28 replies to this topic

[Byron]

In the novel Thunderball, Bond is wearing a sea island cotton shirt. I did some research and apparently sea island cotton is the "King" of cottons and only grown in the West Indies. The following site gives a brief description in an article titled - The Sheer Joy of King Island Cotton:

http://suityourself....n_clothing.asp#

There is a retailer 'Carstarphen' which claims to only use 100% Sea Island Cotton (ver pricey):

www.seaislandcotton.com

I would love to buy a sea island cotton shirt for the pure luxury and wearability of it. Does anyone have one? Is it truly 'King' or just hyped up?

Also are there any other retailers online that specıalıse in this fabric?

[Byron]

- The Sheer Joy of King Island Cotton:

That should be Sea Island Cotton. King island is an australian island world famous for its dairy and meat. Thats another story.

[Bryce (003)]

I have two. One white and one in (of course) Navy Blue.

Very nice and quite comfortable in all climates, but truly, no less comfortable than a cotton Polo shirt from Ralph Lauren.

They're OK, but a bit over-rated.

[Byron]

I have two. One white and one in (of course) Navy Blue.

Very nice and quite comfortable in all climates, but truly, no less comfortable than a cotton Polo shirt from Ralph Lauren.

They're OK, but a bit over-rated.

What brand are they?

[Bill Tanner]

Over rated? What were you expecting Bryce, gold fibres mixed in the weave? It may be just cotton, but it's damn fine cotton. Sea Island has a sheen, texture and feel all of it's own, highly prized and recognized by those who care. And very different to a polo shirt with a little horse on it. You may as well compare a fine suit with jeans, or a cashmere sweater with a sweatshirt - sure the latter are every bit, if not more comfortable, but that would be to miss the point.

*Shameless plug alert!*

Try these articles Byron, they should answer a lot of your questions.

http://www.ajb007.co...sbondclothing4/
http://www.ajb007.co...sbondclothing3/
http://www.ajb007.co...esbondclothing/
http://www.ajb007.co...sbondclothing2/

Edited by Bill Tanner, 10 June 2005 - 09:36 AM.

[spynovelfan]

Over rated? What were you expecting Bryce, gold fibres mixed in the weave?

It's always a pleasure to read your thoughts on this subject, Bill. Did you know that Scabal created superfine 150 suits with 22-carat gold woven into the pinstripes a few years back? Always thought it was the kind of thing a Bond villain might go in for! Here's a piece on it.

[David Schofield]

Hell, you want to be Bond - go the whole hog and buy Turnbull and Asser.

I've got quite a few - some with the "Bond" double cuffs - and if you want to be treated like Michael Caine at his tailors in the Italin Job, get to their Jermyn Street shop. Great experience. You feel just like Sean Connery being groomed by Terence Young.

For short sleeve, polo-type, I got to Smedley's. These are name-checked by Gardner.

[Jim]

Very nice and quite comfortable in all climates, but truly, no less comfortable than a cotton Polo shirt from Ralph Lauren.

Who?

Good grief, man.

[spynovelfan]

Hell, you want to be Bond - go the whole hog and buy Turnbull and Asser.

How is Turnbull & Asser any more Bond than Sea Island cotton, which Fleming mentions Bond wearing in OHMSS, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and TMWTGG? It's about as signature Bond as you can get.

[Bill Tanner]

Oh dear, there's some confusion here. Turnbull & Asser are not a fabric, they're the original suppliers of Sea Island shirts to Fleming, Young, Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan etc, etc.

The place to buy your Sea Island shirts - if you're a Bond fan.

[spynovelfan]

Course, we all knew that, didn't we?

I think I'll switch tack and join Jim in looking down his nose at Bryce for daring to mention Ralph Lauren.

[ComplimentsOfSharky]

They are indeed nice shirts.

I have a white one...there are plenty of similar fabrics but Sea Island is the best just because Bond wears it so much.

Over-hyped? yeah maybe...but it's still my favorite shirt

[Jim]

Course, we all knew that, didn't we?

I think I'll switch tack and join Jim in looking down his nose at Bryce for daring to mention Ralph Lauren.

Quite.

I'm still upset.

[Stephenson]

You know,, Bryce and Bill, you guys should get together and write a guide book to "living the Bond lifestyle". After an introduction regarding Bond's attitdues and where to shop (written by both of you), Bill, you could focus on the clothing, accruements (as in your excellent articles), and Bryce could focus on the cars, the destinations, and "financing the lifestyle" (and if your warning to me in another thread is to be believed: how to build your own all-female ninja army ).

I know I would give it a read!

[Bon-san]

how to build your own all-female ninja army

Offer them all three-picture deals with expense accounts at Rodeo Dr. and Melrose Ave. establishments.

[David Schofield]

Come on, how many of you guys - regardless of price - own at least one Turnbull shirt, black knitted silk tie, Rolex, Turnbull tie from the Brosnans, a bit of Brioni? (Hey, some silly so and sos have Guerlain soap they can't even use - why not buy something you can re-use?)

Wonder why?

[Jim]

Come on, how many of you guys - regardless of price - own at least one Turnbull shirt, black knitted silk tie, Rolex, Turnbull tie from the Brosnans, a bit of Brioni? (Hey, some silly so and sos have Guerlain soap they can't even use - why not buy something you can re-use?)

Wonder why?

http://debrief.comma...122&hl=mountain

Wouldn't lower myself to Brioni, for a start. Don't approve of cheap clothes.

[Bill Tanner]

You are a man of rare and fine taste, sir.

I salute you.

[Byron]

Oh dear, there's some confusion here. Turnbull & Asser are not a fabric, they're the original suppliers of Sea Island shirts to Fleming, Young, Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan etc, etc.

The place to buy your Sea Island shirts - if you're a Bond fan.

Thank you very much for the info Mr Tanner. Unfortunately there is no mention of sea island cotton shirts on the Turnbull & Asser UK site. There is a selection of them on the Turnbull & Asser US site but curiously there are no plain white or navy ones available only patterned ones!

Also disappointingly there is no online ordering facility.

[Bill Tanner]

I don't know whether you're UK or US based, but if you're nowhere near London there are plenty of other suppliers of Sea Island shirts.

Just type 'Sea Island shirt' into Google and you should find quite a list.

If you have your heart set on the original supplier, give the London shop a call. Although they don't strictly provide a mail order service they are fairly accomodating (they once posted me a knitted tie) and may be able to suggest a way of getting what you want.

[milomarch]

Does anyone know where one can order Sea Island Cotton shirts online? If so, please let me know. Thanks.

[milomarch]

For those who don't know anything about Sea Island cotton shirts (the ones preferred by Bond), they are made in Jamaica, where he might well have purchased them, however, I did find this bit of info at 'A Gentleman's English Dictionary & Usage':

Sea Island Cotton
Designating a fine variety of cotton, Gossypium Barbadense, distinguished by long silky fibres. Originally grown on islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina, Sea Island cotton was rushed to Jermyn Street for the making of Gentlemen

[Double-Oh-Zero]

Hello, milomarch, and welcome to the forums.

You may want to have a gander at this thread before you post any further.

Incidentally, the Search function can be a very helpful tool when looking for information like this on these boards.

[Dunph]

Merged.

[Brian Flagg]

How 'bout a nice *BUMP*, three years later?

I've become smitten with the idea of getting a few Sea Island Cotton shirts, what with the weather here in Miami quite hot now. I'm off to St. Augustine at the end of the month, and it will be a scorcher., so being attired in the smallest possible Bondian way would be nice. I've worn guayaberas for years, but would like to purchase some of these Bond-style shirts. Ian Fleming should've gotten royalties for all he did for these shirts. Don't know if they're are any better than what I already have on my back, but Fleming sure sells the notion in his novels.

[Tybre]

It should be noted that they no longer produce the genuine article. Most of the places that grew the cotton no longer do and most shirts and things that are marked as "sea island cotton" generally contain only a maximum of 50% sea island, and even then that high a number is a bit rare. Finding 100% sea island cotton these days is incredibly difficult and even moreso expensive. Leastways that's what all of my looking into buying myself sea island cotton clothing has taught me. I'm still buying, though. Even 1% is better than no percent, I say.

[Byron]

It should be noted that they no longer produce the genuine article. Most of the places that grew the cotton no longer do and most shirts and things that are marked as "sea island cotton" generally contain only a maximum of 50% sea island, and even then that high a number is a bit rare. Finding 100% sea island cotton these days is incredibly difficult and even moreso expensive. Leastways that's what all of my looking into buying myself sea island cotton clothing has taught me. I'm still buying, though. Even 1% is better than no percent, I say.

You are right, they are very hard to find. The only place i knew of that sold 100% sea island cotton shirts was Carstarphen and they got rid of their online ordering facility some time back. I emailed them about an order and they never replied.

Be very careful, as not even places like Turnbull & Asser offer real sea island cotton shirts. What they offer is "sea island quality" meaning extra fine, extra long cotton fibres but they are NOT the real West Indian sea island cotton that Fleming was writing about.

If anyone knows of a genuine supplier please inform us!

[Sea Island Cotton]

It should be noted that they no longer produce the genuine article. Most of the places that grew the cotton no longer do and most shirts and things that are marked as "sea island cotton" generally contain only a maximum of 50% sea island, and even then that high a number is a bit rare. Finding 100% sea island cotton these days is incredibly difficult and even moreso expensive. Leastways that's what all of my looking into buying myself sea island cotton clothing has taught me. I'm still buying, though. Even 1% is better than no percent, I say.

You are right, they are very hard to find. The only place i knew of that sold 100% sea island cotton shirts was Carstarphen and they got rid of their online ordering facility some time back. I emailed them about an order and they never replied.

Be very careful, as not even places like Turnbull & Asser offer real sea island cotton shirts. What they offer is "sea island quality" meaning extra fine, extra long cotton fibres but they are NOT the real West Indian sea island cotton that Fleming was writing about.

If anyone knows of a genuine supplier please inform us!

TWO UNUSED SEA ISLAND COTTON 1960S SHIRTS DISCOVERED - ON EBAY!

I found your forum through a Google search as I was trying to find info on South Sea island cotton shirts (as worn by James Bond).

The reason I was researching is that my grandfather died recently and we have found two unworn South Sea Island Cotton shirts from the 1960s in his wardrobe. As quite a few of you seem to be looking for these shirts (without much success) I thought you might like to know that we've listed the shirts on eBay and they close at the weekend.

The shirts are listed here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...T#ht_500wt_1182

and here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...T#ht_500wt_1182

Hope you don' think this is a spam request. I just would genuinely like the shirts to go somewhere they'll be appreciated!

[DAN LIGHTER]

Good grief, Someone signed up just to sell their late grandfather shirt. My my, whatever next . Now we never did get to the bottom of this sea island shirt thing. I quite fancy a polo shirt, not a ralph lauren though.