Bond’s shoes in The World Is Not Enough are not laced. Pierce Brosnan’s Bond wears a black Church’s monk shoe, which two Bond-style sources identify as the Presley, and the Church’s Presley monk shoe makes the case for a buckle over a lace: neater, faster and just as dressy under a suit.
In the film
Catalogue evidence shows Church’s shoes worn by Pierce Brosnan in The World Is Not Enough, with pairs offered at auction. A style site in our research names the model as the Church’s Presley, a black monk shoe with a plain toe and a narrow strap and buckle. The same sources say that later in the film Bond wears a light brown monk shoe with a larger strap and buckle, and that this might be the Church’s Westbury, which is not confirmed. We have treated the black shoe as the Presley and the brown one as uncertain.
The details
A single strap. A monk shoe closes with a strap and buckle in place of laces. The narrow strap on the Presley gives a slim, quiet front without the clutter of a double buckle.
A plain toe. There is no cap and no broguing, so the shoe is dressy without ornament. That is what lets it sit under a suit trouser.
Black leather. Black reads as formal, and in a plain finish it works for business and for evening.
Wearing it now
A monk shoe is the best answer to the man who finds lace-ups dull. Wear it with a mid-grey or charcoal suit, a white or pale blue shirt and a dark tie, as Brosnan’s Bond does in the film. It is also good with dark denim and a navy blazer. Keep the trouser narrow enough that the buckle shows and long enough that the sock does not.
Finding a pair. We could not find the Presley on Church’s current men’s pages in our research. Church’s lists derbies, oxfords, loafers and boots, and a current monk shoe may be available under another name; ask the maker. For the shoe from the film, a second-hand search is the practical route. Check the sole, the heel and the buckle, and ask for the last and the size in UK sizing.
Specifications
| Brand | Church’s |
|---|---|
| Model | Presley (as named by Bond-style sources; not confirmed by the maker in our research) |
| Style | Monk shoe, single strap and buckle, plain toe |
| Colour | Black |
| Availability | Not found on the maker’s current men’s pages; second-hand search |
Questions
What shoes does Bond wear in The World Is Not Enough?
Church’s monk shoes. Bond-style sources name the black pair as the Presley and say a light brown monk shoe appears later.
Are Church’s monk shoes still made?
We could not find the Presley on the maker’s current men’s pages. Church’s makes other styles, and it is worth asking what its current monk shoe is.
Can you wear a monk shoe with a suit?
Yes. A black monk shoe is a dressy option with a charcoal or mid-grey suit and works from the office to dinner.
For the film see The World Is Not Enough, and for the man, Pierce Brosnan’s Bond. Church’s current men’s range is at its men’s page.
