To celebrate their relationship with 007, Turnbull & Asser have launched a refined and expanded James Bond collection. Included are five new products, each piece a homage to those created for and worn by Bond on screen.
Turnbull & Asser’s long-standing connection with the James Bond franchise originates from Dr. No (1962). Terence Young, Dr. No’s director and a loyal Turnbull customer himself, dispatched Sean Connery to Jermyn Street ahead of his role as the very first Bond of the silver screen. It was this relationship that saw the creation of the now-iconic Dr. No shirt.
Leading the new additions is a voile dress shirt inspired by the shirt made for Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in Die Another Day (2002) featuring a pleated front, double cuffs and the classic T&A collar.
The James Bond Collection is available now at 007store.com
Sir Sean Connery has died at the age of 90. He was the first actor to play James Bond on the big screen with Dr. No in 1962, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever followed.
Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have released the following statement: “We are devastated by the news of the passing of Sean Connery. He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — “The name’s Bond… James Bond” — he revolutionised the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent. He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.”
Daniel Craig said: “It is with such sadness that I heard of the passing of one of the true greats of cinema. Sir Sean Connery will be remembered as Bond and so much more. He defined an era and a style. The wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in mega watts; he helped create the modern blockbuster. He will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course.”
Sean Connery’s style, grace and sheer magnetism brought Ian Fleming’s character of James Bond to life. It was Connery’s interpretation of 007 that helped establish the foundation of success upon which the entire James Bond series has been built.
Born in Fountainbridge, Scotland, Connery had many jobs before he joined the Royal Navy hoping to see the world. Having served for three years as an able seaman assigned to battleships he was discharged and trained as a French polisher before deciding to enter the Mr Universe contest in 1953. He won a bronze medal in his weight division. At the age of 23 he had a choice between becoming a professional footballer for Manchester United or an actor and he chose acting. His first major film role was in No Road Back in 1957, followed by parts in TV programmes and movies such as Requiem For A Heavyweight (1957), Anna Christie (1957), Another Time, Another Place (1958), Darby O’Gill And The Little People (1959), Macbeth (1961) and Anna Karenina (1961).
In the summer of 1961 Connery entered the Mayfair offices of Albert R Broccoli. His producing partner, Harry Saltzman and United Artists executive Bud Ornstein watched Connery stride across the street. “He moved,” Saltzman recalled, “like a jungle cat”. He would, they felt, be perfect for the role of James Bond.
He received a knighthood in 2000. In 2006 the American Film Institute awarded Connery a Lifetime Achievement award, and he is recognised as one of the most influential and successful actors of the past half century. He is survived by his wife Micheline Roquebrune and his son Jason.
Bond Cars: The Definitive History is a celebration of the cars that have featured alongside the world’s most famous fictional spy. Written by Jason Barlow, editor-at-large for BBC TopGear, the book includes original call sheets, technical drawings and story-boards accompanied by previously unpublished photography and exclusive interviews.
With insights from the producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, as well as Daniel Craig, and special effects and action vehicles supervisor and veteran of 15 Bond films, Chris Corbould, this is the story of 007, told through the prism of the legendary cars he has driven.
Bond Cars: The Definitive History is available now at 007Store
The special effects supervisor who’s worked on 15 Bond films, including the upcoming No Time To Die, picks his five favourite stunts…
1 GoldenEye (1995) – Tank Chase
“The tank chase in GoldenEye was originally a motorbike chase but after discussion with director Martin Campbell, I suggested we use a tank instead. Once we got the bit between our teeth the ideas snowballed from there and we dreamt up many bizarre and exciting pieces of action. We bought two or three Russian T54 tanks in England, and then we dressed them up to look like T80 tanks. We wanted to make it appear as if Pierce was driving the tank so we cut a hole in the top which took two days to do as it was six inches thick. The driver was actually hidden inside. The Art Department created a Russian street at Leavesden Studios and we also shot in St Petersburg. We were a bit worried about driving the 38 tonne tank along the old Russian streets with the danger of breaking pavements so I got my team to build a mock-up tank with dummy tracks mounted on a small armoured car. We got a lot of footage of that racing through the streets with the tracks going round but not actually touching the ground. I’d never seen anything done with a tank in an urban environment like that, so we felt like we were doing something original and exciting.”
2 Casino Royale (2006) – Venetian Sinking House
“I had built the odd room that had sunk before but when production designer Peter Lamont showed me his design for a four-storey high house he wanted to sink, it was a bit of a shock. It wasn’t something that we could do as a model because there’s so much interaction with Bond (Daniel Craig) and Vesper (Eva Green) combined with a shoot-out inside the building so we had to build it. It was a colossal rig, it could move 15 degrees on either axis, and the whole thing could sink 20ft into the water. We had massive air compressors underneath which, when it started sinking, would pump huge volumes of air into the water to make it look like the water was being churned up. It was a real labour of love building it, hats off to all my team, they put blood, sweat and tears into it.”
3 Skyfall (2012) – The Destruction Of Skyfall Lodge
“Director Sam Mendes was looking for a different ending to so I put my thinking cap on and wrote the sequence which ended up as the helicopter attack on the house. Sam said to me, ‘Well you dreamt it up so you should do the second unit on it’ so I had the honour of directing most of the sequence not involving the actors which was a big thrill for me. I loved the whole strafing of the house by the helicopter and seeing the wall of the lodge erupt, we must have put thousands of bullets into it. I loved the big explosion at the end. Rather than one explosion, we planned a series of them initiated in quick succession to give Skyfall Lodge the spectacular send off it deserved.”
4 The World Is Not Enough (1999) – Zukovsky’s Warehouse Attack
“This was technically pretty difficult. The first thing we had to work out was what to do with the helicopter. We couldn’t achieve what we wanted with a real one so we found the biggest tower crane in Europe, brought it to Pinewood Studios and suspended an engineless helicopter from its hook. We then put control systems on all the cranes movements which enabled us to determine the path and height of the helicopter with complete reliability and precision. The saws couldn’t actually cut anything so we had to make it appear like it was chewing through parts of the set and have sparks and debris flying everywhere. We also had to have a specially made BMW Z8 with the centre part of it replaced with a soft shell so when the fake saw cut through, it believably looked like it was being cut in two. It was a busy but rewarding sequence to film.”
5 Die Another Day (2002) – Ice Chase
“When the director (Lee Tamahori) said he wanted to shoot on an ice lake Vic Armstrong (2nd Unit Director) and myself looked at each other and both said, ‘Right we need to get the four-wheel drive versions of both the Aston Martin Vanquish and Jaguar XKR’. I visited Aston Martin with the request and discovered that they didn’t actually make them and I got the same response from Jaguar. Therefore we decided to convert four Astons and Jaguars into four-wheel drive. We then realised we were filming on an actual ice lake and there would be explosions so we needed to protect the drivers. So as well as fitting the cars out with all the gadgets (machine guns appearing from the bonnet etc) that looked impressive for the film, we had to preserve stunt driver safety and equip them with automatic inflation bags so if the car did go through the ice it wouldn’t sink to the bottom.”
We are very sad to learn that Margaret Nolan has passed away at the age of 76. Margaret played Dink in Goldfinger (1964) and also appeared painted gold in the iconic opening credit sequence and on the Goldfinger poster. Our thoughts are with her family and friends.
Five-time GRAMMY® Award-winning Billie Eilish has today revealed the official music video for ‘No Time To Die,’ the original song written for the 25th James Bond film.
Directed by Daniel Kleinman, the visual interweaves footage of Billie Eilish with scenes taken from No Time To Die.
The song is out via Darkroom/Interscope Records and was produced by Billie’s brother; fellow multi GRAMMY® Award-winning FINNEAS alongside Stephen Lipson, with orchestral arrangements by Hans Zimmer and Matt Dunkley, and guitar from Johnny Marr. 18-year-old Eilish is officially the youngest artist in history to both write and record a James Bond theme song.
Speaking on Billie Eilish and FINNEAS’ involvement in the film’s title track, producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said: “Billie and Finneas have written an incredibly powerful and moving song for No Time To Die, which has been impeccably crafted to work within the emotional story of the film.”
Billie Eilish said: “It feels crazy to be a part of this in every way. To be able to score the theme song to a film that is part of such a legendary series is a huge honour.”
FINNEAS adds, “writing the theme song for a Bond film is something we’ve been dreaming about doing our entire lives. There is no more iconic pairing of music and cinema than the likes of Goldfinger and Live And Let Die. We feel so so lucky to play a small role in such a legendary franchise, long live 007.”
The film’s director Cary Joji Fukunaga shared, “there are chosen few who record a Bond theme. I am a huge fan of Billie and Finneas. Their creative integrity and talent are second to none.”
The success of the SWATCH X 007 collaboration has led to a second Swatch release exclusively for No Time To Die. The ²Q watch has a red reverse on the strap with complementary blue hands and reel. The limited edition timepiece is the result of a collaboration with Suttirat Anne Larlarb, the Costume Designer for No Time To Die.
²Q is available in-store at Swatch and at 007Store.com
In celebration of No Time To Die’s November 2020 release, Chris Blackwell – the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and owner of Ian Fleming’s former residence, GoldenEye – is launching a special 007 Limited Edition release of his Blackwell Fine Jamaican Rum.
The limited edition Rum features an augmented reality experience available via a QR code on the bottle, where Blackwell, who is best known for discovering Bob Marley, comes to life to share life stories, music selections, cocktail recipes and more.
“James Bond has been a big part of my life, from my childhood lunches with Ian Fleming at GoldenEye to being a location scout on the first movie, Dr. No (1962). It was a pleasure working alongside the No Time To Die production team in Jamaica providing our iconic rum for the set in James Bond’s house, which has made this very special relationship come full circle,” says Blackwell.
The Fine Jamaican Rum is inspired by his family’s time-honoured recipe. This aged, rich and fragrant dark gold rum is filled with the warmth and sensuality of Jamaica. “This is a rum that celebrates Jamaica, my friendships, and also my family legacy,” adds Blackwell.
The 007 Limited Edition Rum goes on sale in November.
In celebration of over 40 years of partnership as the Official Champagne of 007 and the upcoming film No Time To Die, Champagne Bollinger has produced a limited edition gift box that brings together three icons: Bollinger’s signature Special Cuvée, the Aston Martin DB5 and James Bond.
The limited edition gift box features the silhouette of James Bond alongside his Aston Martin DB5. The colourway of the gift box echoes the silver birch finish of the DB5. The Bollinger lettering and logos are depicted in gold and the iconic Special Cuvée bottle has been adapted to feature a black and gold neck collar with a 007 blazon.
Champagne Bollinger worked with celebrated photographer Greg Williams, for the soon to be released Special Cuvée 007 Limited Edition campaign, featuring his signature cinematic style that also appears in the No Time To Die campaign.
The Bollinger Special Cuvée 007 Limited Edition will be available globally from 1st October 2020.
Shoemaker Crockett & Jones have announced an exclusive collaboration with EON Productions to celebrate the forthcoming release of No Time To Die. Made from the finest box calf and featuring a signature Hand Grade leather sole, ‘JAMES’ is a 007 limited edition shoe inspired by Bond’s iconic tuxedo.
“The tuxedo is the most iconic of the James Bond wardrobe looks,” says No Time To Die’s costume designer, Suttirat Anne Larlarb, “and the finishing touch to the tuxedo is, of course, the right pair of shoes. A shoe will finish off any look and make it perfect from a visual standpoint.”
The JAMES shoe is crafted from the smallest skins with the tightest break, all sourced from the finest European tanneries. The black box calf perfectly highlights the contours of Last 348, a classic, chiselled form and arguably the most innovative last from a generation of shoemakers. JAMES pays homage to Crockett & Jones’s world-renowned wholecut Oxford (as featured in both Skyfall and Spectre) and to celebrate the release of No Time To Die, Crockett & Jones has embellished the shoe’s every specification by applying its highest grade of shoemaking. Fully leather lined, JAMES features an all-black interior with silver foiled logo and is presented in an exclusive 007 packaging with a chrome shoe horn, shoe brush and a pair of fully lasted, hand-made shoe trees, all embossed with the iconic 007 logo.
Working closely with the 007 film makers Crockett & Jones supplied two further styles to the production. James Bond wears the timeless HIGHBURY in a number of key scenes during No Time To Die and MOLTON when the story takes Bond to Norway.
“Bond is known for his perfectly elegant comportment in all situations and in No Time To Die, Crockett & Jones’s shoes are very much a part of that equation,” continues Larlarb.
The multi-award-winning costume designer notes that Crockett & Jones’s premiere lasts provided an impeccable platform from which to work.
“What separates a good custom make from a perfect one is a question of having the time to achieve that perfection,” she explains, “and we were steps ahead with Crockett & Jones’s already perfect lasts. They were able to provide for us exactly what we needed and without a hitch. Working with Crockett & Jones to achieve the custom shoes we required for No Time To Die was an absolute pleasure from start to finish.”
JAMES will be available from 9th October and has a retail price of £850.
“We are very sad to learn of the passing of Michael Lonsdale, who played Hugo Drax in Moonraker. He was an extraordinarily talented actor and a very dear friend. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time” – Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
James Bond and sartorial style go hand in hand… Now a new collection from The London Sock Exchange lets you go toe to toe. Add a dash of elegance – at least from the ankle down – with six designs celebrating iconic moments from the film series. Discover “The Chute” featuring Bond’s Union Jack emblazoned parachute from The Spy Who Loved Me, “The Double-O” and “The Shaken” featuring 007’s favourite bar order. Each design comes with styling notes – though all will complement a tuxedo perfectly.
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