Drake’s in the films.
If bespoke is on the cards, Terry Haste should be the first pure bespoke tailor in the conversation. Regarded by many as the finest tailor in the world, Haste has been making for movies as far back as the purple suit he created for Jack Nicholson in Batman. If the incoming costume designer wanted another Savile Row option, they could look at Henry Poole or Dege & Skinner, both of them weighted with heritage and history. Otherwise, Norton & Sons, run by the dashing sewing judge Patrick Grant is, I think, underestimated and worth a look.
A suit can be as smart as you like but you need the full ensemble for full effect. Bad shoes will kill a look as readily as Bond kills a baddie. Crockett & Jones have done a nice job with their shoes, but a made-to-order and bespoke maker should be making things even more refined. For this you have one choice; Gaziano & Girling on Savile Row make astonishingly beautiful shoes – including the King’s Coronation pumps – and all are handcrafted in Kettering.
There is no excuse for Bond to be anything other than immaculate and if Taylor-Johnson is the best candidate for the job, he carries a heavy burden. If he adheres to British classicism, the load is lightened knowing that style icon status is in the bag.
Tom Chamberlin is editor-in-chief of The Rake magazine
