James Bond 007 and The Bond Girls: From Dr No (1962) to SPECTRE (2015) + The Scent Track Draw

James Bond actors 007 George Lazenby, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Ian Flemiing Daniel Craig, Timothy Dalton Pierce Brosnan

James Bond 007  (left) George Lazenby, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Writer Ian Fleming  (R) Daniel Craig, Timothy Dalton and  Pierce Brosnan

One of the moments of my childhood where I noted I was starting to grow up was the moment when I was allowed to go see a James Bond movie. Not only a movie but a double feature “Thunderball” and “You Only Live Twice”. It was 1969 and I guess since I had reached double digits in age I could go see the man known by three, 007. From that moment on I have been a fan of all things James Bond. I have read all of the novels including the post-Ian Fleming ones. I have seen every movie and have enjoyed all of them. For over fifty years these movies have reflected the changing times and culture. As I continue to tune into 007 marathons I have often thought about what James Bond, and the accompanying Bond Girls, would be wearing as perfume. With Daniel Craig ending his tenure as the sixth on-screen James Bond with “SPECTRE” I think it is time I tried to come up with some ideas.

sean connery Dr No Goldfinger Clive Christian C for Men

Sean Connery as 007: The Baccarat Scene (Bond, James, Bond)  Dr. No, Quick change in Goldfinger, Clive Christian C for Men (2010)

When I think of James Bond the first image which pops into my head is of him in a tuxedo. The first time we see 007 in what is his “uniform” is at a Baccarat table in the first movie “Dr. No” (1962). One of my favorites was after swimming on shore in “Goldfinger” (1964) he strips off his wet suit and underneath is an impeccable white tuxedo. There has never been a movie where Mr. Bond does not spend some part of it in a tuxedo. For these moments I imagine him in the perfume I think of as my formal wear perfume, Clive Christian C for Men. It is a sophisticated blend of my favorite spices in cardamom, cinnamon, and clove matched with one of the best leather, tobacco, and oud foundations around. I always wear this on the occasions I am asked to dress in formal wear. When I look in the mirror and breathe deeply; 007 is looking back.

Daniel Craig SPECTRE Aston Martin Tom Ford Tuscan Leather

Daniel Craig SPECTRE 2015 and Tom Ford Tuscan Leather

The second persistent image of James Bond is as a driver of some of the most amazing cars on the planet.. With the debut of the iconic Aston Martin in “Goldfinger” all the way through to the one Daniel Craig steals from 009 in “SPECTRE”. The Aston Martin, fully tricked out with gadgets, is how Mr. Bond gives villians the slip. Tom Ford Private Blend Tuscan Leather (2"007) is the smell of the car chase. Tuscan Leather has the smell of fine leather upholstery and perfumerst Harry Fremont and Jacques Cavallier trick it out with a full host of fun notes like raspberry, saffron, thyme and styrax. Grip the steering wheel with both hands and press the pedal to the floor.

Roger Moore Pierce Brosnan turtleneck Habit Rouge Guerlain

Roger Moore (Live and Let Die 1973) Pierce Brosnan (Die Another Day 2002) Guerlain Habit Rouge  1965


The final image is 007 in stealth mode. Dressed in a black turtleneck and matching black pants this is the moment in each film where he is infiltrating the well-guarded fortress. It is when Mr. Bond is at his most lethal. 007 along with his trusty Walther PPK are ready for the final act. In truth he should not be wearing any fragrance to reveal his presence but I still imagine a tiny spritz of Guerlain Habit Rouge (1965) underneath the turtleneck. Jean-Paul Guerlain’s iconic blend of bitter orange, spice, patchouli, and leather is everything the man who is licensed to kill is all about.

Ursula Andress Honey Ryder  Guerlain Mitsoukou

Ursula Andress  Honey Ryder Dr No (1962) and Guerlain Mitsouko (1919)
 

Of course the other image of the James bond movies is that of the Bond Girl. The entire concept of the Bond Girl was invented by Ursula Andress playing Honey Ryder. She made her screen entrance rising up from the water in a bikini with a knife strapped to her waist. As a ten-year old I will admit my eyes were not on the knife. Ms. Andress wore Guerlain L’Heure Bleue but the scent I think Honey Ryder would wear is a different one from the same brand,  Mitsouko. The beauty of the jasmine rose, and peach on top is so breathtaking that the bite of a good chypre accord underneath is like that knife; it takes a while to notice it.

Jane Seymour Miss Solitaire Live and Let Die le Labo Rose 31

Jane Seymour as Miss Solitaire Live and Let Die (1973) and Le Labo Rose 31 (2006)

If I say Jane Seymour most will respond Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Some of us met her for the first time as Solitaire in “Live and Let Die”. Miss Solitaire had the ability to read the future using tarot cards. After Mr. Bond tricked her with a stacked deck consisting only of “The Lovers” tarot cards it was a self-fulfilling prophecy ; causing her to lose her powers.The perfume I think of for Miss Solitaire in is Le Labo Rose 31. Perfumer Daphne Bugey’s rose taken for a ride by a stacked deck of cumin, vetiver, oud, and gaiac. The pure rose has been tricked into being something much more interesting.

maude adams octopussy neela vermeire pichola

Maud Adams as Octopussy 1983 and Neela Vermeire Pichola (2015)

The other part of the Bond Girl legacy is that of suggestive names; Pussy Galore, Holly Goodhead, Agent XXX, Xenia Onatopp; if you needed innuendo it was all there. Maud Adams played Octopussy in the film of the same name. Much of the action took place in the fabulous Floating Palace on Lake Pichola. Octopussy was the leader of a ring of jewel thieves. She was also much more of an equal to Mr. Bond than most of the suggestively named Bond Girls were. For the scent of Octopussy, I am going with Neela Vermeire Creations Pichola composed by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Inspired by the locale of her palace Pichola,  it has the perfect balance of floral beauty in orange blossom and green tuberose matched with exotic spices of saffron, cinnamon, and cardamom. It more than holds its own next to anything.

Obviously this kind of exercise is a very personal interpretation of larger than life images. I would love to hear your choices for the scent of 007 and your favorite Bond Girls in the comments. I’ll be sipping my martini, shaken not stirred, waiting to read what you think.

Mark Behnke, Guest Contributor and Editor in Chief of  Colognoisseur

Editor’s Note:  For long time readers, how great is it to read an article from our former Managing Editor (2010-2014)  on CaFleureBon? Behnke, Mark Behnke

Art Direction, theme and fact checking MC


007

Our 007 and The Bond Girls  draw is open to two registered readers (pesky step, but you have to do it)

le labo rose 31 cafleurebon 10 ml

USA,  CANADA and EU  thanks to the secret agents at Le Labo we have a 10 ml sprayer of Le Labo Rose 31  

pichola neela vermeire 8ml  cafleurebon

WORLDWIDE:  Neela Vermeire  aka a  “Cafleure-BON” girl  is offering  a  8ml deluxe sprayer of Pichola.

To be eligible, please leave a comment with what you thought of Mark’s scent track for 007 and his favorite Bond Girls, your own choice of fragrance should you win and where you live. We would love to know your favorite Bond /Bond Girl and which scent you would match. Draw closes December 3, 2015

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

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31 comments

  • I think Mark did a fantastic job on the scent track for 007. I always imagined James Bond in a very high end fragrance, such as Clive Christian or a Tom Ford private blend. My favorite Bond has to be Pierce Brosnan. I grew up in the 90s so he was always James Bond to me haha. I had all his video games and action figures, I was a huge fan! He seemed like a guy that would wear a very high quality smooth leather based scent As for Bond girls, I love them all! They’re all beautiful and bad ass at the same time. My choice would be Le Labo Rose 31, I’ve wanted to try it for so long! Thanks for the draw and I’m in Canada.

  • Great post!

    I gotta admit (in tiny letters) that I’ve never been a big Bond fan, so um, I can’t pair anything with any Bond. I will suggest Santa Maria Novella Nostalgia for SOME Bond, as that frag is evocative of expensive 60’s sports cars.

    I will vote for Pussy Galore just because I had no idea what her name meant when I was a kid, and really, it’s just too too much! She should wear Dita Von Teese’s self-named frag.

    Gosh, I know I’d love the Rose 31 but I’m such a fan of Neela V.’s line, and have never tried Pichola. How can I lose by choosing that?

    Thanks for the draw. Your ever faithful registered reader in the US. . .

  • Glad to see MB back as a guest contributor! Great job in scenting the Bonds as well as their gals…
    My favorite Bond is Sir Sean. I don’t mind any of the others but he still holds a corner of my heart as My Bond Man… I would scent him in a Vintage Guerlain Vetiver… not sure why but it seems to suit him.
    I am a registerd US reader and I would be over the moon to get NVC Pichola

  • I saw some Bond movies with Sean Connery and I think with Roger Moore too. I remember they were fun and “risque” but they did not stay with me, I like Mark’s choice for Sean Connery. It really fits his James Bond 007. I don’t have an opinion on the girls. I would love Pichola. I am in the US.

  • My favorite Bond would be Pierce Brosnan and his Bond girl Wai Lin from Tomorrow Never Dies played by Michelle Yeoh, I was still a 7 years old kid when this movie launched. My dad is a James Bond fan and I remember watching this movie with him. 🙂
    If I’m go ahead and scent him I would choose Jubilation for Men by Amouage as it screams luxurious and sophisticated.

    I would like to win the 8ml deluxe sprayer of Pichola by Neela Vermeire.
    I’m from Malaysia. Thank you for the draw. 🙂

  • Awesome to “see” Mark again! I will politely refrain from wondering exactly what he’s been up to whilst under the cover of writing for his own blog!

    I will horrify the masses and scent Bond with Drakkar Noir ( the original stuff!) but Kouros, or good old Bay Rum would also suit him. I like him in leather, though.

    Ahem.

    I never really paid much attention to the Bond Girls, but I do remember the names were risque! I also remember wondering why Jill St John in Diamonds Are Forever didn’t have a saucy name. I’d have put her in Misty, but since Mitsy was already used, I’m going with Y or maybe Rive Gauche. A diamond smuggler needs to be crisp. Or perhaps Vintage Emeraude; a red-head needs some warmth to her scent, after all.

    Shall we scent the villains next??? Or Q?

  • Iuno Feronia says:

    I love James Bond. The best James Bond are Sean Connery and Daniel Craig. my favourite Bond is “Dr. No” and my favourite Bond Girl is Ursula Andress. I live in the EU, Austria. My Bond would smell of Lonestar Cowboy from Andy tauer, my Bond Girl would smell of Love Coco by Honoré des Prés.

  • fazalcheema says:

    Mark went for some quite unexpected choices such as Habit Rouge for Pierce Brosnan and Clive Christian C for Sean Connery. Similarly, Le Labo Rose was also a surprising choice. When I think of James Bond, I think of British brands such as Penhaligon and Floris and Mark has made a clever attempt to challenge the normal conventions.. My favorite bond girl is Eva Green and I would scent her with Balmain Vent Vert. My fav. Bond is Roger Moore and he would smell of Eau Sauvage. My choice for this draw will be Le Labo Rose. I am in the US

  • Very nice review. I agree with Mark, those perfumes are really match with them. My favorite Bonds are Sean Connery and Roger Moore, I have not favorite Bond girl. If I will win, my choice is Le Labo Rose 31. Thanks for the draw.
    I live in Europe.

  • Jack Sullivan says:

    Wonderful review – I think of scents mostly as movie scenes or characters so it really speaks to me!
    My favorite Bond girl is Eva Green as Vesper Lynd in “Casino Royale” and with the stunning purple backless dress Bond has her wearing during the poker game, I can’t see with anything less lethal than SL Tubéreuse Criminelle.
    My favorite Bond is Sean Connery, needless to say, and as an amateur of strong liquors I’d love to smell him wearing Ambre Russe!

    I live in France and would love to win PIchola, thank you for the draw!

  • Thanks for the good review!  I’m must be a bit old-fashion because my favorite is Sean Connery, followed by Roger Moore. I kind of liked the last Bond movies with Daniel Craig but I think Connery’s and Moore’s have more glamour. I haven’t seen all the movies by all the actors so I may have missed out on a better Bond than these ones.  I would scent him with Bel Ami..

    I live in EU and would love to try Neela Vermeire Pichola.

  • Nice to hear from you again, Mark! I like your choices. I have to admit that she might not be exactly my favorite Bond girl, but I found this amazing coincidence.

    Actress: Maryse Guy Mitsouko
    Nationality: French
    Bond Movie: Thunderball (1965)

    How perfect is this? I would of course scent her in her namesake fragrance, Mitsouko.
    I live in USA. jI would love to receive the Pichola. So beautiful. Thanks for the draw.

  • I have seen only Goldfinger and the new Bond series with Daniel Craig. Both actors have something special. I do like them both. Sean Connery is a fine gentleman, old-school type, while Daniel Craig represents a new wave. Very hard to choose a favourite, but I would go with Craig and I would scent him Puredistance M. I think that Tuscan Leather would be an equally good fragrance for him, altough I only smelt it once, therefore I do not know it that well.

    My pick: Le Labo Rose 31

    I live in EU. Thanks for the draw!

  • Lovely review! Daniel Craig and Casino Royale was one of the best I’ve seen. No Bond’s actor had the fitness and smart like him. I would scent him in a Chanel Egoiste. My fave Bond girl is Eva Green.

    I live in the U.S. and would love to win NV Pichola.
    Thanks!

  • I agree with most of the scenttrack – and I like the idea as well!

    My favorite Bond was Pierce Brosnan… I know, I am in the minority. I would scent him with Dior Homme. Eva Green is my favorite Bond girl and she should smell of Heeley L’amandiere.

    I’m no Bond but I’d scent myself with Rose 31 shall I be lucky to win. 🙂

    I am in the US. Thanks for the draw.

  • I find Mark’s job on the scent track for 007 really great.
    I believe that James Bond has exceptional taste in everything he wears and prefers so the same is for perfumes like Clive Christian or a Tom Ford private blend.
    My favorite Bond is Daniel Craig, indeed he is the epitomy of true masculinity. To me he seems the type of man that would wear a high quality leather scent.
    Now concerning Bond girls, I like them all since they are all very beautiful women!!! However I found the latest Bond Girl Lea Seydoux, in Spectre movie really fabulous and Monica Belucci as well.
    My choice would be Le Labo Rose 31,
    I am a registered reader living in EU and I thank you for this lovely review and draw as well.

  • Fun article and since I have seen all the 007films I particularly enjoyed your review as it was more about the character of Bond than a particular actor. Sean Connery and Daniel Craig are my favorites and for them knize 10. Jinx aka Halle Berry is quite a stunner so for her I would scent her with Fracas
    I live in the US and le Labo rose 31 is more choice

  • My favorite Bond is Daniel Graig and I think Tuscan Leather is a perfect choice. I wouldn’t and couldn’t improve Mark’s choices. I would love a 10 ml spray of Le Labo Rose 31. I live in EU. Thank you for this lovely draw!

  • I am a big fan of this franchise and found Mark’s choices for the various actor/characters amusing and spot-on. I would choose NV Pichola if I won the draw and am in the U.S.

  • My favorite Bond is Daniel Craig because he’s the only one who doesn’t seem a little comedic in the role, even though I’d normally go for dark hair and a fine Scottish accent a la Sean Connery. I imagine Craig in SMN Eva for some reason. Eva Green / Vesper Lynd is my favorite Bond girl, and after reading the other comments I think Jack Sullivan’s pick of Tubereuse Criminelle is just right. My choice would be Pichola and I’m in the US. Thanks for the review!

  • The scent track is awesome. Those fragrances would fit the bill for those amazing characters. Daniel Craig was the best bond for sure. His looks and personality just fit the bill. I’d scent him in Knightsbridge. My favorite bond girl is Jane Seymour and I’d scent her in vintage Shalimar. I’d love to win the Pichola. I live in the U.S.. Thank you so much for this generous chance.

  • MikasMinion says:

    I loved this post. I would add Domino Duval to the list, scented with a hefty layer of Fracas to accent her bikini-clad curves.
    I would love to have the little bottle of Pichola and I’m in the US. Thanks.

  • girasole638 says:

    What a fun exercise! I loved reading the scents chosen and think they were all so well thought out. I like the more serious turn of the recent Bond movies, but I think Sean Connery is still my favorite Bond (I can’t resist the accent or the dark good looks!). I’d have put him in Habit Rouge, I think, but maybe a whisky-tinged fragrance (Scotch, of course), or something leathery, like Knize Ten, would have been appropriate, too. If chosen, I’d pick Le Labo Rose 31. Thanks for the generous offer! I’m in the US.

  • Very creative this article, placing each Bond with his transfiguration in perfume. It would be nice if we had cinemas with smells of senários, maybe in a few years. I fully agree with Mark on the choices of their perfumes for each Bond, I think we could not have better representation. My favorite Bond is Sean Connery and I imagine him wearing Chambre Noire by Olfactive Studio.

    I live in the US and would love to win Le Labo Rose 31 by.

    Thank you

  • Very nice post. I agree with Mark, those perfumes are really fit with the personality of them. My favorite Roger Moore wearing Xerjoff Homme and my favorite Bond girl is is Eva Green wearing Creed Love in White

    My choice is Le Labo Rose 31

    I live in the US.

    Thanks for the draw.

  • Mark, so lovely to read you here! I thought yours were excellent choices, and I was tickled to see the Aston Martin and car chases get their own scent! I loved Monica Bellucci’s appearance (wish we’d seen more of her) in SPECTRE, and, because her scenes took place in cooler weather, I think I’d spray her with a bit of Dominique Ropion’s Portrait of a Lady, from Frederick Malle; strong, elegant and unforgettable. I live in the U.S., and I think I would choose Neela Vermeire’s Pichola, simply because I’ve not smelled it yet (but I’d be thrilled with Rose 31 as well). And, of course, I adore Bertrand Duchaufour.

  • Great read and some amazing fragrances were mentioned. I’ve never been a James Bond fan, so I’d say my favorite is probably Daniel Craig. I do love the suits though. Talk about dressed to kill. I’d imagine him wearing Tom Ford Tuscan Leather as well. It’s the first scent that popped into my head. My choice for the contest will be Le Labo Rose 31. I’m a Canadian reader and thanks for the draw.

  • This was a trip down memory lane for me. My dad was crazy about James Bond, so I grew up watching the movies. Sean Connery was my favourite Bond… that accent! Sigh. Excellent choices for the Bond fragrances. I can’t argue with any of those. 100% class! I’d say my favourite of the movies was You Only Live Twice, which might explain why I became obsessed with Japan in my late teens. My Bond girl is Aki. Who can resist a stunning female ninja? I’d like to imagine her in Féminité du Bois, although it’s completely the wrong era. A girl can dream!

    I live in Canada and would love either sampler, but I think I’ll choose Neela Vermeire’s Pichola.

  • Mark did a fantastic job on the scent track for 007! I’m not very knowledgeable about Bond, I just remember Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan. Yum! I was thinking Clive Christian X, which is very cardamon-y also. I don’t recall ever smelling C but now I really want to! It sounds like a similar idea.
    Things that come to mind: Oud, woods, leather, refined masculinity, Ginestet Le Boise, SL Ambre Sultan or Vetiver Oriental or MKK, Ormonde Man (especially because it’s English).

    Or, in the spirit of Bond names, Cumming: the fragrance
    (I could not help it and also it’s an earthy whisky scent and British)

    Daniel Craig strikes me as flintier and colder somehow, maybe he’d match with metallic and iris aspects like Dior Homme, Hermes Hiris, some cooler vetivers also. maybe the sloe gin opening of The Architects’ Club.

    I would choose Pichola because I’ve only ever read about it and am quite intrigued!
    USA
    Thanks for the draw.

  • I’m not a Bond fan, but I still enjoyed this scent track – what a fun idea. I’m in the US and would love Pichola… it sounds splendid. If I was assigning perfume to a Bond girl I’d go big and grab Vero Profumo Rubj.

  • I’ve always enjoyed the swagger Sean Connery brought. I think he’d go well with something classic like Grey Flannel or the original Polo

    My choice is Rose 31

    Canada