Most evening dresses in a Bond film are there to be noticed. This one is there to be worn. In the dining car of a train crossing Morocco, Madeleine Swann dines with Daniel Craig’s Bond in a long satin dress the colour of sage left out in the sun: a boat neck at the front, a low cowl at the back and nothing else to say. The Ghost Salma dress in Dusty Green is, in our view, one of the better-judged pieces of costume in the Craig films, because it relies on cut and colour rather than sparkle.
In the film
Léa Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann wears the Ghost Salma (Dye To Order) dress in Dusty Green, reference DZ64CA-J29, in the train dining car scene in Spectre (2015), where she dines with Bond. She wears it with Champagne Glitter sandals and earrings. It also appears in the posters and trailer. In some posters it looks blue, but in the film it is Dusty Green.
The details of the Ghost Salma dress
Satin, lined. The dress is made from satin and is lined. A lined satin falls more smoothly than an unlined one, and in a muted colour the sheen stays soft rather than glossy.
A boat neck. The neckline runs wide and shallow across the collarbones. It is a modest, formal front, and it lets the back do the work.
Capped sleeves. Short sleeves that just cover the top of the arm give the dress some structure at the shoulder. They also make it easier to wear in a cool restaurant or a drawing room, though a wrap would not hurt.
A dipped cowl back. This is the detail that sets the dress apart. The fabric falls in a soft, vintage-inspired drape low between the shoulder blades. From the front it looks restrained; from behind it is the whole point.
Floor length. It reaches the ground, so it commits to formality. It rewards a heel, or at the very least a shoe with some presence.
Dusty Green. The colour is a soft, grey-leaning green, closer to eucalyptus than emerald. In our view it is a colour for low light, and unusual enough that you are unlikely to see it twice in a room.
Wearing it now
This is a dress for dinner: an evening wedding, a black-tie-optional dinner, a night at the opera, a long table at a country house. It suits any occasion where the room is dim, the food is good and nobody is in a hurry. It is less suited to a daytime event, where a floor-length satin dress can look overdressed.
Keep the rest simple. The dress already has a colour and a back. Add slim gold or pearl earrings, a small clutch, and nothing at the neck, as the boat neckline is cleaner without a necklace. Hair worn up shows off the back. We would choose a metallic sandal in champagne or soft gold, which is what Swann wears, and a long coat in navy or black for the walk from the car.
Choose the colour carefully. Ghost has made the Salma in other colours, and other colourways turn up second-hand and for rent. Only Dusty Green is the dress from the film. If that matters to you, check the colour name and the reference DZ64CA-J29 before buying.
Availability. Ghost no longer sells the Dusty Green Salma, so it is found second-hand, and the button on this page is an eBay search for it. We would also try reputable resale and rental sites, and ask for photographs in daylight, as green satin can look quite different from one screen to another.
In the same spirit
An alternative, not the dress from Spectre: Jenny Packham Casino Royale Lace-Up Gown, another floor-length evening dress that relies on cut over sparkle. It is a different colour and cut.
Specifications
| Maker | Ghost |
|---|---|
| Style | Salma (Dye To Order) |
| Reference | DZ64CA-J29 |
| Colour | Dusty Green |
| Fabric | Satin, lined |
| Neckline | Boat neck |
| Sleeves | Capped |
| Back | Dipped cowl |
| Length | Floor-length |
| Original price | £225 at Ghost; the Dusty Green colourway has since sold out |
The original listing is on Ghost’s own page for the Salma in Dusty Green.
Questions
Is this the exact dress Madeleine Swann wears in Spectre?
Yes. Sources identify the dress as the Ghost Salma (Dye To Order) in Dusty Green, reference DZ64CA-J29. She wears it in the train dining car scene in Morocco.
What colour is the Ghost Salma dress in Spectre?
Dusty Green, a soft, grey-leaning green. Some posters make it look blue, but in the film it is green.
Can you still buy the Ghost Salma dress in Dusty Green?
Not new. Ghost no longer sells the Dusty Green Salma, so you are looking second-hand. The Salma has also appeared in other colours, both second-hand and for rent, so check the colour and reference before you buy.
How much did the Ghost Salma dress cost?
Ghost sold it for £225, according to the retailer listings recorded at the time. As it is now sold out in this colour, current resale prices will vary.
For more from the film, see our guide to the Bond films, or browse the rest of the clothing.
