Some of the most memorable images and items from film have gone on display as a half century of secret agent James Bond is celebrated in a new exhibition.
More than 400 items have been assembled as part of Designing 007: 50 years of Bond Style. Many exhibits, revealed at a press preview, come from famous moments in the films and are synonymous with the series.
The exhibition opens with an immediate wow factor, as film posters stretch along a corridor where a replica Sean Connery leans against his beautiful 1964 Aston Martin DB5. The white bikini Ursula Andress wore as she emerged from the sea in Dr No's jaw-dropping beach scene is also on display alongside other but slightly less renowned swimwear.
The bikini, quite tiny close up, is displayed alongside Halle Berry's orange two-piece from Die Another Day and a recreation of Sir Sean Connery's shorts from Thunderball.
Current Bond Daniel Craig, set to reappear in Skyfall in the autumn, won over many female Bond fans when he wore a pair of tight blue trunks in Casino Royale. These are also part of the display which will tour internationally after the show closes at London's Barbican in September.
Oscar-winning costume designer and co-curator Lindy Hemming said: "This is an exhibition which deals with design in film.
"So we have entered the archives which EON have collected over the years and we have tried to take pieces, interesting objects which would help us to understand design in films and the objects range from gadgets, clothing, jewellery, wonderful drawings of sets and models of sets and artwork.
"It is a vast array of different things. They are all themed in a world that gives you the feel of being in a Bond film. Bond films have been responsible for the British film industry working constantly over the years when there were other lulls and therefore kept many technicicans in employment."
Hemming, who has worked on various Hollywood hits, said she hoped crowds flocked to the exhibition.
Describing her role, she said: "It's magic - you go on your own adventure, you are given a mission and you go on an adventure and it ends up that you have produced a film and the film is captured on celluloid so you can look at your own work and that is exciting. It has been an amazing thing to do and I am really glad we have been able to pull it off and hope people come and learn from or enjoy it."
