Colors. We are educated as a child to celebrate colors with their variety and expansive ways. In the advertising and marketing world, colors can create an array of emotions when combined with the right message and they can be either a strong inducer of thought or a dull moment created.
BUT never has there been more controversy, anxiety, and consternation than color questions of Bond clothing.
This rubbing of the noggin began way back in the Casino Royale days (remember those, young wiper snappers?) when groups of us purchased the Bahamas arrival Persols, in BLACK not brown. Well hell, we were going off of stills and blurry assumptions.
Then we tried to identify the Alfani shirt he wears while seducing Solange. How many black shirts were purchased until we discovered late in the game it was blue?
Here are in my top color disconnects in just the Craig era:
- People thought the Armani jacket was black
- People thought the TF shirt from QoS was black
- People thought the TF Harrington from QoS was black
- People thought the chinos from Enjoying Death were khaki
- People thought the boots from Enjoying Death were grey
- People thought the NPeal sweater was greensome thought blue
- People thought the belt Bond wears with Madagascar shirt was brown
- And so on…
The latest color controversy I have seen is over the leather on the re-issue of the Billy Reid Pea Coat. Several buyers have remarked that the leather looks darker than expected. Realizing there is always variation in leather and dyes I can see where there isnt an exact match but it was enough to make some upset and concerned.
This color disconnect for some is enough to taint the experience for them; for others they are taking it in stride. Regardless, you can see how color plays a very important role, especially if it plays with one’s expectations with what Bond has versus what they have. As collectors we want the exact same, not an approximation even if its on an accent piece like a collar. The passion can be seen around this in the constant challenge of finding the SAME as what Bond wore.
Have you been the victim of the color war of clothes and accessories?
I recently purchased a black pair of the Persol ‘Bahamas’ on ebay (for a very good price I might add..!!). I didn’t quite read the description correctly and thought they were the brown pair.
In hindsight though I probably wouldn’t have worn the brown pair & I am now the proud owner of a very good quality & very comfortable pair of James Bond (ish) sunglasses. Will anyone notice the colour?
I bought the Madagascar Chase scene sneakers a few years back and out of the box they seemed too light colored but after two wearings – especially one wear they got wet once – now they are same color as in Casino Royale
I have fallen prey to the color problem myself,what i thought was a very dark blue harrington jacket for the motorcycle scene I scoured the earth for a replica jacket that was detailed exactly like the one in the movie even the button sleeves unlike the ribbed cuffs you find everywhere.Found the jacket for 50 bucks at Sears two years ago only to find later it was black now sears dont sell the jacket anymore.
That Armani jacket looked so great in the film and so…BROWN in person. The colors are often so different in hand that I’ve adopted an “ONSCREEN accurate” philosophy, resulting in some inaccurate items that look a little bit better in person.
I agree…I used to seriously collect screen used movie props and their appearance in real life was usually shocking!
my Billy Reid’s leather strip is all black with no hints of brown whatsoever, thankfully this is exactly what i wanted because its accurate to the one Daniel Craig wears in the film.
Not Bond, but Craig’s glasses in Dragon Tat ended up being a Peridot (green) color although when no light is behind them, pitch black!
This wouldn’t bother me too much. I’ve always looked to Bond as a point of reference, and usually bought the same item, but in a different color. It’s allows me to still “look the part” but not be identifiable as a “Bond Kock-Off”. After all, if green looks better on me than blue, or I didn’t need a pair of kahiki’s, why would I buy them. He can point me in a direction, and I can make it my own…
Great attitude!