This weekend I was a member of a New York City James Bond tour led by the renowned David Zaritsky of The Bond Experience, including a visit to SPYSCAPE to see the new DRIVEN: 007xSPYSCAPE as well special visits as to Turnbull & Asser, N.Peal and Tom Ford.
The tour started at the SPYSCAPE museum in Midtown Manhattan on the corner of 8th Avenue and W 55th Street, where the DRIVEN: 007xSPYSCAPE exhibition recently opened. This exhibit is focused on the history of the Aston Martin DB5 thoughout the Bond films from Goldfinger through Spectre. Eon Productions archivist Meg Simmonds, who was involved with curating this exhibit, gave us a tour of the exhibit to provide us with some additional background on how the car was used in the films as well as about how the exhibition was put together, but there is no shortage of information in the exhibit.
The beautifully curated exhibit breaks down the car’s gadgets and includes a model of the car blown-up in Skyfall. Sadly, there are no Bond clothes at the exhibit so you will need to wear your own, but it is a fascinating place to see quintessential Bond design and learn about the iconic car behind-the-scenes.
The first of the clothing shops on the tour was Turnbull & Asser on E 57th Street, an English shirt and tie shop that needs little introduction to Bond fans. There, Bespoke Associate Daniel Stroupe gave us a tour of the New York shop and explained how the bespoke process works. He spoke about the variations on the collars throughout the Bond films and how the Dr. No shirts they offer in both white and light blue poplin have a special taller version of the Regent collar that is very close to what Sean Connery himself wore.
They also offer the same shirt they made for Daniel Craig for the casino scenes in Casino Royale. Mr Stroupe told us that while Daniel Craig’s shirts were cut very close for the shots in the shower and jacket-less at the casino table, they were cut to be fuller when he wears them under a jacket for more comfort. He also said that in bespoke they can replicate Sean Connery’s turnback cuff design, which is different from their ready-to-wear design.
We then recieved warm welcome at N.Peal, who provided much of Daniel Craig’s iconic knitwear for Skyfall andSpectre. Last year, N.Peal opened a shop on Madison Avenue and E 75th Street to fill a void in New York’s luxury knitwear and cashmere market. Whether it’s a rollneck or crew neck jumper, a cashmere polo or a scarf, they have a complete selection of knitwear with excellent fits. They gifted everyone in the group a cashmere scarf. I left with an exceptionally soft mid blue cashmere scarf in such beautiful packaging that I hesitated to unwrap it!
Our last stop was Tom Ford, where we were guided by General Manager Jordan Sromek and Director of Client Engagement Keith Scott, a legend of New York City retail. New York’s Tom Ford shop on Madison Avenune at the corner of E 61st St opened in 2017 to be in a busier location than their former location further uptown.
Tom Ford provided Daniel Craig’s suits, shirts, ties and more for Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre. We saw James Bond items from knitwear to cufflinks, but the tailored clothes from the past Bond films are no longer available in their ready-to-wear collection. Their current suit collection includes the iconic Windsor, which is a classic fit suit with wide peaked lapels; the Shelton, which is like the Windsor but has a slimmer cut and softer shoulder, the O’Connor, which is a slim suit with narrower lapels; and the new Atticus, which has the widest peaked lapels of all the models and has slim trousers with a high rise. Tom Ford are able to make older models in their made-to-measure programme, including the Regency Base B suit from Quantum of Solace.
Tom Ford gave everyone a pair of sunglasses, and mine were pair of the Snowdon sunglasses, as seen in the Rome scene in Spectre. I like how these sunglasses work as well with a suit as they do at the beach.
The New York Bond Experience is never complete without a visit to the Oh Cult Voodoo Shop from Live and Let Die. It is at 33 E 65th Street, near the corner of Madison Avenue and just four blocks up from Tom Ford and five blocks down from N.Peal.
Photo by Jeff Wybo of James Bond Canada.
For those who are wondering, I am wearing a navy hopsack blazer from Canali with smoke mother-of-pearl buttons that I sewed on myself, my blue fly-front Live and Let Die shirt from Frank Foster, tan cavalry twill trousers from Mason & Sons, a dark navy grenadine tie from Oliver Wicks, brown Crockett & Jones Tetbury chukka boots, a vintage navy British Warm overcoat from the former New York clothier Wallachs, and brown leather gloves from Bergdorf Goodman.
Look out at The Bond Experience and subscribe to them on YouTube for upcoming in-depth videos of the New York City adventure and to learn more about the brands featured here and more. I would like to thank SPYSCAPE, Meg Simmonds and Eon Productions, Turnbull & Asser, N.Peal, Tom Ford, and David Zaritsky for the Bond experience of a lifetime. I would also like to thank everyone on the tour for making this such a wonderful experience. This was a very personal Bond day for me, as I was able to enjoy everything I love about James Bond in my own neighbourhood.
I’m planning on heading to new York to visit turnbull asser. So if I say I want the brosnan collars from twine, they would have a sample to show me ?
They have something close.
Saul – here you go:
https://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/50916/bespoke-ta-shirt-with-the-brosnan-collar/
Robert Gillotte knew a lot about this, but sadly he recently retired from T&A. Maybe the new bespoke team will be able to help you in your quest.
There’s a recent thread about acquiring the T&A Brosnan collar on ajb007
Could you a please give me the link at your convenience?
Matt, great article on our adventures that day. I appreciate you capturing all the details and the names of our hosts. I am ready for a return trip. Hope to cross paths with you soon.
Great report Matt. I’m hoping to be back in New York with a new work project so will try to take time out to see the exhibition. (I always assumed the Oh Cult ship was actually in Harlem not in midtown!). Tell us about your pea coat?
The Oh Cult Voodoo Shop is in the Upper East Side, where many of New York’s best boutiques are.
I got the pea coat from Polo Ralph Lauren three years ago. It has served me well!
Looks like a fun day Matt, from one upper east-sider (PS 158 was my elementary school) to another! I have tickets to one of the Spyscape’s “Missions & Martinis” Bond Friday evenings, that includes a bar. Is the Bond exhibit basically a room in the museum with the Aston Martin and Ken Adam’s production art? Judging from the photos, I’m assuming they allow flash photography? I wouldn’t want to miss any chances to pose with the car in one of my suits.
I’m happy to hear you’re also an Upper East Sider! I did not grow up here, but I live here now. There are four rooms at the exhibit, the one with the Aston Martin being the largest. I do not know if they allow flash, but we took plenty of non-flash photos. I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks – your choice of wardrobe for the tour and the swag they gave you was great!
What was in the T&A swag bag? I saw there were a bunch lined up in one of the videos.
Two newsletters, a sample of their Floris scent and a gift card!
I called Tom Ford last year and asked about the Regency Base B, as seen in Quantum of Solace. Whoever I talked to didn’t know what I was referring to! They had to consult someone who specializes in MTM, who then told me they would need more time to make it. Probably due to them not having anything RTW to try on and get an idea of what adjustments would need to be made. They were all very friendly throughout the exchange, however. If I lived in NYC and had $6000 I’d certainly get it made!
I purchased 4 bespoke shirts from T&A. Mr Stroupe measured me while he was in Chicago and has kept in touch with me regularly since. He’s a good guy.
I’m happy to hear this! I understand he’s in Chicago again now.
You have such impeccable taste, Matt! Thank you for providing us with this wonderful material!
I am intrigued by Mr. Stroupe’s unique cocktail cuff design. It sounds interesting . Matt , did you take any pictures of it ? Does Turnbull and Asser offer this kind of cuff to their normal customers ? ( Bespoke of course ).
I don’t have any photos of it. I’m sure you could get it from in New York’s bespoke department. I don’t know if they will do it in London, but it’s worth talking to them about it.
What weight is your Cavalry twill trousers Matt? Does Canali still make that style of blazer? I have a navy hopsack blazer with peak lapels I like to wear for both business and casual. Even though the peak lapels are a different look. Very versatile though, I wear dark grey trousers for business and tan trousers for casual wear usually.
The cavalry twill trousers are 18 oz. I don’t know if Canali still makes this blazer, but they probably make it a little different because fashions have changed a bit over the last 10 or 11 years since I bought it.
Do T&A now offer to make the actual Connery cocktail cuff in their bespoke orders? I recall they used to not offer this in the past.
Yes, they said they can do it.
Thank you, that is great to hear.
After watching the turnbull asser tour on the bond experience, I was more interested in the shirt you were wearing than what the staff member at the shop was saying. Even though you provided me with the measurements, I think it’s safe to say I will never get a shirt like the one you wore unless I take my ass down to the uk…
My complimens to you…
That was a fun video. Some inaccuracies on Mr. Stroupe’s part, although I’d be a bit nervous too if I had to give a talk like that with an expert like Matt (and a ton of other Bond fans) in attendance.
Sometimes they play Bond music there in the NY store – would’ve been a good time to play some of those tracks when you guys had all visited lol.
Matt, how much does the bespoke shirts at Turnbull and Asser cost at the NYC store in 2019? I know it’s a 4-shirt minimum.
I’m afraid I don’t know the cost at the moment.
There is no minimum order to get bespoke shirts at the NY store at T&A (unless the policy changed following Robert Gillotte’s retirement). Right now the shirts range between $450-$600 depending on materials.
I was under the impression that they previously had a minimum of six for the first order and changed it to four.
Matt, I believe that’s the case for the UK store, but the NY branch (at least under Robert’s tenure) had no minimum. I’m certainly a testament, as I’m only up to my 5th shirt at this time, having been a bespoke customer for a few years now.
435 minimum of four
They have a trunk show in september in los angeles and if everything goes alright i will be there
Did they really change it back up to 4? Guess I got an account started at the right time, lol! They have a pattern cutter in-house now in NY, so that should be reducing some of their costs with creating and adjusting patterns.
Do you think the RG collar can be worn with black tie? How about Voile?
Yes, I think it can.
That being said you think one collar can do it all? I do not wear wing nor banded collars. I also think tab collars are just a waste of time. I notice many of your shirts have similiar collars if not the same.
On a side note, Turnbull and Asser did not sound well over the phone. They already shut down the california location, do you think new york maybe next?
One collar can indeed do it all as long as it isn’t too wide.
Their Beverly Hills shop shut down a long time ago. New York is a much different place. I see no reason to think it’s going anywhere.
I don’t think the Beverly Hills location stood a chance in hell. I lived in LA for a year and if I saw more than 5 people wearing a business dress shirt in a day I was shocked. If they open another US location it should be a place like Chicago.
I’m not too concerned about the NY branch going anywhere. However, T&A did post a £1.2 million loss last year and they have been concerned about the potential impact of Brexit…
PS – what did they say over the phone to make you think they weren’t well?
I remember the day they were closing up. I was in the middle of graduate school when I thought I was finally good enough to visit them and buy a shirt. When I went in there all I saw was sadness and a single salesman who had said, they decided to try for another year but in the end they werent covering enough to make the rent, or as he said, ” It was always on the cards.”
It did hurt, because the era of barbers and handshakes were becoming gone with the wind.
When i recently spoke to them over the phone I guess they were a bit agressive and they were really hoping that they would get more names for their Westcoast trunk shows. I find nothing wrong with that actually, and their Gung ho attitude to acquire business, leads me to believe that they are going to raise the stakes in service and inventory.
After Turnbull and Asser it’s on to Nat Wise or as they call it now Anto.
Meissnesr Spaiser and Tredstone,
Am I reading Turnbull and Asser’s spirited attempt wrong?
Hard to say… I don’t have any inside info on T&A so I can only go by what’s publicly reported or known. I do imagine they need to fulfill a certain # of shirt orders for it to be worthwhile to do their trunk shows.
I suspect they’re being slowly cannabalized by the Charles Tyrwhitts (and the like) of the shirt world, and that the younger generation who are trying to dress stylishly are not going all the way up to T&A. Even adjusting for inflation, the cost for a T&A shirt is definitely higher than it used to be compared to say, the 90s. That said, I don’t think they’re going away anytime soon…