The best trousers in a film are often the ones you don’t notice. In Shanghai, Daniel Craig’s Bond wears a pair of grey wool trousers beneath a navy peacoat and a black tie, and they never once ask for attention. The Acne Wall Street trousers, in Shark Grey, are a slim-leg wool pair, and a lesson in dressing the lower half of an outfit.
In the film
Bond wears them in the Shanghai scenes of Skyfall (2012), with a navy peacoat, a sweater, a white shirt and a black tie. Our catalogue also notes a similar pair at the film’s press conference, but it is the Shanghai pair we can place with confidence.
The details of the Acne Wall Street trousers
Wool, cut slim. The Wall Street is a wool trouser with a slim leg. It reads as tailoring but, in our view, sits more easily than a suit trouser.
Adjustable waist tabs. There is an adjustable tab at each side of the waist, which allows the fit to be refined without a belt.
A considered closure. The fly is zipped, with a double button and tab fastening above it. It is a small, tidy detail that finishes the waistband neatly.
Wearing it now
Grey wool trousers are among the most useful things a man can own below the waist, and these are a good model of how to wear them. We would put them with a navy overcoat or peacoat, a fine knit and a white shirt, as Bond does. They are equally at home with a tweed jacket and brown shoes, or with a navy blazer and no tie.
Finding a pair. The Wall Street is an autumn/winter 2012 piece and is out of production, so it is found second-hand. Our button runs a search on eBay. Check the size and condition carefully. If you would rather buy new, look for a slim grey wool trouser with a plain hem and enough weight to hang cleanly.
In the same spirit
In our catalogue, the nearest idea is the Massimo Alba Winch Corduroy Trousers: slim, flat-front and grey, though in baby corduroy rather than wool. They are an alternative in the same quiet register, not the Skyfall pair.
Specifications
| Maker | Acne Studios |
|---|---|
| Model | Wall Street |
| Colour | Shark Grey |
| Fabric | Wool |
| Cut | Slim leg |
| Fastenings | Zip fly with double button and tab closure; adjustable side waist tabs |
| Film | Skyfall (2012), Shanghai scenes |
Questions
Are these the trousers Bond wears in Skyfall?
Yes, in the Shanghai scenes. Our catalogue records Acne Wall Street Shark Grey trousers worn by Bond there, with a peacoat, sweater, white shirt and black tie. A similar pair appears elsewhere in the film, but we only place this one in Shanghai.
Does Acne Studios still sell the Wall Street trousers?
No. They are an autumn/winter 2012 piece, out of production and no longer in the maker’s range, so second-hand examples are the route. Our button searches eBay.
What are the best alternatives?
A slim grey wool trouser with a plain hem and a cloth of some weight. The cut and the colour matter more than the label.
More of the film’s wardrobe is in our guide to Skyfall, and in the clothing collection.
