Tagged: Tailored by Anthony Sinclair
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 3: Charcoal Flannel
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and spy
Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
For the 007th of May, I’ll be picking up where I left off in my examination of the From Russia With Love suits.
At this point in the film, Bond has just spent his second day in Istanbul, exploring a series of underground catacombs with Kerim Bey, the charismatic MI6 Station Chief. For that daytime excursion, he wore a Glen Urquhart suit. That evening, Kerim invites Bond to dine with him and his gypsy friends. Assuming that it’s Spring (I forget how I came to this conclusion, but I like it), where the temperature in Istanbul can dip into the low-40s, Bond opts to wear something a little heavier with a flannel suit. Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 2: Glen Urquhart
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Istanbul, Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
By this point in the film, Bond has spent one relatively non-eventful day and night in Istanbul. After a long day of traveling, he upgraded his room to the bridal suite (bad move, as we’ll eventually find out) and ostensibly got a fulfilling night of rest, even without a woman beside him.
The next morning, he wakes up and dons the second of the five excellent gray-tone suits he packed for Istanbul. When I first saw the film, likely on a low-quality VHS tape, I thought he wore two gray suits in Turkey – a light gray and a dark gray. Eventually, as I noticed the differing details and finally picked up the Blu-Ray (which you people have to thank for some of the more hi-res screencaps here), I noticed that these “two gray suits” were actually five very different suits. He even wears two different Glen Urquhart check suits!
The first of his Glen Urquhart check suits is worn here in a very minimalist fashion. A few days later, he pulls out his second one, which he outfits with several accessories. Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 1: Dupioni Silk
Happy 007th of October. If any of you plan on being 007 for Halloween, start scanning the blog and getting ideas for your tailor! (Or get lucky at the local Goodwill…)
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Istanbul, Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
Shortly after he began his term in the Oval Office, JFK named Ian Fleming’s spy novel From Russia, With Love among his ten favorite books of all time. Looking for their follow up to the incredibly successful Dr. No, Bond producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman saw this opportunity and quickly green-lit From Russia With Love (no comma this time) as the next on-screen adaptation of Bond’s adventures and what might have been a successful, if relatively forgotten, spy film of the early 1960s turned into one of the most long-running franchises of all time. Continue reading
Bond Style – Black Tie in Thunderball
This weekend, James Bond himself – Sean Connery – turns 83. Celebrate in style with black tie and either a vodka martini or, to honor his heritage, a tumbler of single malt Scotch.
Sean Connery as James Bond in Thunderball.
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Nassau, May 1965
Film: Thunderball
Release Date: December 29, 1965
Director: Terence Young
Wardrobe Designer: Anthony Mendleson
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
For the first time in three years, James Bond spends the majority of the film in beach attire, from swimming trunks to casual shirts and linen slacks. Reasonably so, too, as the warm climate of the Bahamas doesn’t really demand a three-piece flannel suit and tie.
However, we are still given a glimpse of the Bond we all know and love when he rolls into the Nassau casino suited up in a snazzy midnight blue tuxedo. Continue reading
James Bond Golfs with Goldfinger
Sean Connery at Stoke Poges Golf Club as James Bond in Goldfinger.
With the close of the PGA Championship (Congrats to Jason Dufner), we focus on another style icon’s day at the golf course.
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British secret agent and sportsman
Stoke Poges, England, Fall 1964
Film: Goldfinger
Release Date: September 18, 1964
Director: Guy Hamilton
Wardrobe Supervisor: Elsa Fennell
Background
Much like all pre-You Only Live Twice Bond films, Goldfinger is a very close adaptation of the material in the book. While some parts are different – for instance, the animosity between Bond and Goldfinger is initially more toned down in the book and the two even share a meal after their day at the golf course – it generally follows the same structure. Continue reading
Bond’s Casual Attire in Thunderball
Sean Connery as James Bond in Thunderball (1965)
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British secret agent
Nassau, May 1965
Film: Thunderball
Release Date: December 29, 1965
Director: Terence Young
Wardrobe Designer: Anthony Mendleson
Background
Although known to many fans as the film where Bond spends half of his time underwater, which Connery himself commented on in a 1965 Playboy article, Bond does indeed spend some time in the Bahamas on dry land. Notably, he is invited to villain-and-hero bonding time at Largo’s estate, Palmyra. For this, he dresses casually without reverting to the mixed-reception sport shirt and sports he wears for his more aquatic adventures.
He also wears a matching blue set of shirt and pants when meeting with Q which, well… you can decide for yourself. Continue reading
Bond’s Goldfinger Hacking Jacket and DB5
Sean Connery as James Bond stands behind his Aston Martin DB5 while filming Goldfinger (1964).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and super spy
Switzerland, Fall 1964
Film: Goldfinger
Release Date: September 18, 1964
Director: Guy Hamilton
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Wardrobe Supervisor: Elsa Fennell
Background
For those weekends where you feel like jaunting through the Swiss Alps in your brand new European sports car, Goldfinger‘s got you covered with an elegantly casual sartorial suggestion.
Connery’s Bond appropriately sports a brown look for his day in the country. He begins at the Stoke Poges golf course in Buckinghamshire and, unexpectedly, ends up in Switzerland. Luckily for him, his country-inspired look is appropriate for both locales.
Four years (and two blog posts) earlier, Dean Martin wore a very Americanized version of a similar outfit in Ocean’s Eleven. Dino’s look was more swinger than English gentleman, but it is interesting to compare the differences in the look.
Additionally, this is the sequence in which we first get to see Bond’s DB5 – the first and arguably finest of his “gadget cars” – in action. Continue reading
James Bond’s Iconic Glen Plaid Goldfinger Suit
I hope you all had a very pleasant Kentucky Derby weekend this past Saturday. Just in time for the 00-7th of May, here is…
Sean Connery as James Bond in Goldfinger (1964).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Fort Knox, Kentucky, Fall 1964
Film: Goldfinger
Release Date: September 18, 1964
Director: Guy Hamilton
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Wardrobe Supervisor: Elsa Fennell
Background
One of my favorite suits of all time is the iconic three-piece worn by Sean Connery as Bond during the Fort Knox sequence in Goldfinger and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in this.
Prior to this, Bond had always looked sharp and well-dressed in his suits and dinner jackets. However, Goldfinger set the gold (ha, ha) standard for Bond as a style ICON.
Interestingly, the entire time Bond is wearing his most iconic suit, he is actually Goldfinger’s prisoner. He is taken captive and, nicely enough, given his own clothes to change into. Bond chooses his finest suit, this three-piece glen plaid tropical weave, perhaps to put Goldfinger off guard? Or maybe he just really is that refined? Either way, it beats the orange jumpsuit.
Like all of Connery’s suits, credit must be given to his usual Bond tailor Anthony Sinclair, who had created Connery’s iconic look – the “Conduit Cut” – with the input of Dr. No director Terence Young. Continue reading
Bond Style – From Venice with Love
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Venice, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
For anyone who isn’t familiar with it, From Russia With Love is a very polarizing film for Bond fans. It is almost a direct adaptation of the novel, a gritty and realistic espionage adventure based on the murder of a British naval attache on the Orient Express in 1950. The film too is grounded in realism, relying on genuine suspense rather than gadgets or contrived villains. It’s one of my favorites (definitely my favorite of the pre-Craig era) and Sean Connery’s personal favorite, so that should tell you something.
After a tense mission and subsequent getaway stretching from Istanbul through Eastern Europe in From Russia With Love, Bond is glad to spend a short holiday relaxing in Venice with new arm candy Tatiana before having to ship her off to London with the film’s MacGuffin, a decoding device. Continue reading
Bond Style – Black Tie in Dr. No
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond in Dr. No (1962)
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
London, Spring 1962
Film: Dr. No
Release Date: October 5, 1962
Director: Terence Young
Wardrobe Master: John Brady
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
Today is the day all good Americans have been waiting for four years! No, not the Presidential election; that was Tuesday and less exciting than…
Skyfall, the 23rd and latest installment of the official James Bond series, now released in U.S. theaters! In honor of this latest appearance, let’s run through Bond’s first appearance to audiences.
In 2012, James Bond needs no introduction. However, fifty years ago, he was introduced to major film audiences throughout the world as Sean Connery first uttered the immortal words:
Bond. James Bond.
Now, the words are just as iconic as the man himself, as well as his gun (Walther PPK), his drink (a vodka martini, shaken not stirred), and his car (a silver Aston Martin).
In 1962, the producers of Dr. No knew they had to make a quick impression. The new film audiences weren’t as patient as the book readers who had been reading about Bond for almost ten years. They had to establish immediately that this was a suave but tough British spy who liked fine things and knew it. Continue reading