Most of the clothes in Die Another Day are about the surface: the suits, the watch, the gadgets. The Ballantyne cashmere turtleneck sweater is the opposite, a garment chosen for warmth and nothing else. It is a chunky charcoal grey knit with a high neck, and it is the piece we would take from the film.
In the film
Pierce Brosnan’s Bond wears it in Die Another Day (2002) while he stays warm in Graves’ ice palace. Our records list it as the main item of the Ice Palace outfit, and describe it as a chunky charcoal grey turtleneck from the Scottish maker Ballantyne, one of several Ballantyne pieces in the film.
The details
Cashmere. Ballantyne is a cashmere house, and the sweater is catalogued as cashmere. The choice makes sense for a scene set among ice: cashmere is soft against the skin and warm for its weight, so a heavy-looking knit never becomes a heavy thing to wear.
A chunky gauge. The knit is described as chunky, which is why it reads as outerwear rather than underwear. A coarser stitch shows more texture in daylight, and charcoal keeps it serious.
The turtleneck. A full, high neck does the work of a scarf. It sits close and finishes the line under a jacket without the need for a collar.
Out of production. This exact sweater is no longer made new. Our research did not find a current Ballantyne listing for it, so the buy button here is a search of eBay. Pre-owned cashmere is often good value, and it rewards care over price.
Wearing it now
This is a sweater for cold weather and unfussy company: a winter weekend, a long walk, a drive north. We would wear it with dark trousers and boots, or under an overcoat in place of a shirt and tie when the evening is relaxed. Keep everything else plain. A knit this heavy needs no help.
Colour. Charcoal is the safest grey for a knit. It goes with navy, black and brown, and it hides the odd mark.
Buying second-hand. Check the elbows and the neck for pilling and thinning, and ask for the fibre content on the label. Wash it by hand or have it cleaned properly, dry it flat, and fold it rather than hanging it.
In the same spirit
If you would rather buy new, these are alternatives from our catalogue, not the sweater from the film: N.Peal’s fine-gauge mock turtle neck for a lighter, finer take, or N.Peal’s cable roll neck in Fumo grey for something with more texture.
Specifications
| Maker | Ballantyne |
|---|---|
| Item | Cashmere turtleneck sweater |
| Colour | Charcoal grey |
| Knit | Chunky |
| Status | Out of production; found second-hand |
| Model code | None known |
Questions
Is the Ballantyne sweater in Die Another Day cashmere?
Yes. Our catalogue lists it as a Ballantyne cashmere turtleneck in chunky charcoal grey, worn in the ice palace scenes.
Can you still buy it new?
No, we could not find a current listing, so the practical route is a second-hand search. For a new alternative, see the N.Peal knits above.
How do you wear a chunky turtleneck without looking bulky?
Keep the lower half slim: straight dark trousers and plain boots. Let the knit be the only volume in the outfit.
More clothing is in the clothing collection, and the actor’s pieces are gathered under Pierce Brosnan.
