How do you define elegance?
Elegance like Art and can mean different things to different people. All menswear brands offer their vision of elegance, but their cut, colours and design details don’t always complement everyone. Is there a way to gauge a good balance of elegance which will suit most menswear consumers?
With so many styles from New Age to Italian Dandy, and in an ever changing fashion world can a common denominator for elegance in menswear be found? Is there a perfect muse for a balanced elegance in menswear?
With today’s world premiere of the new James Bond Movie Skyfall, it seems fitting to post about the “James Bond Design Filter”.
Where men’s style and elegance is concerned, the pop icon and fictional character of British secret agent James Bond is arguably the world’s best reference for elegance.
It’s no coincidence that there are web sites like The Suits of James Bond solely dedicated to the fashion of James Bond throughout the years.
And the Barbican Museum in London is marking the 50th anniversary of James Bond Movies with a celebratory exhibition, showcasing the inside story of the design and style of the world’s most influential and iconic movie brand: http://www.barbican.org.uk/bond/
Below are 2 short studies into James Bond’s personal style.
Designing Bond’s Look from Barbican Centre on Vimeo.
Designing Bond’s World from Barbican Centre on Vimeo.
Consequently designers wishing to gauge the balance of elegance in their designs just need to ask themselves, would their design suit the character of James Bond?
Although the character of James Bond is usually portrayed wearing a Dinner Jacket, he could easily be wearing tennis, golf, or running apparel and footwear. So what would his apparel and footwear look like?
When understanding design elegance and luxury in athletic footwear is challenging, ask yourself, what would James Bond wear.
And that is the “James Bond Design Filter”.
74 FOOTWEAR DESIGN CONSULTING 