Turnbull & Asser Bond Dress Shirt Display

The Bond Vivant

Thought that I'd post a lovely little display of dress shirts that Turnbull & Asser have on display at their outfitters on Bury Street. Always a pleasure to see Steven Quin on hand to give you the inside track on all things Bond:

















Hope they are of interest.

Laters,

Blair

Matt S

Nice shirts! Do all of these have a connection to Bond? I know there's the CR shirt, the classic pleated shirt that Connery and Moore wore and the marcella shirt, which Brosnan wore with studs (not buttons as pictured). But what are the rest?

urhash

Great display!

It wasn't that long ago when T&A were quite reticent to trade on their association with Bond. Nice to see them embracing it within the past few years.

Had a chance recently to chat with the bespoke manager at T&A NY, who is an absolute first rate guy and as big a fan of Bond (and certainly all related matters sartorially) as most of us here.

Peppermill

Thanks for posting this! Very nice display and some beautiful shirts.

Smithers500

Great display - thanks for posting Meesta Bawnd!

I especially love the Lazenby style shirt on the right.

Matt S

Smithers500 wrote:

Great display - thanks for posting Meesta Bawnd!

I especially love the Lazenby style shirt on the right.

When you see the beauty of Lazenby's dress shirts up close (though I've never see the exact shirts, only roughly similar ones like this) they are beautiful works.

DB6

Thanks for sharing the photos. I wonder if I could carry off the spread of collar on the CR shirt.....

Interesting to see none of the shirts use studs (like the TF Skyfall) - I thought studs were quite traditional but may be I'm wrong!

Peppermill

Studs are mostly worn on stiff fronted shirts. So the pleated shirts are usually fastened by buttons. Brosnan wear studs in TND but that is one of the few times that Bond wears them. (...waiting for Matt S to correct me ))

Matt S

Dufus wrote:

Thanks for sharing the photos. I wonder if I could carry off the spread of collar on the CR shirt.....

Interesting to see none of the shirts use studs (like the TF Skyfall) - I thought studs were quite traditional but may be I'm wrong!

Correct, Peppermill. Studs are traditional for stiff-fronted shirts (like for white tie) and marcella-front shirts. Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough and Daniel Craig in Skyfall wear shirts with a marcella bib, collar and cuffs. This is a more formal style than the pleated shirt because it can be starched and takes studs. The pleated shirt was invented as a soft, unstarched alternative. It has a spread collar instead of stiff (wing) collar, it has soft double cuffs instead of stiff single cuffs, and it has a soft pleated front instead of a starched front. Some (mostly Americans) wear the pleated shirt with studs, but Bond (Connery, Moore and others) wears his with normal buttons as shown here. Bond's marcella shirt is a combination of the stiff and soft styles, and it can take studs or button (but I think it's better with studs). It's possible that some or all of the shirts here can take studs. It's common for the shirts to come with a button strip that can be used instead of studs.

Charmed & Dangerous

For the life of me I can't recall Bond wearing a polka-dot bow tie and cummerbund (though I'm pretty sure Fleming wore them) - can anyone enlighten me please? ?:)

Matt S

Charmed & Dangerous wrote:

For the life of me I can't recall Bond wearing a polka-dot bow tie and cummerbund (though I'm pretty sure Fleming wore them) - can anyone enlighten me please? ?:)

I feel like this display is to promote Turnbull & Asser's range more than it is to show their heritage with Bond. I doubt even Fleming would have worn a polka dotted cummerbund. Spotted bow ties are not for black tie, and cummerbunds are not worn with lounge suits.

Thunderbird 2

The Polka Dots items are definitely a subtly direct reference to Mr Fleming.

Lovely display, wish I could afford items like that!
Matt's right of course. I have a polka dot day wear scarf.
To me the cummerbund would be tempting as the "one coloured accessory" rule option for black tie.

DB6

In my opinion - steer well clear from any polka dotted (or otherwise) accessory with black tie!

Classic + done well = style

'individual' + 'character' = big miss

walther p99

How do Turnbull & Asser dress shirts compare to TF? only have one T&A product and looking to pick up one of their shirts.

Matt S

walther p99 wrote:

How do Turnbull & Asser dress shirts compare to TF? only have one T&A product and looking to pick up one of their shirts.

I'd say the quality is equal, depending on the fabrics as both have different levels of fabrics. The style and construction are very, very different. Turnbull & Asser is classic English design and construction whilst Tom Ford goes more for Italian design and construction with his shirts. One method is not objectively better than the other. I can elaborate more or point you to articles on my blog if you want to know more detail.

Miles Messervy

Thanks for posting this. Someday, the ruffled front is going to be back in style. When it is, I'm totally going for it. :007)

jared_nomak

I actually really like the ruffled shirt too

jared_nomak

Mind you GL had a lot more ruffle.

Smithers500

Wasn't it Frank Foster who made Lazenby's shirts?

Miles Messervy

Smithers500 wrote:

Wasn't it Frank Foster who made Lazenby's shirts?

Yes.

Matt S

Turnbull & Asser takes credit for doing a lot more than they have, but I know some of the people who work there and will admit that much of what T&A says about their work on the Bond films is rubbish. There is no evidence that they made shirts for every Bond actor like they say they did, at least not for those actors whilst playing Bond. And they like using photos of Sean Connery in Goldfinger, and they did not make the shirts for Goldfinger.

The Domino Effect

I have a ruffle-front shirt and have worn it a few times (open-necked, no bow tie) with nice jeans, belt and shoes to dinner at nice-but-casual restaurants and got lots of (genuine!) compliments. It's not for those who don't mind a bit of attention and it's certainly not for every occasion, but it can be fun!

Asp9mm

Matt S wrote:

Turnbull & Asser takes credit for doing a lot more than they have, but I know some of the people who work there and will admit that much of what T&A says about their work on the Bond films is rubbish. There is no evidence that they made shirts for every Bond actor like they say they did, at least not for those actors whilst playing Bond. And they like using photos of Sean Connery in Goldfinger, and they did not make the shirts for Goldfinger.

They readily admit that they made shirts for Craig (shirt), Brozza and Connery. But I've never known them to say they made shirts for the others (in the role at least). And I've never known them to state they made the Goldfinger shirts, in fact they told me they did not, and that they didn't make Lazenby's, Moore's or Dalton's (and Brozza in GE). A few sales staff may not know (or care about the details, actor to actor), but T&A as a whole, I've never felt they mislead at all. I think it's more down to reporters, journalists urban myths and internet chinese whispers more than T&A.

Matt S

Asp9mm wrote:

They readily admit that they made shirts for Craig (shirt), Brozza and Connery. But I've never known them to say they made shirts for the others (in the role at least). And I've never known them to state they made the Goldfinger shirts, in fact they told me they did not, and that they didn't make Lazenby's, Moore's or Dalton's (and Brozza in GE). A few sales staff may not know (or care about the details, actor to actor), but T&A as a whole, I've never felt they mislead at all. I think it's more down to reporters, journalists urban myths and internet chinese whispers more than T&A.

You don't have to tell me who made Bond's shirts. I know which are T&A for certain (and they didn't make Brosnan's regular shirts for DAD as many - but not them - claim). I believe there are photos of Connery in Goldfinger in their book that was released this year, but I'll have to check when I get home. Robert Gillotte has told me that the false statement of T&A making shirts for all the Bond actors has come from them, but their archives don't go back far enough for that. The oldest patterns they could show me were Connery's for NSNA. I spoke with Frank Foster for hours, though I don't I believe everything he said either. Foster takes credit for inventing the cocktail cuff for Dr. No, but the only shirts that I'm certain are Foster's are Anthony Dawson's. I think Foster might have done Connery's shirts for Goldfinger, but he only told me DN and NSNA.

walther p99

Matt S wrote:

Asp9mm wrote:

They readily admit that they made shirts for Craig (shirt), Brozza and Connery. But I've never known them to say they made shirts for the others (in the role at least). And I've never known them to state they made the Goldfinger shirts, in fact they told me they did not, and that they didn't make Lazenby's, Moore's or Dalton's (and Brozza in GE). A few sales staff may not know (or care about the details, actor to actor), but T&A as a whole, I've never felt they mislead at all. I think it's more down to reporters, journalists urban myths and internet chinese whispers more than T&A.

You don't have to tell me who made Bond's shirts. I know which are T&A for certain (and they didn't make Brosnan's regular shirts for DAD as many - but not them - claim). I believe there are photos of Connery in Goldfinger in their book that was released this year, but I'll have to check when I get home. Robert Gillotte has told me that the false statement of T&A making shirts for all the Bond actors has come from them, but their archives don't go back far enough for that. The oldest patterns they could show me were Connery's for NSNA. I spoke with Frank Foster for hours, though I don't I believe everything he said either. Foster takes credit for inventing the cocktail cuff for Dr. No, but the only shirts that I'm certain are Foster's are Anthony Dawson's. I think Foster might have done Connery's shirts for Goldfinger, but he only told me DN and NSNA.

Did Connery wear T&A shirts in FRWL? I think I remember seeing the logo on a shirt in Nash's suitcase when Bond investigates it.

Matt S

walther p99 wrote:

Matt S wrote:

Asp9mm wrote:

They readily admit that they made shirts for Craig (shirt), Brozza and Connery. But I've never known them to say they made shirts for the others (in the role at least). And I've never known them to state they made the Goldfinger shirts, in fact they told me they did not, and that they didn't make Lazenby's, Moore's or Dalton's (and Brozza in GE). A few sales staff may not know (or care about the details, actor to actor), but T&A as a whole, I've never felt they mislead at all. I think it's more down to reporters, journalists urban myths and internet chinese whispers more than T&A.

You don't have to tell me who made Bond's shirts. I know which are T&A for certain (and they didn't make Brosnan's regular shirts for DAD as many - but not them - claim). I believe there are photos of Connery in Goldfinger in their book that was released this year, but I'll have to check when I get home. Robert Gillotte has told me that the false statement of T&A making shirts for all the Bond actors has come from them, but their archives don't go back far enough for that. The oldest patterns they could show me were Connery's for NSNA. I spoke with Frank Foster for hours, though I don't I believe everything he said either. Foster takes credit for inventing the cocktail cuff for Dr. No, but the only shirts that I'm certain are Foster's are Anthony Dawson's. I think Foster might have done Connery's shirts for Goldfinger, but he only told me DN and NSNA.

Did Connery wear T&A shirts in FRWL? I think I remember seeing the logo on a shirt in Nash's suitcase when Bond investigates it.

Yes. He wore them in all of his Bond films except for Goldfinger.

Matt S

I checked Sherwood's T&A book, and it does have photos of Connery in Goldfinger when he didn't wear T&A. He noted via the information found on my blog that T&A did not outfit Lazenby & Moore for Bond but said that they had outside of Bond. That may be where people have gotten confused. T&A may indeed have outfitted all of the Bond actors, but perhaps they never have stated that they outfitted every Bond actor for Bond.