London Groom – If James Bond Were My Fiance
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting up with the fabulously chic Sammy of Sammy Aki who is a groom style consultant. Yup that’s right. It can be a bit of a struggle for those boys to know how or where to shop and Sammy can help with everything, from the shoes, to the bow tie she is the go to girl for grooms – specialising in ready to wear, мейд to measure and bespoke experiences for the groom.
So I’ll admit I may know a thing or two about wedding dresses, but this girl knows all about the style for guys so I’m handing over to Sammy today…
With the release of Skyfall this week, we couldn’t let this opportunity pass us by and I started thinking about James Bond and my imaginary role as the next bond girl (that doesn’t die) and this then obviously led to me considering the scenario of …
If James Bond were my fiance…(a girl can most certainly dream).
The Wedding Suit…
Whilst working on Savile Row, each season I found myself spending a considerable amount of time cataloguing the fabrics. You have no idea how many varieties of Navy that are available, all with subtle changes in tone. My favourite description from the mills was Super Dark Navy – which is of course different to Super Navy. (editors note: is it just me or does this remind anyone else of the scene in Father of the Bride with Naavi Bluuu tuxeeeedo!?). From this time I have grown a big affection for the term something blue and if James Bond were my fiance he definitely would be wearing the Midnight Blue Shawl collared dinner jacket created by Tom Форд for Skyfall.
There are several reasons for this, firstly I envision our ceremony starting just before dusk and whilst black tie is smart I do believe that it is not meant to be worn before 6pm- I have never been a fan of a black suit as black can often appear boring and drab, especially in the daylight. Whereas Midnight blue has a richer hue even under the artificial light of the wedding cameras flash, so lends itself to looking refined both before and after the sun goes down.
Unlike the classic black tie attire the midnight blue, which garnered its popularity in the 1930’s, has been rare to find off the peg. The perfect sophisticated style to have мейд to measure. As The Groom Style Consultant I’d certainly seek to prevent my Groom from wearing the same outfit as the guests invited so by selecting a fine cloth in this colour and crafting an impeccably cut suit I’d ensure James Bond would project his easy elegance, that we all recognise, throughout the day and I’m sure he will return to this suit time and time again.
The Drive…
I know James Bond would have tried out a number of cars before settling on his trusted Aston Martin DB5 to whisk us off from the ceremony. The car has a number of great gadgets (though I don’t think we will be in need of the machine guns). However you never know when the radar tracker, revolving number plates or carphone may come in handy. Or perhaps just the smoke screen…
The Honeymoon…
Having jetted all over the world, staying in the most exclusive and often remote locations James definitely knows how to relax and enjoy the finer things in life. However this is also where I feel he would seek to impress by showing his thoughtful and sentimental side. With this in mind we would enjoy the first weeks of marital bliss together on the island and home of his creator Ian Fleming, Goldeneye Resort in Jamaica. Not only is this piece of paradise where Fleming penned the character of Bond, but also Chris Blackwell, of Island records, owns it so the sounds and spirit of the Caribbean is felt throughout.
Honeymoon Wardrobe…
Mr Bond pays particular attention to his swimwear (ahem, as do we). As this is possibly the only piece of clothing he will be wearing for the next few weeks he appreciates that the cut, fit and fabric is not just something he has to consider for his tailoring. Keen to champion British brands and also add a touch of his wife’s West African flavour the new brand Okun swimwear would be the first thing packed.
Well that was a rather fun indulgent post, I think Sammy can come back again! I would absolutely love to see this style translated through a wedding (and beyond!). Navy tux’s all the way…
Let us know how you think your boy is getting on with his outfit, and if he needs a helping хэнд then do get in touch with Sammy for further information on her services – info@sammyaki.com