In this episode we are joined by Christopher Laverty editor of Clothes on Film and author of the book Fashion in Film.

Fashion in Film book

Bond Styling

With regards to Bond styling should go back to the sixties look, or if indeed it already has, Laverty has this to say:

Quantum of Solace is one of my favourite costumes of Daniel Craig. The suits are nothing like the suits that have followed. Craig is a little lighter, less boxy. The jackets are longer. Tom Ford had only left Gucci for 3 years since he started his own label.

Louise Frogley the Costume Designer liked his suits on the catwalk and thought we’d put them in the film. Ford wasn’t a huge name at the time, he was known for Gucci, his stuff was 70s inspired and what Frogley tried to do was channel those 70s styling. Jany Temime took the Tom Ford name but not the look.

Bond’s Tom Ford suit is not representative of the Tom Ford look. The suits have very narrow lapels. Bond is more of a sixties look, but Ford is more seventies.

Matt Spaiser:

(On the style of Tom Ford) It’s the wide lapel looks. More cloth, more luxury. A lot of people seem to think that the Craig look is the Tom Ford look. They don’t like it because they associate it with small suits.

On the YouTube

We also take a look at the house style of Tom Ford and whether James Bond has taken a departure from the Tom Ford look. Click on the image below for the video discussion.

Roger Moore in Sixties Lapels

In the discussion of sixties styling we take a look at Roger Moore in an episode of The Saint.

These sixties lapels are the cause of much derision and puts wonderfully into context how some Mod styling is just jarring on gentlemen with larger frames.

Roger Moore Sixties Lapels

In response

(by Matthew James Fok)

I just watched the video of the conversation regarding why Tom Ford doesn’t associate much with James Bond in terms of advertising and style. For advertising, Tom Ford is very explicit in not relying his brand on celebrity endorsements or giving brand deals since he wants his brand to speak for itself. However when it comes to the explanation for style it’s a bit more complicated.

First off I think the Tom Ford brand when it comes to menswear it can be separated in two sides. The runway style that Tom Ford promotes in his runway shows and most of his promotional material across his sites and the classic menswear aspect which focuses on classic menswear instead of flashiness and extravagant outfits which fits Bond more and you can see him wear this style from time to time when it comes to interviews.

Fok cont..

Both are essential to the Tom Ford Brand but the reason why the runway style gets promoted more I believe is because Tom Ford is a trend setter due to his position as one of the world’s leading fashion designers and sets these fashion trends through the runway with extravagant outfits. However the classic menswear aspect of the brand is promoted from time via advertising but it’s main marketing strategy is via the experience.

Hence why when you walk into a Tom Ford store, there is a bit of a Saville row vibe to the service and how the store is presented and this is where the classic menswear aspect of Tom Ford gets marketed: through the customer experience. Since promoting classic menswear/bespoke products is still best advertised through giving the customer the best experience possible in store with tailoring sessions than ordering eg a O Connor suit online and base it off from measurements.

More Fok

I believe somewhere I’ve read online that the Tom Ford brand could be described as Gucci and YSL but also emphasised on classic menswear with styles of Saville row.

Yeah they are very particular if that’s the word for it on promotion since Tom Ford really doesn’t do a lot of “brand deals” or celebrity endorsements since he wants his designs and products to speak for themselves. Maybe this is also the reason why the brand feels so “luxurious” or has the presence of one.

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