U.N.C.L.E. FASHIONS

Happy Saturday, Spy Vibers! It's been another busy week of teaching for me and I'm psyched we can finally spend a little extra time in the Spy Vibe lair together. Isn't it strange how time flies so quickly? For example, I can't believe it's been over a year since The Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie made its debut. A bunch of us had such a blast down in LA for a series of special events around the movie. Our friend, FX maestro Robert Short, hosted a super cool exhibit of U.N.C.L.E. memorabilia and artifacts (see Spy Vibe post here), Quentin Tarantino offered up a triple-feature of classic U.N.C.L.E. films at his cinema, and a large group of us gathered to see the new movie together (see my review here). One of the strengths of the film was its attention to design. The sets were beautifully dressed, some locations could have dropped right out of the first season of the original series, and Joanna Johnston created some stunning fashion inspired by the crossover period (1967-1968) between Mod geometrics and the emerging 1970s vibe. Spy Vibe is dedicated to 1960s "style in action", so it was natural to bask in the film's design. But if I had one complaint about Ritchie's U.N.C.L.E., it was that the design seemed to hang over the surface of the movie like, well, a new suit of clothes. The original Star Wars trilogy, for example, worked so well because it was a "lived-in" universe. There were moments in U.N.C.L.E. where it seemed to me that actors were playing dress-up. But I saw great effort and attention to style, which I appreciated, and the narrative itself showed the characters literally dressing for their undercover roles. Maybe if everyone had slept in their costumes for a week it would have felt more authentic to me. Still, these musings are not to take away from the gorgeous design work by Johnston and others. Check out these costumes below. They sure do photograph well! Enjoy!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview:Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, Trina Robbins Interview, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review, David McCallum novel, Andre Courreges R.I.P., Who's Talking on Spy Vibe, UFO Blu-ray, Avengers Pop Art Interview, Fergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes Interview, Jaz Wiseman Interview, Diana Rigg BFI Interview, Casino Royale Interview: Mike Richardson, Lost Diana Rigg Interview, Honor Blackman at 90, UNCLE School, Ian Fleming Memorial, Portmeirion Photos, Doctor Who Exhibit, Farewell Steed, Pussy Galore Returns, Diana Rigg birthday, Sherlock at 221B, Invisible Agent, Saint Interview: Ian Dickerson, Saint Doppelgänger, Fleming's Typewriter, Rare Fleming, Fleming's Music, Ian Fleming's Japan, Jim Wilson Corgi Interview, Fantomas Design, John Buss interview, Saint Volvo, Mod Tales Interview, Agente Secreto Comics, Danger Man Comics 2, Danger Man Comics, John Drake Comics, Der Mann Von UNCLE, Golden Margaret Nolan, Man From UNCLE Rocksteady, Pussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, Thai Bond Design, Bond vs Modernism, Tokyo Beat 1964, Feraud Mod Fashion, Green Hornet Manga, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.