On this week’s podcast Pete interviews legendary clothing designer Mark Powell, who runs a famous tailoring shop in Soho, London. Powell talks about his younger days amongst James Bond tailors on Conduit Street, his place in the tailoring and fashion world, dressing stars and gangsters, and his favourite Bonds. Powell worked with Bond costume designer Jany Temime on the film Gangster No. 1.
I talk about the upcoming James Bond exhibit at Spyscape in New York, which opens the 8th of March. Pete tells us about a John Williams concert he attended, where he learned that John Williams was in talks to score Bond in the Roger Moore era but instead did Indiana Jones. Imagine if Williams scored For Your Eyes Only instead of Bill Conti?
There is a beautiful dinner suit for sale from the 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale. The suit belonged to Peter Sellers and he wore it in the casino scene where he plays against Orson Welles’ Le Chiffre. Even though Peter Sellers is not really playing James Bond and this is not a proper James Bond film, this is a proper James Bond Tuxedo. The suit was made by Major Hayward, a firm made up of Dimi Major and Douglas Hayward, two tailors who would later work on the official Bond films. Major tailored George Lazenby and Hayward tailored Roger Moore in his later years as Bond. Because I have not seen this suit in person, I cannot confirm if it is black or a very dark midnight blue, though on film it looks midnight blue. If you are interested purchasing in the suit, please contact Matt. You can find photos of the suit for sale below:
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“Williams was in talks to score Bond in the Roger Moore era but instead did Indiana Jones. Imagine if Williams scored For Your Eyes Only instead of Bill Conti?”
Wow! I like Conti’s score (in my personal favorite Bond film) – it’s loud and energetic, fits 1980/81, and I think it works. But Williams….that would have been something to hear what he would have done. (on the other hand, Raiders without Williams…just isn’t Raiders). It’s like the missed opportunity of a late-70s Spielberg directing a Bond film, which he had wanted to do.
What a coincidence. I just left a comment last week about Mark Powell selling tab collar shirts. I am a huge fan of his, owning 3 of his off-the-peg suits and 5 or 6 of his shirts. Definitely have to admit to being (pleasantly) surprised to see him here though. I would never consider his somewhat dandified creations to be appropriate for the more conservatively dressed Bond, even Moore’s version, despite the high quality of the tailoring. However, he would have been the perfect man to design Ralph Fiennes’ Steed outfits for the 1998 Avengers movie.
Incredible. What is roughly the size of the suit, a 40 I guess ?
I just saw your video Matt and I still need to practice my English apparently. Who did you say the suit was given to ?
A nutrician ??
The suit is probably around a 38 or 40. Sellers gave it to an electrician.