The legendary American designer has reprised his role as official tailor to ‘Her Majesty’s Best' in the new Bond film, ‘Spectre’, soon to be released on November 6. Daniel Craig has been spotted chasing around bad guys in the spy’s signature suave style on the film’s recent trailer. Craig, who has finished shooting what is his fourth movie for the franchise will be dressed in six different bespoke looks designed and tailored by Ford himself and the film's costume designer, Jany Temime. Everything is Tom Ford, from the famous sleuth’s black shades to formalwear cummerbunds (they’re having a cummer-back – excuse the pun), and some very raffish sports gear —Mr Bond is going skiing.
Ford, who set up his own eponymous label 10 years ago, has been Bond’s official outfitter since 2008’s Quantum of Solace, taking over from Italian tailoring house Brioni who was dressing Craig’s slick-haired predecessor, Mr Brosnan. Tom Ford has always been synonymous with sharp and sexually-charged clothing (think Gucci and those more than suggestive adverts) revelling in sleek, sensual retro looks, slim-fitting clothing and pitch-perfect three-piece striped suits that can propel any old Joe into hot guy nirvana at the drop of a £2,800 cufflink (Mr Ford’s prices have also been tailored to the means of the world’s finest only).
“I could not be happier to be dressing Daniel Craig as James Bond again in the upcoming film, Spectre. James Bond epitomizes the Tom Ford man in his elegance, style and love of luxury. It is an honour to move forward with this iconic character,” said the 54-year-old designer.
Ford’s luxury sales are sure to go through the roof this year, not only receiving James Bond’s ‘seal of quality’ approval for the third time runnning but also having been this year’s recipient of the CFDA Fashion Awards ‘Menswear Designer of The Year.’
After all, Bond only goes for the best. We all remember Sony’s searing embarrassment earlier this year when emails were leaked revealing that both Craig and Spectre’s director Sam Mendes turned down a $5 million deal to endorse the Sony Xperia Z4 mobile phone because, “James Bond only uses the best.” However, Omega watches have made the cut once more, with Craig set to be wearing a special ‘Spectre’ edition of the OMEGA Seamaster 300.
The Texan-born but self-proclaimed Anglophile designer is showing all of his collections in London and revealed his first menswear catwalk show since his Gucci days at London Collections: Men this year. His Spring/Summer 2016 collection had a slick Sixties meet Eighties retro vibe to it, which he himself described as ‘Andy Warhol in his Factory heyday, circa 1963.’ But what he does best and will never be remiss in Mr Ford’s collections, is a seriously damn good suit and ladykiller eveningwear. This season, three-piece navy striped suits à la Jay Gatsby complete with an Apple pocket watch (you’ve read this right), and shimmering statement evening jackets were the apex of his tailoring talent.
Will James Bond up his game at a casino table wearing a Tom Ford prismatic jacket? We’ll find out soon enough. Methinks one of those could absolutely land any guy his very own James Bond girl. You have to play big, to win big.
Words Camille Lapierre.
Photographs by Solve Sundsbo, AP, Jonathan Olley and Tom Ford lookbook.
