Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux in the 24th official James Bond film Spectre (2015)
Vitals
Daniel Craig as James Bond, British government agent
Tangier, Morocco, November 2015
Film: Spectre
Release Date: October 25, 2015
Director: Sam Mendes
Costume Designer: Jany Temime
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
Bond fever is heating up for the 00-7th of September in anticipation for No Time to Die, an excitement heightened by the official release last week of a new trailer and new poster that gave us another look at Daniel Craig in Bond’s black tie and assured audiences that we’ll still be seeing a release in November as scheduled.
Especially considering that Craig’s swan song (Swann song?) will be a continuation of his previous adventure as James Bond, I recently revisited Spectre. While fan reception to the 24th official film in the Bond series may have been as chilly as Bond’s trek through the Alps, I for one appreciated the assortment of versatile outfits consistent with Daniel Craig’s accessible approach to casual clothing from the start of his tenure.
One such outfit that emerged as one of the most popular (and regarding which I owe BAMF Style reader and friend Ryan an apology for this long-overdue response to his request!) was Bond’s dressed down layers upon arriving in Tangier with Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux). The sequence includes many of those elements that drew me into Craig’s portrayal back when Casino Royale premiered: the smaller “life of Bond” moments with a beautiful companion, an exotic location, a bit of humor, accessible style, and the booze and weaponry that underscore what keeps 007’s life dangerous.
While it may not seem like it, I do try to limit how much I write about James Bond; after all, anything you’d really need to learn about his clothing and accessories can be learned from pages like the fantastic Bond Suits and Bond Lifestyle. When I do decide to focus on Bond, I like to explore those scenes, outfits, or vignettes with some personal significance, and this sequence checks off all the BAMF Style-approved boxes.
After their explosive meeting in Austria, Dr. Swann brings Bond to the Hotel L’Américain in Tangier and the room once occupied by her terrorist mastermind father. The clues of Mr. White’s former tenancy aren’t immediately evident to 007, who yields only a dusty bottle of liquor for his efforts. He offers Madeleine a pour, which she turns down as she’s already deep into a bottle of red. Though she’s seeing double, the wine isn’t enough to for her to welcome Bond into her bed, shared hotel room be damned.
Madeleine: Don’t think for one moment this is where I fall into your arms, seeking solace for my dead daddy… You sit there, keep watch, that’s what you’re good at. Come anywhere near me, and I’ll kill you.
Bond: I don’t doubt it.
As Madeleine snoozes, Bond keeps his word and entertains himself by interrogating a mouse, though these hazy, half-drunken antics lead to his discovery of the secret room Mr. White had installed on the other side of the wall. (The reviewers behind the entertaining B Plus Movie Blog pointed out a question behind the logic here: “how does White get into this room? Seems like it was just behind the wall. Did he have to break and rebuild the wall every time he came here?”
Bond gains access by way of Craig’s preferred method of dealing with pesky walls as established back in Casino Royale and leads the now-awake Madeleine into what was evidently a very personal space for Mr. White where the reclusive terrorist stashed extra passports, family mementos, automatic weapons, and VHS tapes.
What’d He Wear?
Daniel Craig’s Bond arrives in Tangier wearing what could be argued an update of the last time the character had visited the city in The Living Daylights. In that film, Timothy Dalton had dressed for a mock assassination in a beige bomber-style jacket, a navy polo shirt with a long placket, beige pleated trousers, and brown boat shoes, even briefly donning a pair of sunglasses when attempting to make his escape.
Nearly thirty years later, Craig’s Bond is back in Morocco in what could possibly be a tribute to his predecessor, a similarly toned zip-up casual jacket and trousers with a somewhat unorthodox navy blue polo shirt, though costume designer Jany Temime shared that this was not a direct inspiration in an interview with The Bond Experience.
Coincidence or not, this wouldn’t be the last outfit in Spectre that appears to pay homage to Bonds of generations past; consider the parallels between Craig’s dark mock-neck jumpers and Roger Moore’s black turtleneck for the climactic battle in Live and Let Die or between Craig’s light brown odd jacket, trousers, and knitted tie with Connery’s similarly shaded tweed hacking jacket in Goldfinger. The case could even be made between Craig’s black three-piece suit, white shirt, and black tie for a gangster’s funeral in Rome and Connery taking a similar sartorial approach in his dealings with a mob-connected Las Vegas funeral home in Diamonds are Forever.
Between Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights and Daniel Craig in Spectre, the Bond franchise makes it very clear what sort of attire is expected for traveling to Morocco.
At this point—almost five years after Spectre has been released—most of the outfit itself has been well-documented, between an extensively detailed article by Matt Spaiser for Bond Suits (the foremost authority on all things related to Bond’s clothing), my friend Iconic Alternatives (the best source for budget-friendly alternatives to Bond’s screen-worn gear), and Bond Lifestyle (an established go-to for all accessories and items in the 007-verse) as well as some of the original manufacturers themselves.
One of these manufacturers was Matchless London, which prides itself as one of the oldest British motorcycle companies, having produced its first motorcycle in 1899 and soon following that up with its own line of clothing and outerwear focused on rider safety.
My friend Shawn Michael Bongiorno reconstructs Craig’s Morocco outfit from Spectre with the Matchless “Craig Blouson”, Orlebar Brown “Felix” polo shirt, Banana Republic trousers, Aldo boots, screen-accurate Tom Ford “Henry” sunglasses, and Invicta dive watch on NATO strap.
Matchless wisely capitalized on the fact that they made the tan suede jacket worn by Daniel Craig in these scenes, producing a limited run of 700 jackets marketed as the “Craig Blouson”. Essentially similar to the screen-worn jacket, these jackets only different with the addition of a small brass plaque with the brand’s “winged M” logo sewn onto the upper left sleeve directly atop the distinctive vented seam that runs the length of each sleeve. (Though Craig’s screen-worn jacket lacks this conspicuous branding, he has no problem drinking what is clearly a bottle of Heineken later that evening!)
Once I determined that I would be writing about Craig’s Moroccan casual wear, I checked in with my friend Shawn Michael Bongiorno, whose stylish Instagram account is worth a follow! I knew Shawn had one of Matchless’ original run of Craig Blousons, which he had once described as “like a glove for your body” as far as comfort, and I wanted to know more about what he thought. “It’s amazing how thin and light they made the suede while still extremely durable,” Shawn elaborated. “They really took a chance at something different, and it paid off big time.”
Craig’s screen-worn jacket was made of tan suede leather, lined in viscose, and styled in a very minimalist fashion. The soft standing collar that folds down toward the front and has a small hook closure. There are two slanted hand pockets, bisected by a faint stitch around the abdomen, from which the jacket is darted on the right and left sides of the back to pull in the jacket at the waist for a more athletic silhouette. The set-in sleeves are detailed with a stitched-over vertical vent that runs the length of each, though they’re otherwise unadorned at the cuffs with no tabs, buttons, snaps, or zips.
More about the Matchless jacket specifically can be read at Bond Lifestyle or Iconic Alternatives. You can also see the brand’s current expanded “Craig Collection” at the Matchless site.
Some have argued that Craig’s jacket may be excessively heavy for the Moroccan mid-day heat, however we know that Spectre‘s primary action is set through November as it all began with the Día de Muerto celebration in Mexico. While I’ve never traveled to this region myself, I don’t think it would be unreasonable for Bond to arrive wearing this relatively lightweight jacket over his short-sleeved polo in a city where the daily mean temperature for the month is around 60.6°F.
Dr. Swann and Bond arrive in style.
Spectre continued the tradition from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace that dressed down Daniel Craig’s Bond in navy blue short-sleeved polos. The shirt that Craig wears for 007’s arrival in Tangier was made by Tom Ford, who had made Craig’s suits and much of his luxury wardrobe as Bond dating back to Quantum of Solace.
Made from a pique-knit blend of 57% cotton and 43% viscose rayon, this Italian-made shirt is unique detailed with an open V-neck similar to what is frequently described by many—including Iconic Alternatives—as a “Johnny collar”. The banded-end short sleeves and the long ribbing around the waist hem flatter the athletic physique that Craig had cultivated for the role.
When a guy like James Bond says he wants to take you to “a little hole in the wall”, he really means it!
Spectre allows Bond to realistically cycle through his clothing, rewearing tested-and-true pieces from his wardrobe rather than debuting a new outfit for every situation. In fact, aside from a romantic evening on the train that calls for black tie, Bond never changes any part of his clothing from the waist down during his and Madeleine’s entire journey through Morocco. (Aside from, one would hope and expect, his underwear and socks.)
The trousers and belt have been identified as products by Brunello Cucinelli, the Italian luxury “philosopher-designer” who launched his now globally renowned brand with his line of brightly colored cashmere sweaters in the late 1970s. (For what it’s worth, Bond Lifestyle has identified the product numbers as M067DF1050 C1581 and MAUIB324 C4001 for the trousers and belt, respectively.)
Chino-style trousers, often shorthanded to “khakis” even when not strictly khaki in color, have emerged in recent decades as some of the most versatile trousers a gent can have in his wardrobe, a versatility illustrated by Craig’s Bond who wears them effectively with this navy polo and suede jacket as well as a linen sports coat, white shirt, and tie. (In linking this outfit, I realize I wrote about it four years ago today; something about the 00-7th of September must bring out the Spectre fan in me.)
Dubbed the “Aged Gabardine Chino” by Brunello Cucinelli, these light taupe flat front trousers were constructed of 100% cotton gabardine with a gently faded effect as reflected in their marketing nomenclature. The lower rise of these trousers follows modern trends, and they have a slim and straight cut through the legs down to the self-cuffed bottoms. In addition to the slanted side pockets, there are two back pockets that each close through a single button. Though not an exact match, Cucinelli offers pima cotton gabardine flat front trousers with self-cuffed bottoms on its site catalog as of September 2020, with the “dove gray” color looking to be the closest match to Craig’s screen-worn pair. You can also look into the fine options explored by Iconic Alternatives.
The trousers have six belt loops, through which Bond wears the brown woven leather Cucinelli belt. Unlike some fully-braided leather belts, this one has a solid tab with holes for the polished gold buckle’s single prong.
Bond wears napped leather lace-up ankle boots, specifically the J. Crew “Kenton” model inspired by classic military service boots, specifically USMC “boondockers” from the World War II era. Constructed of “sahara” tan suede uppers with Goodyear-welted brick red mini-lugged “EVA” soles, these plain-toe boots have five-eyelet derby-style open lacing with three sets of brass speed hooks at the top of the short, ankle-high shaft.
Bond protects his eyes from the Moroccan sunlight with a pair of Tom Ford FT0248 Vintage Henry Wayfarer sunglasses, though the nomenclature is somewhat misleading as the “Havana” tortoise acetate frame shares more in common with the traditional browline-style Shuron Ronsirs and Ray-Ban Clubmaster models than the Wayfarer shape of Risky Business fame. The color code 52A of Bond’s sunglasses suggests smoke-colored lenses with gunmetal inserts along the bottom rims. Popularized by their use in Spectre, these are still available from the Tom Ford site for $430 as of September 2020, although some scavengers may have better luck scouring Amazon. More information is available on James Bond Lifestyle.
Spectre also marked the 20th anniversary of the Bond wearing Omega watches, and Daniel Craig works his way through Morocco with an Omega Seamaster 300 dive watch on his wrist. Powered by the Omega Master Co-Axial calibre 8400 movement, this watch has a brushed steel 41mm case, bi-directional black ceramic bezel with 0-11 hour markers (with a 0 at the 12:00 position), and a black dial with white hour markers at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, strapped to his left wrist on a black-and-gray striped NATO strap. You can read more about the screen-worn watch and the SPECTRE Limited Edition model (reference 233.32.31.21.01.001)—sold to the public in a limited release of 7,007 pieces—at James Bond Lifestyle.
As James and Madeleine continue their journey by train, he wears the same outfit but has swapped in a fresh shirt, which Bond Suits suggested to be the “Morton” from Bond-approved brand Orlebar Brown, further investigated in a video by David Zaritsky for The Bond Experience.
Though long-sleeved, this light blue shirt is constructed from end-on-end linen to still wear cooly and comfortably under Bond’s suede jacket. It has a short point collar, plain “French placket” front, and adjustable button cuffs.
Especially given Madeleine’s firearm-related trauma, it might have been nice if he could have given her a head’s up that he was about to plop a 9mm on the table between them.
The Guns
As expected, James Bond keeps his familiar Walther PPK semi-automatic pistol, carried in the cognac suede Vega IB333 inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster and notably “wielded” against the mouse that scurries across the floor of their hotel room. Bond’s suede Vega IWB holster had made its first appearance with his larger Walther P99 in Casino Royale, making its welcome return for the more compact PPK six years later in Skyfall.
Once Bond gets a sense of what he and Madeleine will be up against after leaving Tangier, he finds her in her compartment aboard the train and sits across from her, placing a SIG-Sauer P226R on the table in front of them. While this is a hell of a way to greet someone, she is unfazed: “I hate guns.”
Also unfazed, Bond proceeds to give her an impromptu lesson in this particular weapon, its basic parts, and how to handle it:
SIG 226. Front sight, rear sight, hammer. Just point it, squeeze the trigger, and try not to close your eyes.
When there’s no Major Boothroyd around, Bond has to dole out the firearms instructions himself.
Madeleine leans back in her seat with a sigh and, once Professor Bond has completed his lesson, releases the magazine, ejects the round from the chamber, and clicks the now-empty pistol. “I don’t have to teach you anything, do I?” Bond suggests in amazement.
“A man once came to our house to kill my father,” Madeleine explains. “He didn’t know I was upstairs, playing in my bedroom. Or that Papa kept a Beretta nine-millimeter under the sink with the bleach… that’s why I hate guns.”
Bond smirks, confident in the knowledge that he has little to worry about as far as Madeleine’s skills in self-defense are concerned.
As a commander in the British Royal Navy and “former SAS type”, Bond would have been intrinsically familiar with the SIG-Sauer P226 service pistol and its accessory rail-equipped variant, the P226R, which had been adopted by the British armed forces in 2007. A non-rail P226 was extensively used in Quantum of Solace, first as the preferred sidearm of M’s personal bodyguard Craig Mitchell and then by Bond himself for the final act after he disarms an agent sent to arrest him and carries it into battle at Hotel Perla De Las Dunas. Developed in the mid-1980s as an evolution of the .45-caliber P220, the full-sized P226 was first chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum with .357 SIG and .40 S&W offerings available as those cartridges were developed over the following decades.
What to Imbibe
Bond begins his night of drinking with a bottle he digs out of its hiding place in Mr. White’s hotel room. Based on the glazed glass, the presumably clear contents, and the much-publicized brand partnership, I had assumed this was a bottle of Belvedere vodka, but it appears to ultimately be something else.
Daniel Craig returns as James Bond in No Time to Pour.
Of much less question is the bottle of Heineken, returning after making its somewhat controversial series debut as Bond’s lager of choice in Skyfall. Bond’s late night beer helps him discover Mr. White’s hidden space behind the hotel room when he pours some out from a bottle and watches it disappear into a mouse hole.
While the mouse luckily survives the encounter, James Bond should know better than to draw a loaded firearm after he’s been drinking!
How to Get the Look
Daniel Craig as James Bond in Spectre (2015)
Daniel Craig’s casual wear continues to be a sartorial standout of his James Bond tenure in Spectre, paying homage to his 007 forebears with this dressed-down outfit that blends rugged functionality with masculine elegance.
- Tan suede zip-up jacket with short standing collar, slanted side pockets, and set-in sleeves with plain cuffs
- Matchless
- Navy cotton/viscose rayon blend pique knit “Johnny collar” V-neck short-sleeve polo shirt
- Tom Ford
- Khaki cotton gabardine flat front straight-leg chino trousers with six belt loops, pointed waistband tab, slanted side pockets, button-through back pockets, and plain-hemmed bottoms
- Brunello Cucinelli
- Brown woven leather tab-ended belt with polished gold rectangular single-prong buckle
- Brunello Cucinelli
- Vega IB333 cognac-colored suede IWB holster, for Walther PPK
- Tan sueded leather 5-eyelet, 3-hook plain-toe ankle boots with brick red EVA soles
- J. Crew “Kenton”
- Tom Ford “Henry Vintage Wayfarer” FT0248 acetate-framed browline sunglasses with smoke lenses and gunmetal rims
- Omega Seamaster 300 SPECTRE Limited Edition (233.32.41.21.01.001) stainless steel wristwatch with black dial (and “lollipop” seconds hand) on black-and-gray striped NATO strap
Do Yourself a Favor and…
Check out the movie.
The Quote
I promised him I’d protect you. The first thing to do is to teach you how to protect yourself.