50 years of design and style in James Bond films going on display

The world's most famous spy movie franchise, James Bond, is celebrating its 50th anniversary, by holding an exhibition in London's Barbican Centre. The exhibit explores the suave secret agent's fashion sense with a display of costumes, props, set pieces and design drawings from the half century of 007 films. The white bikini sported by Ursula Andress, as she emerges from the sea, in one of cinema's most celebrated scenes joins more than 400 Bond archive items. The items will be displayed alongside those that they later inspired - such as the orange bikini worn by Halle Berry in 'Die Another Day'. Vehicles and gadgets on display include the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 which famously returned to the screen in Goldeneye and Pierce Brosnan's BMW motorcycle from 'Tomorrow Never Dies'. Current Bond Daniel Craig's famous tight blue trunks in Casino Royale is also part of the display, which will tour internationally after the show closes at London's Barbican in September. "This is an exhibition which deals with design in film," Sky News quoted Lindy Hemming, as saying. "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," Hemming said. Oscar-winning costume designer and co-curator credited Bond movies for the constant working of the British film industry, when there were other lulls, as it kept many technicians employed. Hemming, who has worked on various Hollywood hits, said she hoped crowds flocked to the exhibition. The exhibition runs from 6 July to 5 Sept 2012, after which it will tour internationally over a three-year period.