There’s no accounting for taste when it comes to 007.From Sean Connery sporting his own tailor’s handiwork, to the Italian made-to-measure Brioni suits on Daniel Craig, James Bond is certainly one of the best-dressed characters on the big screen. Unrivalled within the cinematic world is a style as suave and sophisticated as James Bond.
It’s only fair though, that a well-dressed hero has a well-dressed villain.
The villains have to stand toe-to-toe with the Secret Service agent when it comes to fashion, from classic men’s suits to more colourful choices of attire. Let’s take a look at the top ten Bond villains according to Screen Rant.
10. Max Zorin — A View to A Kill
Played by Christopher Walken, Max Zorin (helmet aside) shows immense taste in fashion.
Zorin’s sports a black double-breasted dinner suit in direct contrast to Bond’s white single-breasted dinner suit in a rather obvious show of opposites, Zorin’s general style is quite subdued and, dare we say it, normal.
Using such accessories as a white carnation tucked in his suit lapel he almost appeals, well, normal. The white carnation symbolising innocence is one hell of a misdirection when it comes to this particular character.
9. Dr Kananga — Live and Let Die
The drug lord sure knows how to dress well. A sharp sense of fashion from his bright red jacket to his red shirt and white jacket combo. Mr Big is also Mr Bold and Mr Bright.
8. Franz Sanchez — Licence To Kill
Franz Sanchez aopts for the more casual tone. his various outfits range from a blue jacket and white shirt combo the infamous tan jacket and blue shirt. He also manages to pull a great suit off with ease, the grey suit is noted by some to be a good choice to send out a message of loyalty and dependability, highlighting Sanchez’s own value in those traits (and his paranoia of disloyalty in his men).
It has to be said that Sanchez lacks accessories in his outfits, unless you include the rather large iguana on his shoulder in some scenes…
7. Dr Julius No — Dr. No
Dr Julius No the original Bond villain has the doctor look nailed down! The Nehru jacket was notably once worn by those who had a high social stature, which is perhaps a sad reflection on Dr No’s own backstory as being an ‘unwanted child’. He has built himself into his own semblance of high status, despite his own perceived rejections.
6. Alec Trevelyan — GoldenEye
Sean Bean could be wearing a kilt and he’d still look intimidating! In Goldeneye he opts for dark everything. Full black, just like his characters heart.
5. Le Chiffre — Casino Royale
Taking a leaf from Sean Bean’s book is this all black combo of Le Chiffre.
Although he dons the trademark ‘all black’ colour scheme of villains, the quality of his suit tells us something more. According to costume designer Linda Hemming, Le Chiffre’s choice of outfit is all about showing off without being noticed. He’s a man who wants to succeed without being seen, who wants his genius applauded, but not too loudly. These two desires would usually be at odds, but they make for a sleek suit of all black to hide away, but lavish velvet to show his wealth.
4. Francisco Scaramanga — The Man With The Golden Gun
It’d be impossible to own a golden gun and not be a slick dresser.
Scaramanga meets his demise in China, where white can be seen as the colour of death and funerals; coincidence, or foreshadowing?
3. Raoul Silva — Skyfall
Worn on anybody else, Silva’s memorable printed shirt and cream jacket combo would look more than odd. Coupled with the bleached blond hair harkening back to previous Bond villain Zorin, you’d be forgiven for calling this a fashion disaster at first glance.
But, worn on Silva, it sends us all a message of power. A message of authority and with that shirt, instability.
2. Auric Goldfinger — Goldfinger
If you’re a fan of gold, you’re bound to love Auric’s gold-coloured everything attitude. Dressed in silk suits or woollen golfing attire, you can be sure there’s going to be a shade of gold or close-enough-to-gold brown somewhere on this villain’s garment choices.
Color Meanings says wearing too much gold can give off a sense of ‘being miserly, unkind, lacking generosity and kindness or being over-ambitious’. Check, check, and check.
1. Ernst Stavro Blofeld — From Russia With Love, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Diamonds Are Forever, For Your Eyes Only, Never Say Never Again, and Spectre
Bond’s returning enemy, Blofeld doesn’t prescribe to the usual ‘your suit, but better’ look many Bond villains go for. No, Blofeld is a villain who is quite happy to be utterly different from 007, from manner to fashion.
Ernst Stavro Blofeld sports an iconic Mao suit in a boring shade, echoing the rather listless shaded Nehru jacket worn by Dr No before him.
In fact, Blofeld’s most recent incarnation, portrayed by Christoph Waltz, would go on to sport a Nehru jacket of his own. Apparently, the new Blofeld’s simple outfit was to ensure all the spotlight for his menace were firmly on his mind, not his physical look. Here is a villain who isn’t going to beat Bond with guns or fists. So he doesn’t need to frighten or intimidate with his look. He isn’t required to engage Bond in a battle of the suits, and more importantly, he doesn’t care to.
What else does the Mao suit tell us? There’s been many commentaries on the Bond villain’s choice of clothing.
Many people were quick to point out the link between Mao suits and Communism. BondSuits.com keenly points out, however, that Blofeld wears a decidedly Western white cuff shirt under his Mao jacket, showing his ties to the East aren’t wholly strong.
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