James Bond at the Barbican - does the " British icon" influence our own style?

Friday, 6 July 2012

A new exhibition opens today (6th July) at The Barbican to mark the 50th annniversary of the James Bond franchise. It shows the design and style behind an iconic fictional character.

Most men will deny being influenced by James Bond, but many would like to be an heroic spy and some of us buy cars, gadgets and clothes accordingly (see, for example, my article here about the true James Bond wristwatch). The revival of the original beautifully minimalist Conduit Cut suit, worn by the best ever Bond, Sean Connery, is further evidence of the urge to be 007 (see the first video below and Anthony Sinclair's website for more). The classic nature of Bond's wardrobe provides the more mature male with inspiration.

We sometimes forget that Bond is a fictional character, but much of his style and outlook came from his creator, Ian Fleming, who, like his creation, loved gadgets, dressed well and lived the exotic lifestyle.


The new exhibition is at the Barbican in London and lasts from 6th July until 5th September 2012. In these two Barbican videos the influences behind the design are discussed.

 


Isn't that Aston Martin DB5 achingly beautiful? I still have my childhood Corgi model of this car, with working ejector seat (with a bad guy who is flung out in a very satisfying way), pop-up rear bulletproof shield, hydraulic rams and machine guns concealed behind the sidelights.


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13 comments

  1. K. M.6 July 2012 at 03:18

    Very interesting blog. Found it thanks to other blog ("That's not my age").

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  2. Mathew6 July 2012 at 05:13

    Ha... Corgi models ! That sure takes me back to my youth. I had the Corgi 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' car model with wings that flew out the sides when you depressed the gilted 'gear' lever on the car. That Aston Martin in the pic is a real beaut. Bet he totals it within 3 minutes of getting his hands on it, lol.

    I'm more a Roger Moore as Bond fan since it was his movies that were around when I started watching them as a young teen, but I've seen them all from Connery to Craig, and agree that regardless of the actor, the character and Bond genre are definite style icons.

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    1. Grey Fox6 July 2012 at 06:47

      Thanks Mathew, yes, I remember the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang model - thanks for the comment. GF

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  3. Pam @ over50feeling406 July 2012 at 05:55

    I am really excited to find your blog and point of view. I am going to add you to my blog roll!

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    1. Grey Fox6 July 2012 at 06:41

      Thanks Pam for visiting and adding me to blog roll! GF

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  4. mermaid gallery6 July 2012 at 06:29

    My husband had a gold amex card that had 007 as the last 3 numbers. Even though he never used it and it cost a lot for the annual fee....he kept it for years......I am a new follower....You come highly recommended!...... but word verification!...really?!

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    1. Grey Fox6 July 2012 at 06:41

      Gosh - word verification? Didn't even realise, and has now gone! Thanks for your comment and follow. I bet your husband still misses that AMEX card.

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  5. déjà pseu6 July 2012 at 06:36

    Just found your blog through That's Not My Age and have begun following. (My husband is a Grey Fox himself, California subspecies, with a style that leans toward the classic.) I look forward to reading through your archives this weekend.

    But I do believe I (or my sister) had that same Corgi model when we were kids. Would that we had kept it, along with our extensive collection of Matchbox cars...

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    1. Grey Fox7 July 2012 at 14:24

      Thanks very much for visiting - enjoy. Yes, I'm glad I kept the car! GF.

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  6. Anonymous6 July 2012 at 08:10

    Hi Dave,
    great blog keep up the good work. I had that Bond Corgi model too but I think this is where the old memory is not so reliable. I am sure that mine also had rotating number pates and pull-out Ben-Hur style spike from the rear wheel hub? Perhaps it was a different model or I am just imagining things? A friend had the 'Chitty' model that was equally nice. They don't make 'em like that anymore!

    Cheers
    Gruntfuttock

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    1. Grey Fox7 July 2012 at 14:29

      Many thanks. My DB5 certainly doesn't have those extras, but it's possible there was a superior model which did. Maybe a Google would uncover the truth, there's bound to be a knowledgeable collector out there somewhere. GF

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    2. Mathew8 July 2012 at 08:25

      I still have my 'Chitty' model. It's languishing in a box somewhere in my basement and last I remember, it was in tip-tpo condition. The wonder of it is that we - or I - decided to take it along with us wherever we moved, across countries and continents. I also have my GI Joe action man, the one with a pull tag that makes him 'talk' and say different things depending to what distance/length you pulled the cord. I even have the parachute accessory for him. And don't get me started on 'Airfix' plane models, lol !

      There's an idea GF - do a post about these play toys of our youth, and what they've evolved into today. (Matchbox cars, Scalectrix, etc.)

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