your top 5 favorite Bond brands and 3 least favorite.
walther p99
NJPosts: 3,416MI6 Agent
As the title says what are your top five James Bond-specific brands whose product you love and why? and also your three least favorite James Bond-specific brands and why?
top 5 favorites:
1.Tom Ford-Not much has to be said but as a broke college student in 2008 owning something Tom Ford seemed impossible, and now I own more TF product then any other brand and I just love the quality, fit and stand-out nature of his product. Buying my first Tom Ford shirt in the NYC shop was an experience I wont soon forget.
2.Turnbull&Asser-Though I don't own much T&A stuff at the moment I view T&A as perhaps the ultimate non-watch related Bond brand because of how their history with Bond goes all the back to Connery and in a lot of ways set the standard for the Bond "look".
3.N.Peal-I never heard of them prior to Skyfall but I love how they embrace their connection with Bond and put out extremely comfortable and classic knit-wear. I've never had a bad experience in one of their shops.
4.Thomas Pink-Though Thomas Pink isn't much of a Bond brand its one that I've liked ever since they clothed my other style icon Matt Bomer as the impeccably dressed Neal Caffrey on the show White Collar. It was a bit of a thrill to see Bond wearing something from Pink in Spectre because I love that my two style icons wear the same English brand.
5.Crockett&Jones-Before I bought my first pair of C&J I never really wore any proper or pricey footwear before so when I put on the Tetbury's for the first time, helped into them by the same lady that helps Craig, I immediately felt more like Bond.
now my three least favorite:
1.Brioni-I don't know if this is sacrilege or not but I never really liked Brioni much. Perhaps because the flawless TF suits from QOS make the Brioni suits from CR look terrible, or my memory I have walking into their NYC shop and thinking it was like a funeral home by how quiet it was and how dead the staff acted. Like nobody had shopped in there since the 90's.
2.Armani-Though the Casino Royale jacket is a great piece this is just one of those brands that spring to mind when I think of outdated and atrocious 90's fashion.
3.Dior-Regardless of the jackets price I struggle with accepting Dior as a Bond brand because outside of perfume I never really hear about someone wearing Dior clothing, and it seems like such a out of left field choice for the character. Its an instance much like the above Armani where just because Bond wore something by them I still have zero interest in the brand.
top 5 favorites:
1.Tom Ford-Not much has to be said but as a broke college student in 2008 owning something Tom Ford seemed impossible, and now I own more TF product then any other brand and I just love the quality, fit and stand-out nature of his product. Buying my first Tom Ford shirt in the NYC shop was an experience I wont soon forget.
2.Turnbull&Asser-Though I don't own much T&A stuff at the moment I view T&A as perhaps the ultimate non-watch related Bond brand because of how their history with Bond goes all the back to Connery and in a lot of ways set the standard for the Bond "look".
3.N.Peal-I never heard of them prior to Skyfall but I love how they embrace their connection with Bond and put out extremely comfortable and classic knit-wear. I've never had a bad experience in one of their shops.
4.Thomas Pink-Though Thomas Pink isn't much of a Bond brand its one that I've liked ever since they clothed my other style icon Matt Bomer as the impeccably dressed Neal Caffrey on the show White Collar. It was a bit of a thrill to see Bond wearing something from Pink in Spectre because I love that my two style icons wear the same English brand.
5.Crockett&Jones-Before I bought my first pair of C&J I never really wore any proper or pricey footwear before so when I put on the Tetbury's for the first time, helped into them by the same lady that helps Craig, I immediately felt more like Bond.
now my three least favorite:
1.Brioni-I don't know if this is sacrilege or not but I never really liked Brioni much. Perhaps because the flawless TF suits from QOS make the Brioni suits from CR look terrible, or my memory I have walking into their NYC shop and thinking it was like a funeral home by how quiet it was and how dead the staff acted. Like nobody had shopped in there since the 90's.
2.Armani-Though the Casino Royale jacket is a great piece this is just one of those brands that spring to mind when I think of outdated and atrocious 90's fashion.
3.Dior-Regardless of the jackets price I struggle with accepting Dior as a Bond brand because outside of perfume I never really hear about someone wearing Dior clothing, and it seems like such a out of left field choice for the character. Its an instance much like the above Armani where just because Bond wore something by them I still have zero interest in the brand.
Comments
Here are mine but it is tricky!
Faves:
Tom Ford - ok its super high end price wise (hard to justify them on that front) but you can't deny the quality and fit! I have jackets, shirts, knitwear, suits, ties and polo shirts by the brand. Even my mates who I would not consider even remotely fashion / style conscious were making a big deal over my Skyfall PTS suit at a recent wedding. The Harrington (non SA) has luxurious details and feel with the blend of silk, leather trim details etc. QoS ties are outrageously deluxe, the patterns are dazzling with the colour changing in light etc - simply some of the best I've seen and the shirts are a joy to wear!! Polo shirts (depending on type) in general have a silkiness to them and more complex and detailed construction on collars and arms etc The eyewear for sure lets them down in the quality department though the recent Henrys were a big improvement!! Special mention to Mario at Milan store - he is a joy to communicate with and superb customer service. I just send him a whatsapp nowadays if I need something!
Rolex - well we all know the brand is no longer associated but I think its fair to say the Submariner is THE Bond watch. Im not biased as have had probably equal amounts of Omega and Rolex but I always feel Rolex is more robust, tool like and more of a joy to wear for me personally!
Sunspel - I did hesitate to put this in here because they did have some quality control issues that I have personally experienced when they switched manufacturing to Turkey etc however I have given them a second chance and they seem back on track. The Riviera Polos and Tees are superb value for money and rather iconic thanks to Casino Royale. Polos are a huge part of my wardrobe so I have many Sunspels and although not cheap in the real world - they are very cheap in terms of Bonds attire, hence value for money! I think they deserve a spot in my top 5!
Crockett & Jones - I would not like to count but I have a fair few green boxes in my wardrobe. Im so glad to have discovered this brand currently endorsed by Bond and DC himself. They fit well, great quality and lovely styles. The Skye 3 boot is prob my fave along with Simons special edition black and brown Molton AJB run! They always get complimented too! Shame the price is slowly creeping up but guess to be expected!
Struggling to think of a stand out 5th brand if I'm honest, there are many one off items etc that are superb... hmm hang on
Persol - love the CR glasses and the brand in general, not much to say except that my main disappointment with TF is the quality of their eyewear, wish they had stayed with Persol in this department!
Honourable mention: St Dupont - affordable and cool cufflinks that I love, especially the CR / QoS trio!
least favourite:
Matchless - we all know they ripped off JV for the SPECTRE jacket (see The Martian JV jacket). I will try not to blame them too much for this as I'm presuming EON prob had the JV jacket in hand and asked for it to be reproduced in a different colour etc however I was disappointed with the way they conducted things at the jacket launch and the whole ltd edition thing which is dubious! I could go one step further and criticise logo placement and missing SA details however I'm sure they did this to cover their arses from lawsuits.
Sanders - SPECTRE chukkas. Worn down the pub for a few hours and they look like they have taken a years hammering! Enough said!
Omega - Controversial I know! I dont really have any issue with the Bond watches so dont be offended AJB Omega wearers (I'm wearing my SPECTRE LE whilst I type this in fact). However I simply take issue with the direction the brand is going in. Zillions of speedmasters POs, etc its hard to keep up and quite frankly a mess. Their watches have little shelf life due to consistent and often tacky updates, I think they are diluting the brand and the watches have little to no chance of becoming iconic anymore. They need to slow down and chill out. Trying too hard springs to my mind! -{
Top 5 favourite:
1. Turnbull & Asser: The ultimate James Bond brand for shirts and ties
2. Crockett & Jones: They make excellent shoes at a reasonable price. They were a part of my wardrobe before Bond started wearing them.
3. John Lobb Paris: The shoes in Casino Royale were excellent, and they're one of the top ready-to-wear shoe brands.
4. Barbour: It's a classic British brand that should have been part of Bond a long time before Skyfall.
5. Tom Ford: I'm impressed with their abilities to make so many different things for Bond in the last three films. I very much like Tom Ford's own aesthetic rather than Jany Temime's preference for fashionably poor-fitting suits. But Ford brought British style back to Bond, even if he, his company or his manufacturer isn't British. But his style comes out of the British tradition, even if the fit in the last two films does not.
I only included brands that I own at least one thing from.
3 least favourite:
1. Billy Reid: It's nothing against their clothes, but after I was treated rudely by a stoned sales associate at the Bond Street New York shop I haven't thought very highly of the brand.
2. Prada: They've only made small pieces for Craig, but they make cheap products at extraordinary prices, and for that I have no respect for them.
3. Armani: I agree with all said above. The brand is just inappropriate for Bond.
Turnbull & Asser
Brioni
Omega
Sunspel
Walther
Not so much...
Bollinger
Tom Ford
1. Tom Ford: The cut and style of Tom Ford is unparalleled in regards to suiting and most of his clothing items. The fabric range available and the overall structure of his suits are incredible. I originally started out wearing Ralph Lauren Black Label because I couldn't get into the hype of Tom Ford, then I tried on a suit of his and.... it is the only suiting I own and only ties I own currently.
2. C&J: Very simple designs that are just perfect. Nothing I can find wrong with their styling of boots and shoes. Even if some are not my taste I can appreciate them for what they are.
3. Billy Reid: Fantastic southern outerwear. There outwear is timeless IMO and if I was in an environment where outwear was needed for more than a couple weeks a year I would own multiple pieces.
4. Sunspel: Great casual shirts.
5. Omega: Despite the direction they have taken in the past 2 years the quanlity and creativity of Omega makes it a fantastic brand and it happens to makes my favorite watch 42mm PO 8500
The bad
1. Prada: Yeah, about that.
2. Matchless: Rip off of JV and low quality. Wont purchase from them.
3. Armani: Not bond, however the CR jacket is great.
BONUS 4. Dior: WTF.
Clothing: Tom Ford, Barbour, Sunspel, turnbull and asser and n peal.
sunglasses: I have to say persol, I have 4 pairs of Tom ford's but as much as I like the design of the Tom ford's persol are just made so much better, they feel worth the cost where as the Tom Ford items feel cheap.
Watches: omega, I was a fan of them before bond wore one.
Tech: Sony, I've been a lifelong fan of Sony.
Weapons: walther from obvious reasons.
Macallan
Not quite happy with brands
BMW, not that I have any problem with them or their cars and in twine the 7 series suited bonds banker cover, but the z3 and z4 are just not very bond.
Seiko, cool enough in the day, but again would a man who has tailor made suits, eats caviar and drinks vodka martini wear a Seiko?
Armani, same reasons as others.
Prada, totally agree with Matt S, while nipping into n peal for his knitwear bond would probably use somewhere like the Pickett for his small leather goods, or s.t dupont.
J Crew, I have some of their items and love them but j crew is more Daniel Craig than James Bond, obviously these are all just my personal opinions and aside from Prada I have nothing against any of the above brands.
5 Favourite:
John Smedley: Only a brief inclusion in the Bond world, but I think I speak for a lot of people when I say their stuff is just fantastic. It's my go-to brand for any woolen garmet. I highly recommend their scarves for anyone with senstive neck-skin, or anyone who usually has corse stubble like I do. The softness of the merino wool is like high-end cashmere, at a fraction of the price. Their pieces age incredibly well, some of my stuff looks brand new after years of regular wear.
Barbour: As someone above mentioned, it feels like Barbour should have had a Bond affiliation long before Skyfall. The Commander/Beacon/XTokito/whatever you want to call it, is gorgeous and very warm. Even at the higher price compared to other Barbour jackets, I still feel it's a great value. I have tons of other Barbour items and they are all fantastic quality.
Tom Ford: The quality and variety of items they've supplied for the DC Bond era is unparalleled. Despite the general perception of the Marko sunglasses as poor quality, I have found mine to be amazingly resilient, and they fit my face right out of the box. I guess I got lucky with that item.
Omega: I love my Seamaster Pro. Some of their designs lately have been kind of weird, or downright awful, but the watches supplied for the Brosnan and DC era's have all been beautiful IMO.
Levi's: An all-time classic. I love almost everything they do. The Skyfall jacket is amazing, the QoS pants are some of the most sought-after items in Bond fandom, and DC himself wears Levi's in the real world. Quality can be hit or miss, but I can forgive the misses. I know in Europe their prices are a bit much, but in North America they are very accessible.
3 Least Favourite:
N.Peal: I feel bad putting it in here, and I am not knocking them as a brand, they do incredible stuff. I just don't particularly feel like paying $500 CAD or more for a singular sweater, especially when John Smedley is so affordable by comparison. Maybe some day.
Matchless: The fiasco around the re-release of the Morocco jacket soured their brand image in my mind, especially the behavior of the CEO or whoever that was. I find their prices insane, and I'm not a fan of their styling. Also, why would Bond be wearing a leather jacket in the Moroccan heat? To me it seemed included purely for the sake of selling overpriced jackets.
Zara: Fast-fashion crap that will fall apart with any regular use. Prices are laughable considering the quality. Nice styling on some items, but there's no substance. Also, taking inspiration from Nazi concentration camp attire was a bit weird, to put it mildly: http://cdn-wpmsa.defymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/08/Zara-Holocaust-Stripe-Star-Sheriff-Shirt.jpg
Welshboy 78 also had a grumble about omegas direction, I have to say as a big fan I really don't like the extended ranges or these new bright coloured watches, but and it's a big but, there more classic styled watches are quite timeless and the quality is there is spades, their prices have become too high and Welshboy is right, they to cut back on the models. The new gmt 's just don't do it for me.
- Rolex
- Dom Perignon
- Floris
- Anthony Sinclair
- Aston Martin
My least favorite
- Heineken
- Seiko
- Ford Focus
All the favorites ooze class and luxury. The least favorite have little to nothing to do with Bond as a character, but is pure product placement.
1. Connery 2. Craig 3. Brosnan 4. Dalton 5. Lazenby 6. Moore
Yeah agree - this pops up a lot and drawn some flak. He was dressed in such clothes for his down and out "scruffy" scenes. Im sure the Menlo was chosen also for this reason (distressed jacket) and the audience was not supposed to realise its a semi expensive jacket
Tom Ford - not just clothes and sunglasses but use fragrances too
Crockett and Jones - 6 pairs now (all Bond)
Royale Filmwear - why not?
Omega - 5 (I know, mental)
And last but not least my beloved Aston Martin ( most expensive part of my Bond fetish
Least
Matchless - for reasons above
Brioni - too old farty for me
Dior - out my price range
1. CR. 2. TSWLM. 3. LTK. 4. GF. 5. SF.
Miss the old days when a costumier would have made something especially for these purposes. Even Casino Royale did this for certain pieces.
Agree, TV is a great. If you go for the 250ml, its a great package
Also wear Black Orchid / TFFM / Extreme / Noir Extreme / Noir / Grey Vetiver /Noir de Noir
Mrs R has a fair few too. Sahara Noir and Jasmin Rouge my faves
1. CR. 2. TSWLM. 3. LTK. 4. GF. 5. SF.
1. Tom Ford - "It's Skyfall's fault!" is what I tell my wife, now that the closet is full of TF suits, ties and shirts. The quality is obviously undeniable, and for me, the fit is typically spot on with tailoring only needed for the working buttons on the suits. The customer experience at the boutiques has been extraordinary.
2. Crockett & Jones - I don't think I'm buying another brand of dress shoes ever again. These are the best made, and most comfortable shoes I've ever worn, particularly the Tetbury's.
3. Levi's Menlo - I know this represents Bond in his down-and-out phase, but the jacket has such an iconic cool to it. I get compliments on it all the time; I've been stopped on the street by very attractive women several times to compliment me on it, and I can tell you that never happens to me. I suppose that's why wife has never taken a liking to it...hmm...
4. N. Peal - I hadn't heard of this brand before Skyfall, but now just about every sweater I own is an N. Peal Bond piece. I love the quality and fit. Aside from the TF suits, they are the pieces that make me feel the most Bondian.
5. Sunspel - As with N. Peal, Bond introduced me to this brand, and I love it. I seem to have missed the quality issues that others have mentioned and have been basking in polos that I know will fit right and last. And their shipping is crazy fast so when I've needed a new piece in a hurry, it arrived in a few days.
Least favorite:
1. Dior - for the reasons above. The Spectre jacket is cool and all, but the brand itself just isn't Bond.
2. Armani - for the reasons already discussed.
3. Billy Reid -- I hesitate to put them on here as a least favorite, but the fact is that I got one of their peacoats when they were still limited editions, and within a few months, the pocket seams in multiple places started to come apart. I've had the peacoat repaired, and it's fine now, but I just wasn't impressed with the quality. And it still irks me a little that the limited run I rushed to get turned into a broad product line (though I understand the reasoning behind it).
“That’s not the sort of thing that looks good on a form."
Sorry I should have been more clear, it's the brand itself I don't like. I understand perfectly the context for the pieces.
1. Rolex
2. Omega
3. Walther
4. Aston Martin
5. BMW
Not so favorite...
1. Seiko
2. Smirnoff
3. Ford Motor Co.
In all honesty though, if you ask the average Joe to name a Vodka, Smirnoff is what they'll say. Not that means Bond should drink it, but I never had problem with it per se.
1) Billy Reid: I really like the aesthetics of much of the clothing. I have Billy Reid polos, henleys, linen shirts, and coats and jackets. In fact the Billy Reid Walking Coat (aka the Governor's coat from The Walking Dead) is a grail item for me (so if anyone is looking to sell a size large....
2) Levi's: A bit of a stretch since Sta-Prest are unavailable and I don't care for the Menlo, but I lived in their jeans and denim jackets for many years.
3) Persol: I love the Persols from Casino Royale. While I don't find their current offerings as nice, they are a step above Tom Ford Eyewear.
4) Sunspel: I have 4-5 polos (none the Riviera), and they are quite nice. I do prefer the Made in England shirts over those Made in Turkey.
5) John Varvatos: I love the Martian Jacket (which the Matchless copied) and liked the JV Cafe Racer, although in the end blue suede wasn't for me. I now have some lightweight JV jackets to use as layering pieces. The fact everything is made in China is worrisome, especially with regard to their mainline pieces, so JV squeaks by in fifth place.
Honorable Mention:
J Crew: Not really a Bond Brand in my eyes but a DC brand. Love the Kenton boots, the Baja shirt DC has worn, and a pair of J crew swim trunks that are styled after the classic Jantzens.
Brunello Cuchinelli: Way too expensive for me to actually own and wear, but I really like the Morocco outfit and the other pieces DC has worn.
Tom Ford: Some beautiful suits and shirts, but the casual wear is very derivative and over-priced. $960 for a polo shirt? Yes, there is the QoS Harrington...about which I plead insanity.
Least Favorite:
1) Matchless: For all the reasons mentioned.
2) Tom Ford Eyewear: Yes I am separating out their Marcolin-made sunglasses from their clothing. The build quality is merely okay, and the optics do not compare to my Persols or Oliver Peoples.
3) Dior: Not a Bond brand despite the Mr. White jacket. In fact I've seen similar jackets from Brunello Cuchinelli and Brioni that I prefer style-wise over the Dior.
Dishonorable Mention:
Armani: Not a Bond brand, the CR jacket being a lone item much like Dior.
Prada: For everything Matt said.