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.  
 
 

The Original Bond Girl

Ursula Andress and the famous white bikini

Ursula Andress was born on March 19, 1936 in Ostermundigen, Berne, Switzerland. Her career began as a nude art model in Rome, which led to her first roles in the Italian movie industry.

She became instantly famous around the world following her appearance as Honey Ryder, a shell diver and James Bond's object of desire in Dr. No (1962). In one of the most famous scenes in cinematic history, she rises out of the Caribbean Sea in a white bikini. The scene made Andress a global sex-symbol, and for many she remains the ultimate Bond Girl. The performance was emulated by Halle Berry, who wore an orange bikini and white belt in the 2002 Bond film, Die Another Day.

Andress's skimpy white outfit is regarded as monumental in the history of the bikini, and sales of two-piece beachwear rocketed after the release of Dr. No. The white, hipster-style design, featured a wide British Army belt with brass buckle and fittings, and a scabbard on the left side to hold a large diving knife. The original was auctioned in 2001 at Christie's auction house in London, and sold for £35,000 to Robert Earl, the owner of the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain.

Andress won a 1964 Golden Globe "New Star of the Year" award for her performance in Dr. No, but her voice wasn't actually heard in the film. Although she is fluent in English, French, Italian and German, her accent was considered too strong and was dubbed, with speech provided by Nikki van der Zyl, and the calypso by English actress Diana Coupland. She made a further Bond Girl appearance as Vesper Lynd in the 1967 James Bond parody Casino Royale in which her own voice was used.

Footnote:

The famous beach scene in Dr. No is said to have been inspired by Botticelli's Renaissance painting, The Birth of Venus, in which the Roman goddess of love and beauty emerges from the sea on an open shell.

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (1486)

Shaken and Stirred

The Cocktail Cuff perfectly accompanies a Vodka Martini

A recent article published in New Scientist suggests that the perfect martini should be "stirred, not shaken" with a thin piece of wood rather than a metal cocktail spoon. In an emergency, a pencil would do the job!

This startling revelation stems from the fact that wood is a poor conductor of heat, as apposed to metal objects, the use of which could dangerously raise the temperature of the tipple when stirring. But, what about the famous catchphrase, "Shaken, not stirred"; did Fleming get it wrong?

During the period in which Fleming wrote his novels, ordering a "martini" meant a gin martini ... and gin martinis should not be shaken, following the theory that the gin would be "bruised" and the ice would dilute the drink. Bond, however, orders a "vodka martini". Much of the vodka at the time was produced from potatoes and tended to carry an oily residue, which could be dissipated when shaken vigorously, hence Fleming's correctly detailed instructions to the barman. The later introduction of higher-quality grain vodka removed the need to do so.

The classic vodka martini is made by combining vodka, dry vermouth, and ice in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. The ingredients are chilled, either by stirring or shaking, then strained and served in a chilled cocktail glass. The drink may be garnished with an olive, a "twist" (a strip of lemon peel squeezed or twisted), capers, or cocktail onions (with the latter referred to as a vodka Gibson).

The "Vesper" or "Vesper Martini" is a cocktail that was originally made of gin, vodka, and Kina Lillet. It was invented and named in the 1953 novel, Casino Royale.

"A dry martini," [Bond] said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."
"Oui, monsieur."
"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"
"Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
"Gosh, that's certainly a drink," said Leiter.
Bond laughed. "When I'm ... er ... concentrating," he explained, "I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."

The novel goes on with Bond telling the the barman, after taking a long sip, "Excellent ... but if you can get a vodka made with grain instead of potatoes, you will find it still better," and then adds as an aside, "Mais n'enculons pas des mouches" (English: But let's not bugger flies - a vulgar French expression meaning "let's not split hairs"). 

Bond eventually calls it the Vesper, after the novel's lead female character, Vesper Lynd. A Vesper differs from Bond's usual cocktail of choice, the martini, in that it uses both gin and vodka, Kina Lillet instead of the usual dry vermouth, and a lemon peel instead of an olive. Although there is a lot of discussion on the Vesper, it is only ordered once throughout Fleming's novels and by later books Bond is ordering regular vodka martinis, though he also drinks regular gin martinis.

It is said that Fleming was inspired to write in detail about the martini during the hours he spent penning notes for Casino Royale in the cocktail bar at Duke's Hotel in St. James's; arguably still the best place in London to order the drink.

Duke's vodka martini consists of Potocki Vodka (Polish), which has been chilled in a freezer at very low temperature for a minimum of 24 hours. Three drops of extra dry vermouth are put into a cold martini glass, followed by the Potocki. Next, the waiter slices off the peel of a fresh, organic, Sicilian lemon, squeezes a few splashes of the lemon oil into the glass, rubs the peel around the edge of the glass and drops the peel into the concoction. The key here is that the vodka is ice cold, so no ice cubes are used. Also, it is not shaken OR stirred!

The most famous car in the world

Sean Connery and Aston Martin DB5

When Ian Fleming wrote Goldfinger in 1959, he placed his hero behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DB Mark III, but by 1963 the Mark III had been replaced by the DB4, and a new car, the DB5, was about to be introduced.

Eon Productions had approached Aston Martin for a car to be driven by Bond in the 1964 Goldfinger film, and eventually, after much persuasion, the prototype DB5 was provided to them as an "effects" car along with a similar production model for driving sequences.

In part due to Oscar winning special effects genius John Stears (also known as 'the real Q'), the gadget filled Silver Birch DB5 became "the most famous car in the world". It was used again a year later in the next Bond film, Thunderball, followed by different DB5s making cameo appearances in Goldeneye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and Casino Royale (2006).

The original car, complete with pop-out gun barrels, bullet shield and revolving number plates, was bought from Aston Martin in 1969 for $12,000 by American radio DJ Jerry Lee. He used to drive it around in the 1970s but then held it in storage until October 2010, when it was sold to fellow countryman and car collector Harry Yeaggy for over $4million.

Ian Fleming

Fleming sports a distinctive turn-back cuff.

Although Dr. No's director, Terence Young, is credited more than anyone else in creating the screen Bond's sense of style, equal credit should be given to Ian Fleming, author and creator of James Bond, from whom he took the cues.

Fleming used himself as a role model for many of Bond's habits, attitudes and tastes, so it was only natural that this should have extended to his choice in clothing.

Fleming's wardrobe was more varied than that of his hero; he chose grey worsteds, navy blue serge-cloths and pin-stripes, in two or three-piece combinations, both double and single-breasted. Stylish details such as turn-back cuffs were also frequently in evidence. But in all this variety, there was an important common link: the weight.

Up until this period, men's suits in Britain tended towards very heavy materials, but owing to his time spent in Jamaica, Fleming developed a preference for unusually lightweight cloths.

This predilection for lighter fabrics, tailored with a soft but durable construction, was adopted by Bond, who needed a "go anywhere / do anything" wardrobe to meet his demands for travel and action.

Terence Young

Terence Young on the set of Dr. No with Sean Connery and Ursula Andress

When men think of cool sophistication, they think of Bond, and specifically they picture Sean Connery in the early films. Yet Connery was relatively unknown and unrefined when cast for the role.

Terence Young, the director of Dr. No, turned to his own tailor Anthony Sinclair to oversee the transformation into the suave and stylish character that prevails in our minds today.

Connery was not used to wearing suits at the time and it is said that Young had him wear the suits around the clock, even to the extent of sleeping in them, in order to have him feel totally natural when filming began.

Sinclair created the classic pared-down look which came to be known as the "Conduit Cut" after his original Mayfair premises at 29 Conduit Street. The choice of materials and colours were restricted; lightweight worsted in navy, shades of grey and subtle Glen Urquhart checks or stripes.

The look is understated, not flash. Beautifully dressed, but not foppish. Sophisticated, yet slightly rugged. A look of timeless elegance for men who mean business .... and pleasure.