Sure, James Bond may be suave with his sophisticated style and stealthy spy skills, but the ladies of the 007 series often steal the show.
Bond Girls, known for their cheeky double entendre names and unrivaled allure, epitomize what it means to be pop-culture icons. There is no set rule on what kind of person a Bond Girl can be. She could be an ally or even an enemy of Bond, pivotal to a mission or simply there for eye candy.
Ursula Andress, as Honey Ryder, in 1962’s Dr. No is widely regarded as the first Bond Girl, although she was preceded by both Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench and Zena Marshall as Miss Taro in the same film.The 1964 flick Goldfinger, the series’ third, established the regular appearance of the Bond Girl in hit franchise. More recently, actresses such as Léa Seydoux, Halle Berry and Naomie Harris have modernized what it means to be a Bond Girl.
One element that has remained consistent among these silver screen starlets is their exquisite sense of style. Fashion has undoubtedly played a supporting role in every Bond film, reflecting each title’s time, setting and tone.
Take a look at some of the brands and designers that Bond Girls to life in the modern era.
Jany Temime
Jany Temime is known for reinventing the look of the Bond Girl. Involved with the film’s Skyfall and Spectre, Temime’s work was specifically centered around adjusting the Bond Girl’s appearance to modern society’s idea of femininity, as well as making their outfits more functional. One of the most stunning looks she created was a black sparkling gown for Sévérine, played by Bérénice Marlohe, opposite Daniel Craig’s Bond in Skyfall. An accomplice to the 2012 film’s villain, the character is known for being decked out in intricate tattoo work.
“I knew I wanted to create a bespoke crystal ‘Tattoo’ design for Sévérine’s dress,” said Temime. “We applied the crystal tattoos, with over 60,000 Swarovski Elements, onto very fine tulle for the arms, neckline, back and sides of the dress accentuating Sévérine’s exquisite figure.
Marlohe told Bond Lifestyle that she was part of the creation process of the dress and wanted to create an animal-like or ‘dragonesque’ look for Sévérine, with her long dark nails and impressive appearance in the casino scene. The ensemble was complete with custom Swarovski jewelry and Jimmy Choo shoes.
For her work on the film, Temime received a 2013 Costume Designers Guild Award.
Amanda Wakeley
Amanda Wakeley created a number of looks for the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall. After working as a model, the British designer launched her signature line in 1990. Wakeley, who became known for styling the late Princess Diana, was a natural fit to design for the femme fatales.
“The wardrobe designer Jany Temime approached us and selected a number of our autumn/winter 2011-12 dresses,” Wakeley told British Vogue. “Since much of the film takes place in London, I think that Jany was interested in working with an iconic London designer. We could have designed something special for the movie, but when Jany and I looked through the collection together, there were a number of dresses that really seemed to fit the brief.”
Most memorably, Naomie Harris, who plays undercover agent Eve Moneypenny, wears a yellow satin bias cut floor-length gown by Wakeley in an action-packed casino scene. On screen, even Craig’s Bond compliments the character on the dress. The designer also provided two felt shift dresses for the iconic spy’s boss, M, played by Dame Judi Dench.
“I am a huge fan of James Bond, so dressing not one, but two Bond girls is fantastic,” said Wakeley. “Bond girls are always glamorous and incredibly smart. It is a pleasure to be associated with one of the most iconic film franchises ever. For our brand it is great global exposure. And, we loved that M also wore Amanda Wakeley — she’s so chic, powerful and understated. I think it is wonderful for Amanda Wakeley in that it conveys the breadth of our design reach, from glam evening to more understated daywear.”
Wakeley’s designs were also used in the 2002 film Die Another Day.
Eres
Bond Girls in bikinis are nothing new, but the orange bikini worn by Halle Berry as Jinx in the 2002 film Die Another Day was simply unforgettable and unmatched. The moment was a modern nod to the scene in 1962’s Dr. No, when Ursula Andress’ Honey Ryder appears from the sea in front of James Bond. Created by the brand Eres, the orange swimwear was styled with a white belted holster. The French label has been producing elegant swim for more than 40 years and boasts several celebrity fans such as Cindy Crawford and Katie Holmes.
Following the film, Berry admitted she still tries on the famous two-piece every couple of months to make sure it still fits. “If I can’t get into it, I eat less junk food for a bit. It’s really useful,” she said in an interview with Teen Hollywood.
Ghost
In the 2015 film Spectre, Léa Seydoux plays Bond Girl Dr. Madeleine Swann, a psychiatrist opposite Craig’s Bon’. The French actress famously dons a dusty green floor–length satin gown, featuring a cowl back, capped sleeves and boat neck by Ghost. The vintage-inspired look was complete with a pair of David Deyong DiamonDust Sterling Silver earrings made with Swarovski Zirconia and Jimmy Choo Ivette Champagne Glitter strappy sandals.
Ghost is a London fashion label that was founded in 1984 by Tanya Sarne and designer Katharine Hamnett. They called the label after Sarne’s business methodology, which was to employ a team of in-house designers who would create, or “ghostwrite,” the collections that would be linked to her name under her supervision. Ghost quickly became known for its distinctive use of rayon (viscose) fabrics, which, if shrunk and dyed, developed a crinkled texture similar to vintage crepe. Not only could the fabrics be made in various weights and sizes, the clinging garments made from them were easy to wear, easy to care for and could be worn by women of all ages and shapes.
The Design Museum in London described the introduction of the Ghost dress as “one of those quiet revolutions,” where the significance of an event in fashion history goes almost unnoticed at first.
Ghost’s glamorous Bond Girl gown is still available for purchase for $291 on ghost.co.uk.
David Morris
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but for Bond Girls, they are a necessity! David Morris has been the go-to jeweler for Agent 007’s leading ladies for decades. The designer’s friendship with his client Roger Moore resulted in the tradition of David Morris jewels featured in 14 Bond films.
Beginning in 1971, David Morris gems were used in the title sequence of Diamonds Are Forever, and in 1974 Maud Adams appeared in David Morris jewels on the set of The Man with the Golden Gun. In more modern films, Teri Hatcher donned David Morris gems in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. Her character Paris Carver accessorized her black silk floor-length Ocimar Versolato evening dress with Morris’ scalloped diamond “Bond” riviere necklace with 25–carat white diamonds and a 25–carat sapphire ring surrounded by white diamonds. Denise Richards also wore David Morris White gold–and–white diamond rose–cut bangle and hoops in 1999’s The World Is Not Enough.
Morris was also famous for designing pieces for the British royal family. The jeweler’s legacy led to a 2012 Barbican exhibition, Designing 007: 50 Years of Bond Style, where several jewels from the Bond films were on display.
Prada
Prada has been around for over a century, but it wasn’t until 2008 when the fashion house made its way onto a Bond Girl. In Quantum of Solace, Camille, played by Olga Kurylenko, wears a black crêpe Prada LBD, featuring a sweetheart neckline and thick shoulder straps with rose detail attached. The frock is worn by the character in the majority of the film, starting intact in a fundraiser scene until it is completely worn out by the end.
One of the Prada dresses used during filming was sold in 2012 for nearly $5,000 at the Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia auction in London.
