Recreating a Masterpiece (Part 005) The Cut

Precis of previous blogs:

To help celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the Bond films, the Barbican in London is hosting an exhibition entitled, "Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style". However, most of the clothes made for the first actor, Sean Connery, have long disappeared, and so EON, the film's producers, have approached Anthony Sinclair to request faithful reproductions of some of the pieces originally made by the company. These include the famous evening suit worn by Connery in his first appearance as James Bond in the 1962 film "Dr. No" along with everyone's favourite - the grey Prince of Wales three-piece "Goldfinger suit". The records of production of these suits have also vanished from Sinclair's archives, and so, with the help of the exhibition's curators, the specifications for the remakes are being put together piece by piece. The cloth has been chosen, the design determined, the measurements and dimensions established. The next step of the process is to cut paper patterns for the new suits and in turn cut the cloth.

The most critical part of the process begins

Former Sinclair apprentice Richard W Paine is the man charged with the job of cutting the patterns for the recreation of Connery's original suits. He is unquestionably the most qualified person alive to execute the task.

As a schoolboy, Richard worked as many hours as possible for a busy tailor's shop in the East End of London, learning how to prepare bastes (first fittings) which were often made from canvas or calico to produce a toile which the customer would try on before his actual cloth was cut.

His enthusiasm and aptitude for tailoring saw him secure a formal apprenticeship at the age of 16, not with Anthony Sinclair, but with a close friend and Conduit Street neighbour, Cyril Castle.

In 1962, whilst Sinclair was creating the suits for Sean Connery's first appearance as James Bond, Castle undertook a similar exercise for another unknown actor, Roger Moore, who had been cast as Simon Templar in The Saint (a television adaptation of the Leslie Charteris novels). Moore had jokingly suggested that the role was meant to have been played by Sean Connery ... but he was otherwise engaged.

Roger Moore as Simon Templar in "The Saint"

The Saint brought worldwide fame to Roger Moore. The series ran from 1962 for six years with 118 episodes, making it the longest running series of its kind on British television. Towards the end of the decade, Moore began to tire of the role, just as Connery was becoming weary of playing Bond.

Keen to branch out, Moore made two films soon after The Saint series ended: Crossplot (1969), a lightweight spy-caper, and the more challenging The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970). The films didn't receive particularly good reviews and were not a box office success, but they provided an opportunity for the actor to demonstrate a wider versatility than the television series had allowed.

As Sean Connery made his return to the role of James Bond in 1971, Roger Moore was lured back to television, starring as Brett Sinclair (no relation) alongside Tony Curtis in what was to become another cult series, The Persuaders, which tracked the adventures of two millionaire playboys around Europe. Moore reportedly received £1million for the first series, making him the highest paid television actor in the world at the time. For the wardrobe, he retained the services of his tailor Cyril Castle, ably assisted by his young apprentice Richard Paine.

Roger Moore as Brett Sinclair in "The Persuaders"

   
In late 1971, after serving five years of his apprenticeship with Cyril Castle, Richard joined Anthony Sinclair to complete his training, but Sinclair had already tailored the last of the suits he was to make for Sean Connery. The Bond film Diamonds Are Forever was released in December 1971, and it was to be Connery's last appearance in an EON production.

The following year, the search had begun for Connery's replacement. The film's producers, Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli, had dismissed the idea of casting Roger Moore as 007 both before and immediately after his role in The Saint, although Connery had predicted that Moore would make an ideal James Bond. They reconsidered the actor early in 1972 but he was contracted to Lew Grade's ITC for a further series of The Persuaders.

The ratings for the crime-busting  television series had not been quite as successful as hoped, and Roger Moore was released from his contract, enabling him to accept the offer of a three-picture deal from United Artists in August 1972. The job of tailoring suits for the new James Bond was assigned, not surprisingly, to Cyril Castle.

Roger Moore and Sean Connery ... Bonding

In an extraordinary incident of unfortunate timing, Richard Paine had arrived at Anthony Sinclair just after Anthony had completed the last of Connery's Bond suits, and departed from Cyril Castle not long before Cyril was to cut the first 007 outfit for Roger Moore, and so, Richard hadn't actually had a direct hand in creating a James Bond suit ... until now.

It was with great relish that Richard set about the the most critical part of the adventurous challenge of attempting to recreate some of the most iconic clothes ever made. The build was about to start and Richard was the architect who would be relied upon to deliver the blueprint.

Richard often talks proudly of how, as a young schoolboy, he was consistently top of his Technical Drawing class - clearly an early indication of his innate ability. He also fondly recalls his later teenage years when he learnt his practical tailoring skills in the workshops, together with the theoretical knowledge gained from four years of night-school at the long defunct Tailor and Cutter Academy (paid for by himself from his meagre apprenticeship earnings). Richard was dedicated and determined to achieve his dream of becoming a West End cutter.

By the time Richard joined Anthony Sinclair he had received his Academy Diploma and gained sufficient experience from his time with Cyril Castle to qualify for the privilege of being taught the discipline of cutting by one of the great masters of the sartorial art.

Richard W Paine cuts the new pattern

With a set of rudimentary tools - tape measure, rule, square, curve and pencil - together with a sheet of plain brown paper, Richard begins to draft the pattern. He marks the lines and curves - some are guided precisely by the tools, with others by eye and a swift flourish of the hand. He performs mental arithmetic aloud (in halves, quarters and eighths), scribbling notes as he goes along and muttering to himself, "Yes ... that's how Tony would have done it".

The outlines of the forepart, back, side-body and sleeve start to appear. Richard picks up his paper shears (a gift presented to him by garment technologist he had helped in Japan in the 1980's). Piece by piece the pattern parts are neatly cut and set aside. There are two separate forepart patterns - one for the notch lapel Goldfinger suit, and another for the elegant shawl-collared evening suit. The trouser and waistcoat patterns are cut, and the template is complete.

Richard elects to strike the pattern (mark out and cut the cloth) of the evening suit first. It is a plain, midnight-blue Barathea with a slight texture. It won't slide around on the cutting board, and the white chalk-marks will be clearly visible against the dark cloth. It is a straightforward job for him as a warm-up for his cutting shears (handed down to him by his former master, Anthony Sinclair).

The Goldfinger suit represents a greater challenge. It is a very subtle Prince of Wales check created from two similar shades of grey yarn. In some planes of light the check is barely visible, but Richard must ensure that it is cut in such a way that the checks match perfectly on the suit when it is made. The maestro performs his magic, and the cloth is soon cut and rolled into a bundle ready to be trimmed (matched with all of the other material components required to make the suit) before being sent to a very special tailor who anxiously awaits it's arrival.

Recreating a Masterpiece (Part 004) The Measures

Precis of previous blogs:

To help celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the Bond films, the Barbican in London is hosting an exhibition entitled, "Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style". However, most of the clothes made for the first actor, Sean Connery, have long disappeared, and so EON, the film's producers, have approached Anthony Sinclair to request faithful reproductions of some of the pieces originally made by the company. These include the famous evening suit worn by Connery in his first appearance as James Bond in the 1962 film "Dr. No", along with everyone's favourite - the grey Prince of Wales three-piece "Goldfinger Suit". The records of production of these suits have also vanished from Sinclair's archives, and so, with the help of the exhibition's curators, the specifications for the remakes are being put together piece by piece. The cloth has been chosen and the design determined, the next step is to establish a set of measurements.

Sinclair gets the measure of Connery

Following the release of "You Only Live Twice" in 1967, Sean Connery insisted that he had no intention of renewing his license to kill, and was replaced by Australian actor George Lazenby for the 1969 film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (OHMSS).  Lazenby had done his best to get into character prior to his audition for the role of James Bond, and actually arrived at the casting wearing an Anthony Sinclair bespoke suit. Whilst this would have ensured that he looked the part for the screen test, it was as close as Sinclair's tailoring got to the film production. The new Bond got a new tailor (Dimi Major of Fulham), the silver Aston DB5 was traded-in for an olive green DBS and to even greater surprise, the hero swapped bachelorhood for marriage.

A new look and fresh ideas were clearly considered to be important factors in trying to keep the James Bond franchise alive. You Only Live Twice had received mixed reviews, with a Variety magazine writer asking of the series, "Can it go on indefinitely?" However, the press did not react well to the changes that transpired, and although OHMSS was by no means a commercial disaster, the worldwide box office figures for this new Bond adventure were approximately half that of the previous film.

Lazenby wore a Sinclair suit for his casting - it worked.

In 1971, Sean Connery was coaxed into returning to the role of 007 for another EON production, "Diamonds Are Forever", which also saw the return of his tailor, Anthony Sinclair. The film was a success, reversing the fortunes of the Bond franchise, but the suits produced by Sinclair were to be the last he ever made for Connery ... or James Bond.

Connery's successor, Roger Moore, was to employ the services of Cyril Castle who had produced the tailoring for Moore's television appearances as Simon Templar in "The Saint" and Brett Sinclair in "The Persuaders". James Bond didn't have to travel far to visit his new tailor - Sinclair's address was no.29 Conduit Street, and Castle's premises were located opposite at no.42.

Roger Moore being fitted by Cyril Castle

Not only did Anthony Sinclair and Cyril Castle operate their business from the same Mayfair street, the other coincidence was that they had both, at different times, employed and trained a young apprentice tailor called Richard W Paine. Anthony retired in 1986, handing his shears down to Richard who continued to run the Sinclair business until 2005, when sudden illness forced him to cease trading. Thankfully, a recent improvement in health has allowed his return to the cutting room, offering his incomparable technical knowledge, experience and ability to the relaunched company, and there is no man alive more qualified than Richard to cut authentic reproductions of the suits worn by Connery as Bond.

Unfortunately, over forty years have elapsed since the original paper pattern was used, and given that the business has changed location four times during that period, along with several years of dormancy, it is understandable but regrettable that all records of Connery's work, including his pattern, have been lost. Even if Sir Sean were to step back into the fitting room it wouldn't help. Whilst the years have been kind to him, his figure is unlikely to be exactly as it was in the 1960's. Some kind of reference material from the time was desperately needed in order to create a true representation of the famous suits.

In January 2011, the company had received a call from British television producers Channel 4 who were piloting a new series that involved guests bringing interesting collectibles onto the show to be valued and then auctioned. A gentleman had brought an old suit along, and the producers needed to estimate its value. The label inside the in-breast pocket of the jacket showed that the garment was one of five "repeat" orders that had been made by Anthony Sinclair in 1966 for none other than Sean Connery Esq.

The label inside the in-breast pocket proved the provenance of the suit

   
The person who was planning to take part in the show had found the suit in the back of his mother's wardrobe. His father had worked at Pinewood Studios in the 1960's and happened to be a similar size to Sean Connery. He'd been involved in the production of You Only Live Twice and was in need of a new suit, so when filming was complete he managed to persuade the wardrobe department to sell him one of the multiple number of identical grey herringbone suits that had been prepared for 007 (the budget for this film, the 5th in the series, had grown and the practice of making several copies of each costume had begun - in the event that one or more could possibly be destroyed by special effects or action scenes).

Bond artefacts do appear at auction from time to time, but items of Sean Connery's wardrobe from his tenure as 007 are extremely rare - and expensive. The costume was limited in the early films, and Connery was fond of Sinclair's tailoring, reportedly keeping hold of many of the suits for his personal use. When EON Productions contacted the company in late 2011 to request reworks of the original suits, it was hoped that the grey herringbone number would still be available, or that perhaps the owner would be kind enough to loan the piece in order to allow measurements to be taken from it. Unfortunately, the company was too late to act and the suit had been sold.

Connery puts his grey herringbone suit to the test in You Only Live Twice

   
Fearing that the precious item may now be many thousands of miles away it was a great relief to discover that it had been bought by a young man who worked in the City of London, in fact his office is located minutes away from the Barbican - the venue for the upcoming exhibition.

The necessary introductions were made and the new owner kindly offered to loan his prized possession to the company. It would now be possible to take direct measurements from the original outfit and "reverse-engineer" a pattern that could be used as the basis for the re-creations.

On Saturday 19th May, the suit came home to its makers, and there to greet it was the man charged with the job of drafting the replacement pattern, Mr. Richard W Paine. The company now had everything required to begin the process of cutting and making the suits in time for the exhibition.

Richard W Paine examines the original article

 

Recreating a Masterpiece (Part 003) POW

In addition to the reproduction of the midnight-blue evening suit worn by Sean Connery in Dr. No, Anthony Sinclair has been commissioned to remake another piece of Bond's original wardrobe for the upcoming exhibition at the Barbican, Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style.

The curators of the exhibition and the tailoring firm agree that an event showcasing Bond style could not be complete without the inclusion of 007's most popular outfit - the three-piece costume often referred to as the "Goldfinger Suit".

Sean Connery (007), Honor Blackman (Pussy) and the Goldfinger Suit

Released in 1964, Goldfinger was the third film in the Bond series and the first of the 007 blockbusters, having a budget of over $3 million (the equivalent of the previous two movies combined). It met with both critical acclaim, receiving Academy, Grammy and BAFTA awards, and commercial success, breaking box office records and recouping costs in the first two weeks of distribution.

The increased production expenditure  afforded Sean Connery the pleasure of a wardrobe upgrade for his third outing as 007, which included a matching waistcoat for one of the five suits made by Anthony Sinclair for the film. The result was arguably the most famous set of conventional clothes ever worn by a man on screen.

The cloth chosen for the iconic three-piece ensemble is often mistaken for pick & pick or sharkskin, a semi-plain design used to make many of Bond's suits - but not this one. The pattern selected was actually a subtle Glenurquhart check, usually referred to as Glen plaid in the United States or, more universally, Prince of Wales check ... often abbreviated in tailor's notes as "POW".

There is a common misconception that the pattern was named as a result of the Duke of Windsor wearing the design in the early 1900's when he was Prince of Wales but, whilst he did much to popularise it, the story dates much further back in history.

The Duke of Windsor in Prince of Wales check

The origin of the classic black and white check actually lies in the valley of Glen Urquhart in the Scottish Highlands. It is a pattern adopted in the 1800's by Caroline, Countess of Seafield, to be worn by her gamekeepers on the Seafield Estate.

It was during a hunting trip to the Estate that another young royal, Edward VII (Queen Victoria's son and grandfather of the Duke of Windsor) became attracted to the design when he was Prince of Wales - a title he held for almost 60 years, being the longest serving heir-apparent.

Edward lived a life of luxury that was often far removed from that of the majority of his subjects. However, his personal charm with people at all levels of society and his strong condemnation of prejudice went some way to assuage republican and racial tensions building during his lifetime.

The Prince was renowned for his elegant, sporting style, and regarded internationally as the most influential male fashion figure of the 19th century. He adapted the Glenurquhart design to his own specifications, creating a larger scale black and white pattern which became known as Prince of Wales check.

Edward, Prince of Wales, wearing the eponymous pattern

   
The famous cloth design continued to evolve throughout the 20th century, falling in and out of fashion along the way. It was sometimes woven as a large-scale check from widely contrasting shades of yarn to dramatic effect, and conversely in reduced size with similar yarn tones to create the subtlest of patterns.

Prince of Wales cloth was soon produced in a broad range of colours beyond the original monochromatic shades of grey, but the most significant development came with the introduction of a windowpane check that overlaid the basic pattern. This over-check was usually woven with a different colour to the ground design, and the most popular combinations remain today as blue or pink over grey.

The more distinct, large-scale checks incorporating clearly defined windowpanes were prevalent in the 1940's and 1950's, complimenting the square, boxier styles of suits worn during that era. They grew to over-scaled dimensions during the excessive styling period of the 1970's, returning to more original (but still large) proportion in the 1980's, suiting the wide-shouldered look of the time.  

Cary Grant (Fleming's choice for Bond) in over-checked POW

 
By 1964, Sean Connery had established himself in the role of James Bond and even earned the approval of 007's creator, Ian Fleming, who was originally against the choice of actor on the grounds that he was "unrefined". Connery had proved that he could present himself otherwise, aided, by no short measure, with the sublime tailoring skills of Anthony Sinclair, who was again called upon to provide Bond's suits for Goldfinger. On this occasion, Sinclair was to surpass even his own high standards.

The prelude to the unveiling of Sinclair's sartorial masterpiece is a scene in which Bond returns to consciousness aboard Goldfinger's private jet. He is unshaven and somewhat dishevelled after being tranquilised. He retires to the bathroom to refresh himself in preparation for the meeting with his nemesis. The destination is Goldfinger's horse ranch in Kentucky, and by a stroke of remarkable luck, the perfect outfit for the rendezvous had been packed.

Connery emerges clean-shaven and immaculately attired, illustrating pride in himself and due respect for his adversary, albeit someone who has just recently spared him his life. As he prepares to step back into another dangerous situation, his psychological body-armour is reinforced by another layer - a breastplate in the form of a beautifully tailored waistcoat. It is tastefully adorned with a slim lapel; a fine tailoring detail reminiscent of the turn-back cuff applied to the Dr. No evening suit, adding a note of elegance and touch of class. Bond's new look is invincible ... and irresistible (witnessed by the eventual succumbing of the sapphically inclined Pussy).

The perfect choice of cloth had been made; suitably light in weight for the warm conditions, and appropriately light in colour given the informal setting. The pattern selection, Prince of Wales check, is exactly right for the sporting environment of Goldfinger's stud farm. Small in scale and devoid of windowpane or colour, the cloth was woven from the subtlest of yarn combinations to produce a design so delicate it is barely visible - fitting and apt given Anthony Sinclair's philosophy that, "less is more".

How did you manage to make me look so good?

FOOTNOTE:

The cloth selected for the recreation of the Goldfinger suit is to be provided by another of Anthony Sinclair's earliest suppliers, Holland & Sherry. Their reference number 749/016 is a 10 ounce Super 120's worsted and a perfect match to the original in terms of colour and design. 

Recreating a Masterpiece (Part 002) The Design

Precis of previous blogs:

To help celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the Bond films, the Barbican in London is hosting an exhibition entitled, "Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style". However, most of the clothes made for the first actor, Sean Connery have long since disappeared, and so EON, the film's producers, have approached Anthony Sinclair to request faithful reproductions of some of the pieces originally made by the company, including the famous evening suit worn by Connery in his first appearance as James Bond in the 1962 film, "Dr. No". The records of production of these suits have also vanished from Sinclair's archives, and so, with the help of the exhibition's curators, the specifications for the remakes are being put together piece by piece. The cloth, a midnight-blue Barathea woven from a blend of Merino Wool and Super-Kid Mohair has been chosen, and now the design must be determined.

Sinclair eveningwear transforms Connery into Bond

James Bond's opening scene in Dr. No was arguably the most important of any in the 50 year history of the film series. Sean Connery, then a relatively unknown actor, was to be presented as the World's most famous secret agent in 007's inaugural appearance on the big screen.

Terence Young, the film's director, carefully used the brief moments of this scene to construct a detailed profile of the leading man. The location is Les Ambassadeurs Club, in London's exclusive district of Mayfair. Seated at a gambling table, clearly comfortable and familiar with the surroundings, Bond deals cards from the shoe as he plays the notoriously high-stakes game of chemin de fer - a version of Baccarat which relies very much on skill over chance. He is in control. He is a risk-taker - calculated rather than reckless, and in Young's own words, "he is a winner; a winner in every way". He is respected by men and desired by women. His manner is both relaxed and alert. He is ruthless ... and cool. Very cool.

Whilst the plot, setting, action and dialogue reveal much about the character, the critical element is, of course, his appearance. Rugged but handsome, masculine yet refined, the hero carries an air of sophistication that is influenced considerably by what he is wearing - a midnight-blue, hand-tailored, bespoke evening suit by Anthony Sinclair.

Bond's sharp-suited look not only goes to enhance his sex appeal, it also suggests something about his breeding. Whilst a lounge suit would have been perfectly satisfactory for the occasion, his choice of "black-tie" implies that he was born into a family accustomed to dressing formally after dusk.

The practice of dressing in a specific way for morning and then changing clothes for evening was established by the English upper classes in the early Victorian era, developing into dress codes that were strictly adhered to by polite society. A gentleman would wear either a morning coat or frock coat by day and then, before dinner, transform himself with the requisite evening attire of tailcoat, vest, stand-up collar and bow; a costume still worn and recognised today as "white-tie".

Hollywood legend Fred Astaire resplendent in white-tie

During the middle of Queen Victoria's reign, another piece of eveningwear entered the formal wardrobe. As a result of the Crimean War and the subsequent rise in popularity of Turkish tobacco, the smoking jacket was devised. After dinner, a gentleman would replace his tailcoat with the garment and retreat to a den or smoking room. Traditionally made from heavy velvet, the jacket was intended to guard against falling ash and to absorb the smoke, hence protecting other clothing from burns and tobacco odour.

The smoking jacket had a number of distinct features, derived from a combination of practical and aesthetic needs. The weight and bulk of the cloth dictates a shawl collar (a continuous lapel without notch or peak). The sleeves are finished with a turn-back cuff, cut in proportion to the width of shawl. These are both facets that mirrored the styling of the robe de chambre - the elegant silk dressing gowns that had been worn by aristocratic gentlemen for decades previously.

The shawl collar and the cuffs would be made from a woven silk fabric which differs from the cloth used for the body and sleeves. The silk facing of the shawl not only reflects the formality and styling of the tailcoat's silk faced lapel but, together with the matching cuffs, allows the gentleman's tailor to replace those individual parts of the jacket (should they be damaged by tobacco embers) without having to remake the whole garment.

Finally, given that buttonholes can be difficult to work with thick velvet, and also to add an ornate flourish, the fastening of the smoking jacket is often formed by means of intricately sewn cord frogging, secured by small, matching silk toggles - known as olivettes.

Oscar Wilde in late nineteenth century smoking jacket

    
In addition to the qualities already outlined, something the late Victorians discovered with the smoking jacket was "comfort". During that time, Queen Victoria's son, Edward, then Prince of Wales, was regarded worldwide as an arbiter of men's style. Given his mother's long reign, he was largely excluded from political life and so came to personify the fashionable, leisured elite.

In the 1860's the Prince ordered a blue silk smoking jacket from his Savile Row tailor, Henry Poole, to be worn for informal dinner parties aboard his yacht at Cowes. At that point, the tide began to turn on the stiff formality of "full" evening dress. Over the following years, the evening "lounge" suit began to appear. It was, in effect, a hybrid of the formal tailcoat ensemble and the smoking jacket, and was the precursor of the contemporary evening suit worn today.

The design of Sean Connery's evening suit for "Dr. No" represents the perfect balance of contemporary style and historic reverence, illustrating the character as a modern man aware of his ancestry. The immediately obvious details are the shawl collar and turn-back cuffs. They are true to the early influence of the smoking jacket and are cut narrow to suit the times, but not too skinny to be lost against the actors full chest and broad shoulders.

Connery was a big man with an athletic physique. At the age of 18 he had reached his full adult height of 6'2" and had begun bodybuilding; an activity which, by the early 1950's, gained him a place in the Mr. Universe contest. When he arrived to be fitted by Sinclair in 1962, he had a 46" chest and a 33" waist. Ian Fleming, the 007 author, had already expressed concern over the casting saying, "He is not what I envisioned of James Bond" and "I'm looking for Commander Bond and not an overgrown stuntman" adding that Connery was "unrefined".

Connery (centre) competing for Mr. Scotland in the 1950's

It was essential for Sinclair to create a pattern that would produce an elegant line. He cut a natural shoulder with very little padding (as there was no need for enhancement) whilst adding a degree of chest drape to soften the protruding pectorals and allow room to conceal a weapon. An element of suppression was applied to the waist, but not too much - with a 13" drop between chest and waist the visual appearance could be too extreme - Bond needed to look like a member of Les Ambassadeurs Club rather than the doorman.

The classic dinner jacket is single breasted and usually cut without vents, but Connery's had two, which is perfectly acceptable, particularly for a man of action who may need improved manoeuvrability. The suit fastens in the traditional manner with a single, silk-covered button, and has four matching cuff buttons on each sleeve. Silk detail is also found on the trousers, which have the customary satin braid running along the outseam; they have pleated fronts, plain bottoms, and are supported at the waist with elasticated tab & button side adjusters, known as DAKS tops (it would be a grave faux pas to wear a belt with an evening suit).

The accessories that Bond actually does wear compliment the suit perfectly. A pleated dress shirt by Lanvin, a wonderful, diamond pointed "batwing" bow tie, and something that was Terence Young's personal styling tip, the ever so discreet, perfectly folded, white linen handkerchief peeping out of the jacket's pocket and remaining with the character to this day.

On a final note of creative influence, the story of the design of 007's first stage outfit could not be complete without mentioning again it's most extraordinary feature, the turn-back cuff. It has always been considered a sartorial nod to the man who started it all, Ian Fleming, who had regularly incorporated the stylistic detail into his own clothing long before Bond arrived on screen.

Ian Fleming displays a perfectly tailored turn-back cuff

Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style 

Opens 6th July 2012:

http://www.barbican.org.uk/bond/

Recreating a Masterpiece (Part 001) The Cloth

Precis of previous blogs:

To help celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the Bond films, the Barbican in London is hosting an exhibition entitled, "Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style". However, most of the clothes made for the first actor, Sean Connery, have long disappeared, and so EON, the film's producers, have approached Anthony Sinclair to request faithful reproductions of some of the pieces originally made by the company, including the famous evening suit worn by Connery in his first appearance as James Bond in the 1962 film, "Dr. No". The records of production of these suits have also vanished from Sinclair's archives, consequently the specifications for the remakes are being put together piece by piece, with the help of the exhibition's curators, starting with the cloth:

Bond's beautifully tailored eveningwear meets immediate approval

The term "bespoke" is derived from the archaic verb "bespeak" - to order or reserve something in advance. The expression is said to have originated in London tailoring houses during the 18th Century, where customers would bespeak their chosen length of cloth from those on display to initiate the process of having their clothes made.

The procedure remains the same today, with the first step being to choose the weight, pattern, colour and quality of woven goods. With eveningwear the obvious selection is black; but in 1962, James Bond's choice was blue ... midnight-blue.

The idea of wearing blue for a black-tie occasion may seem strange, but "midnight" is such a dark shade that it is difficult to distinguish from black, unless the two are viewed side by side. However, under artificial light, midnight can appear to be "blacker than black", seemingly absorbing more light than black cloth which, in certain conditions, can cast a greyish hue.

One of the first proponents of this theory was the Duke of Windsor in the 1920's, then Prince of Wales. He was motivated by a desire not only to soften men's formal attire, but also to augment his sartorial standing in the popular press. As he explained in his memoirs, A Family Album:

"I was in fact produced as a leader of fashion, with the clothiers as my showmen and the world as my audience. The middle-man in this process was the photographer, employed not only by the Press but by the trade, whose task it was to photograph me on every possible occasion, public or private, with an especial eye for what I happened to be wearing."

The Duke understood the photogenic possibilities of midnight-blue. It appeared to produce sharper images, allowing for the recognition of subtle tailoring details - a secret undoubtedly shared by Dr. No director, Terence Young, the man credited more than any other for crafting the definitive style of 007.

The Duke of Windsor: an advocate of midnight-blue eveningwear

Once colour has been established, the next step is to select weight, for which the season and climate should naturally be considered. We know that Bond was wearing the Dr. No evening suit in London during the colder months of the year, as he needed to don his dark navy Chesterfield coat to make the journey from Les Ambassadeurs Club to M's office, suggesting the need for a heavier cloth than would be required for his deployment to more tropical locations. That said, a casino is an environment in which one would prefer to keep cool, and so a medium-weight cloth of 10 ounces (per linear yard of 60 inch wide cloth) is regarded as being the optimum choice.

In addition to colour and weight, the quality and composition needs to be determined. Barathea is the most traditional formalwear cloth. It is a soft fabric, with a hopsack twill weave creating a lightly textured surface with a matt finish, usually woven from a pure wool worsted yarn, the most prized of which is Merino.

The Merino breed of sheep (usually from Australia or New Zealand) produce a clean, white fleece, ideal for dying to clear, fresh colours, while the long, fine fibres can be spun to the finest count, woven into the finest cloth and tailored into the finest suits.

Merino sheep produce the finest fleece

These days, the finesse of worsted cloth has been taken to extraordinary levels, with selective breeding and technical advances in spinning and weaving enabling the production of not only Super 120's, 150's and even 180's worsteds, but more recently, exotic blends such as Super 200's, vicuna and chinchilla or Super 250's and silk.

The "Super" numbers are regularly seen in the labelling of cloth and garments, but few people are aware of exactly what they mean. The numbering system originated in England, where the worsted spinning process was invented, and arose from the worsted yarn count method for stating the fineness of yarn. The worsted count was the number of "hanks" (560-yard lengths of yarn) that a pound of wool yields. The finer the wool, the more yarn and the higher the count.

Whilst higher yarn counts produce luxurious cloths with a superior pattern definition (given the higher number of woven threads per square inch) they tend to be far less durable and robust than the lower count cloths, and are therefore not the best choice for everyday wear or, with Bond in mind, situations that may lead to a fight.

Returning to 007's original evening suit, it is unlikely that much above Super 100's would have been available from London cloth merchants in the early 1960's, but a touch of glamour could always have been added by blending the wool with another fibre such as silk or, in Bond's case, mohair.

Mohair comes from the Angora goat. It is a fine, smooth, resilient fibre that was very popular during Bond's early days, particularly for lightweight suits which, when made from mohair cloth, are much more crease resistant than the worsted equivalent ... perfect for a man of action in a hot climate who needs to maintain an immaculate appearance.

Mohair fibre increases it's diameter with the the age of the goat from which it is biannually sheared, therefore the finer fleece is from the youngest goats ("kids") with the finest coming from the very first clip of baby-hair - referred to as "Summer- or Super-Kid Mohair". When blended with wool, mohair gives the cloth a sharper edge and adds lustre; both qualities well suited to the production of killer eveningwear.

Super-Kid Mohair is the first clip from the Angora goat

    
With colour, weight, composition and quality considered, the final task is to select a source of supply. Unlike their 18th Century predecessors, today's tailors rarely hold stocks of cloth on their premises, choosing rather to present pattern books containing hundreds or even thousands of alternative designs. These books are provided by a number of cloth merchants who specialise in supplying individual cut-lengths of material to the trade.

Most of the established merchants carry cloth that would conform to the specification required for the Dr. No evening suit, but one stands out from the others for a number of reasons.

Smith & Co. (Woollens) Ltd. was established in 1923 and together with it's slightly older sister company, W.Bill Ltd. (Est 1846), represents the last of the London merchants to hold stock of their cloth in the West End, which often proves useful to Mayfair tailors who sometimes need to expedite urgent orders. They have been regular suppliers to Anthony Sinclair since the 1950's when (as can be seen from their advertisement of the time below) they were based in Beak Street, Soho - the location of Sinclair's business before he moved to Conduit Street in Mayfair.

Smith Woollens offer a comprehensive range of classic dress and formalwear suitings, including a 10 ounce, midnight-blue Barathea, woven from a blend of 71% Merino Wool and 29% Super-Kid Mohair. This particular pattern, reference number SW8810, is the perfect cloth for a faithful reproduction of Sinclair's original masterpiece.

Smith Woollens advertisement from Tailor & Cutter (1950)

Anthony Sinclair Eveningwear

Sean Connery's first appearance as James Bond, in Anthony Sinclair eveningwear.

When filmgoers saw James Bond for the first time, 50 years ago, it was not his face that first appeared, but the silk, turn-back cuffs of his midnight-blue, Anthony Sinclair evening suit as he dealt the cards in a game of chemin-de-fer at Le Cercle room of Les Ambassadeurs Club in Mayfair.

The audience was held in further anticipation as the camera shot a reverse angle of 007, face still hidden, but finely tailored, satin shawl-collar in clear display.

Finally, the leading man is seen in full view when he, and his glamorous rival for the spoils of the card game, reveal their identities during the following dialogue:

James Bond:    "I admire your courage, Miss (pause) er?"
Sylvia Trench:  "Trench. Sylvia Trench. I admire your luck, Mr?"
James Bond:     "Bond" (pause) "James Bond" (theme music plays)

As he speaks, Bond nonchalantly lights the cigarette drooping from the corner of his mouth; his dark eyes remain fixed upon his opponent as she writes a cheque for his winnings. He has taken her money and is soon to take her honour. He is handsome, sophisticated, cool and ruthless. This is a man who means business ... and pleasure.

This scene created the blueprint for a cinematic character that has endured five decades with six different actors playing the role, along with the changing tastes and style demanded by cinema audiences. What remains unchanged is the manner in which he introduces himself as, "Bond, James Bond", and, of course, his definitive look in beautifully tailored eveningwear.

When my eldest son was a very young boy he saw me dressing for a black-tie event. As I fastened the bow around my neck and slipped on the dinner jacket he said, "Daddy, you look like James Bond". "Son", I replied, "I feel like James Bond". That evening, I WAS James Bond (in my head) and my son continued to receive even greater favour from his loving father.

I wonder how many men, when dressed in formal attire, have caught a glimpse of their reflection in a mirror and thought to themselves, "Hmmm ... he reminds me of someone", and the Bond music starts to play in their minds. I assume it is a great many; particularly those who have had their evening suits made by Anthony Sinclair.

To help celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the Bond films, the Barbican in London is hosting an exhibition entitled, "Fifty Years of Bond Style". However, most of the clothes made for the first actor, Sean Connery, have long disappeared, and so EON, the film's producers, have approached Anthony Sinclair to request faithful reproductions of some of the original pieces, including the famous midnight-blue evening suit.

We will be chronicling the remake of Sinclair's masterpiece on this blog over the coming weeks, as we prepare it for unveiling at the exhibition which opens on the 6th of July.  
 
More details: http://www.barbican.org.uk/bond/

The birth of the Conduit Cut

The classic lines of the contemporary Conduit Cut

During the 1950s, Anthony Sinclair established a successful bespoke tailoring business in London's Mayfair district, an area long renowned for exclusive shops, hotels, clubs and restaurants.

Although Sinclair did not produce military uniform, his clientele included a number of British Army officers who called upon him to craft their civilian attire (mufti). They favoured slim, cavalry-cut trousers, paired with a single-breasted coat with a firm but natural shoulder.

The coat was cut for ease of movement, with a degree of chest drape and generous sleeves topped with signature roping. The waist was nipped, ensuring that the buttoned-up coat remained close and neat, and the flared skirt over the hips balanced the shape (styling cues undoubtedly taken from the hacking jacket - a garment more than familiar to Sinclair's sporting gentlemen).

The hourglass shape created by Anthony Sinclair suited the athletic physiques of the military men. It was a style distinctly at odds with the boxy, double-breasted suits popular at the time, and became fondly referred to as the "Conduit Cut", after Sinclair's Mayfair premises at 29 Conduit Street.

Whilst the Conduit Cut has evolved subtly over time, it retains the key elements of style and function that set Anthony Sinclair's tailoring apart from that of his peers a half-century ago. It is a classic design, best formed from plain or subtle patterns of worsted, mohair or flannel cloth, so embracing Sinclair's clear and simple philosophy of presenting a well-dressed man.

One of Sinclair's British Army clients was Irish Guards officer, Terence Young, who went onto a career in the film industry, famously directing the first ever Bond film, Dr. No.

The son of a Police Commissioner of the Shanghai Municipal Police, Young was born in China and educated at public school; then, just like the fictional James Bond, he read Oriental History at St. Catherine's College, Cambridge. 

To many, Terence Young WAS James Bond. There is little doubt that he fitted the character's profile perfectly - the erudite, sophisticated lady killer, dressed in bespoke finery, always witty, well-versed in all matters of style and taste ... a well-travelled man of the world. He was the perfect man to prepare unknown Scottish actor Sean Connery for the leading role in Dr. No.

Author Robert Cotton outlined the story:

When Connery arrived, far before filming began, Young saw his best opportunity to mould the actor to his own image. As Lois Maxwell related in one of Connery's many biographies, "Terence took Sean under his wing. He took him to dinner, showed him how to walk, how to talk, even how to eat." Some cast members remarked that Connery was simply doing a Terence Young impression, but Young and Connery knew they were on the right track. Then, late in pre-production, when Connery was almost ready to make his debut, Young took Connery on a lunchtime trip into London, to his own tailor, Anthony Sinclair. It was time for Connery to "put on the suit" as it were. It was time for Connery to become James Bond.