Welcome 007.
Here is your new brief.
The Mission
We have some Intel on a Joseph Wiseman AKA Dr.NO, known allie to Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Dr. No was born in Peking to a German Methodist missionary and a Chinese girl, but was raised by his aunt. As an adult, he went to Shanghai, where he was involved with the Tongs, a Chinese crime syndicate. Later he was smuggled to the United States and settled in New York City, where he became a clerk and eventually Treasurer for a Tong in America, called the “Hip-Sings”.
Now 007, an agent named Strangways and his assistant have gone missing. Before Strangways disappeared, he gathered samples from an island called Crab Key, reported to be radioactive, whilst investigating a radio jamming signal in Jamaica. Meet CIA agent Felix Leiter in Jamaica who is also investigating Strangways’ disappearance. He knows the island belongs to Dr. No and from what Intel suggests, Dr. No is planning to disrupt the rocket launch from Cape Canaveral. He will “topple” the rocket, throwing the missile off balance using a radio beam. The beam will be powered by something nuclear if the island is contaminated by radiation. Tread carefully 007. It’s worth noting that Blofeld is head of SPECTRE, its name standing for the “Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion”. Dr. No may try to entice you to join, but will be disappointed when you refuse.
Your mission: You’re booked on the 7:00am flight to Kingston 007. After your trip from the casino (your tuxedo suggests you were there) and arriving to my office at 3am, you haven’t got long at all. When you arrive in Kingston, meet Felix Leiter. Find out what happened to Strangways and his assistant. Confirm the signal Strangways found came from Crab Keys and stop Dr. No succeeding in his plans. If Dr. No succeeds, it will be seen as a monumental achievement for SPECTRE.
Please continue reading for a brief of your mission wardrobe.
Mission Wardrobe
Welcome to your mission wardrobe 007. You will find your assigned attire deemed most appropriate for your missions. Here is what you shall be wearing:
1) A Mandarin (Mao Suit)
A gentleman must always dress for the occasion at hand and dress appropriately to be respectful of his guest or host. Packing a mandarin suit not only shows you’re respectful of Dr. No’s heritage, but that also you’ve done your homework on your target (I mean host). We’ve added a breast pocket to your suit to give a more Western feel to the style.
2) Classic Grey Suit
This is perfect for travelling in, and your day-to-day wearing. Understated and sophisticated, this classic is a must. With a white or ice blue shirt, from the offices of MI6 to the field mid-mission, this classic never goes out of style. We’ve added some personal touches, such as a high rise to elongate the legs, double pleats to add some width to the thighs, both for comfort and style, and a cuff on the hem to kill any break and give a clean sharp finish. The shirt we have is an ice blue cotton dress shirt with a Kent collar and if you look closely, you’ll see a gantlet cuff for an added detail of class and sophistication.
3) Beach Wear
You’re travelling to a tropical island 007, some linen trousers and a polo shirt are required for day time recon. You may look a little out of place walking the beach in a suit. Linen will keep you nice and cool in the warm climate. Matching the colours of the trousers and shirt gives that monochrome feel that a suit does, whilst being light and casual and as we mentioned before, appropriate for the occasion.
4) Tuxedo
And finally 007 evening wear – what you arrived into my office wearing.No gentleman’s wardrobe is complete without evening wear. You may be required to attend a dinner, or a gala, or a high end casino: it’s about having the appropriate attire at your disposal when it may be required. A white shirt with a standard Kent collar with a pleated front placket under a black wool suit with satin lapels and bow tie to match. Top tip: your bow tie should always match your lapel. A plain white pocket square in a presidential fold to give a clean, classy sophisticated look that is elevated yet effortless.
Continue reading 007 to prepare for mission encounters.
Encounters
This is where you shall find your potential encounters on your missions 007. Here is who you could be meeting:
Felix Leiter
CIA agent and a figure you shall be working with quite a bit in the future 007. The agent will be wearing a light beige suit, one that’s suitable for the warm climate. His jacket is a three-button front with matching 3-button cuffs, slightly spaced apart. Notch lapels are included on the jacket, along with welt pockets at the bottom rather than your preferred flapped style. His trousers sit slightly high on the waist, as he finishes his attire with a lightweight white shirt and dark brown tie sitting comfortably in the spread collar.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty ImagesHoney Ryder
She frequents the island looking for seashells to sell back in Miami, but also has reason to assume her father fell at the hands of Dr. No as he came to Crab Key and never returned. If you encounter Dr. No with Miss Ryder, she will wear a traditional Chinese silk dress with delicate buttons down the front and a high collar. It is fitted at the waist and sleeveless, the garment featuring an intricate floral pattern and side split hem, as she wears a pair of light pink tailored trousers underneath.
Dr. No
No can be easily identified by his prosthetic hands and his distinguishable style. Dr. No is often seen wearing a two-piece suit of a Mandarin or Mao style. This is no doubt paying tribute to his mother and his Chinese heritage. Originally known as the Zhongshan suit, after the republican leader Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan), Sun Yat-sen introduced the style shortly after the founding of the Republic of China as a form of national dress with distinct political overtones. He based the suit on the Japanese cadet uniform. The four pockets are said to represent the Four Virtues of propriety, justice, honesty, and shame, with the five buttons the branches of China’s government (Executive, Legislative, Judicial, Examination, Control). After the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War and the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949, such suits came to be worn widely by male citizens and government leaders as a symbol of proletarian unity and an Eastern counterpart to the Western business suit. The name “Mao suit” comes from Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong’s fondness for the style. Over time the style developed into a more minimal style with the number of pockets being reduced to often none.
Please continue below to Q-Branch for your mission equipment 007.
Q–Branch
Welcome 007 to Q-Branch. Here, you’ll be briefed on any vehicles and gadgets you might need for your mission.
Your main vehicle for this mission 007 will be this 1962 Sunbeam Alpine. This beautiful sports coupe is designed to get you from A to B in style and out of a pickle when required.
The Geiger Counter is a device that can detect levels of radiation. This may be useful for your own safety but more importantly, to prove the presence of radioactive material in Dr. No’s possession.
Cyanide Cigarettes: Useful for when you need to get someone out of your way and out of the picture. Use your licence to kill and offer them a cigarette like a gentleman.
Rolex Submariner Ref 6358: A cool watch this Rolex Sub Ref 6358 on a leather strap is the perfect watch for the mission. Strong and reliable, sophisticated and classic, even for a sports watch. Unfortunately 007, we’ve not added any special features to this one.
Debrief
That is all for now 007. We expect you to stop Dr. No and his plans by any means necessary. We expect you to do it quickly and effectively and in impeccable style. Please see extra visuals below for this mission.
You’ll receive further instructions when required.
Until your next mission 007: From Russia With Love.
Stay safe, stay stylish.
Yours Sincerely,
M.
