There are parallels to be made between playing in the NBA and working for Her Majesty’s Secret Service — not that they have been made very often.
Basketball players need strength, speed, stamina and an ability to quickly defend themselves against the unexpected. Spies need much the same qualities, albeit for different purposes.
And while their uniforms tend to be vastly different, I recently realized there could be an interesting opportunity to combine the sartorial influences of D’Angelo Russell (who plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves) and those of James Bond, or at least as he’ll be dressed by Tom Ford in the upcoming No Time To Die.
I got the idea when news about Ford’s Bond movie wardrobe was announced just a few days after H&M announced Russell had curated his favourite pieces from its Spring lineup of menwear.
Yes, H&M is supposed to be throwaway fashion at its best. Tom Ford designs clothes meant to last a lifetime. One brand skews younger, one decidedly older. There’s no reason, however, why both couldn’t hang in the same closet, or be worn on the same body.
Fashion is all about mixing and matching based on what works in the moment, and I could easily see myself enjoying a casual-but-not-too-casual day strolling around the city in a topcoat and shirt like this:
. . . but then trade it in for a more upscale business event with clients like this:
I would work out of a coffee shop or meet a friend for lunch wearing this:
. . . but when it came time to take my wife on a date night, I’d impress her with this:
Run errands in this . . .
. . . but get ready for a black-tie event with this:
Even with these images, you might find this hard to picture, until you try this trick: Imagine Daniel Craig in the H&M attire as well as the Tom Ford attire. Or Russell in the Tom Ford as well as his H&M picks.
Both would look fantastic.
Both would look like a guy with a very rich, full life, who had the clothes to go along with it.
You may never score a three-pointer. You may never save the world. But this Spring, at least, you could dress as though you were ready to do either. Or both.