While 007’s looks are always a slick affair, to pull off the bespoke and tailored aesthetic for which James Bond is known through the rigors of an action film takes a lot of calculations behind the scenes according to costume designer Suttirart Larlarb.
“Every day is a math problem, a massive constant math problem,” says Suttirat Larlarb. She is the Costume Designer for the latest James Bond film, No Time to Die, set to open this weekend after a massive delay in release due to the pandemic. While 007’s looks are always a slick affair, to pull off the bespoke and tailored aesthetic for which James Bond is known through the rigors of an action film takes a lot of calculations behind the scenes. “Many of Daniel’s suits are required for incredible action sequences, of which we need 33 plus multiples of the same suit with slightly different sizing and technical requirements,” Larlarb explains. “We have to account for stunt padding or harnesses, or for the stunt double and photo double. Daniel has 12 to 20 of his own that are the same but slightly distressed for post explosion, post water, a little bit of blood, every kind of damage you can imagine that might need to befall a suit like that. But it always has to look perfectly tailored for him.” Although it’s more than just the fittings for a film like this, there are the heavy logistics to consider from production to delivery. Take for example the story of Bond’s tux in the film. It was developed and fit in New York, after which 33 versions of them had to be made, the production of which happened in the north of Italy. Getting just one suit to Jamaica where the filming was taking place involved calculations, couriers and people staying up late to receive packages or getting on a flight overnight to get the tuxes where they needed to be.
