Re-Imagining Ursula Andress in Dr. No

In the final episode of Re-Imagining: Movie Icons, The Africa Channel, Vanichi Magazine, and Model Tia Hurley re-imagines Ursula Andress into a sexy and mysterious goddess-like African woman.

The Ursula Andress Look

Ursula’s style and acting in Dr. No, the first ever James Bond movie, raised a very high bar for every Bond Girl to follow. Her belted white bikini and holstered knife were instant style icons. In fact, the suit was so iconic, it was exhibited at London’s Barbican and auctioned at an estimated £40,000.

Her entrance in Dr. No is considered one of the most iconic and classic James Bond moments. Ursula emerges from the ocean in a white bikini with two large seashells, while the sun shines on her wet blonde hair.

Ursula’s white bikini ushered a revolution in the history of women’s fashion when the bikini was still considered taboo. After the movie’s release, sales of two-piece bikini skyrocketed. The bikini scene was later remodeled by Halle Berry who wore an orange bikini with a tool belt in the 2002 James Bond film, Die Another Day.

The Model

Model Tia Hurley was happy to be part of this fashion-forward campaign, saying “I was happy to do it because I just loved the classic costume and Ursula Andress was so elegant in it… I think that African fashion is timeless and classic.”

Re-Imagining Ursula Andress

To re-imagine Ursula’s iconic look, the stylists went out of the box to re-imagine a sexy mysterious goddess-like woman. They started by giving Tia a wet hair look to make her look like she just came out from the water.

Tia paired the white swimsuit with an elaborate handcrafted necklace from the Gambia. This jewelry was designed by Tegaa . The editors chose the neckpiece for its eye-catching detail and design. Placed on a white background, it was pretty easy for the neckpiece to steal the show. Creative director of Tegaa, Nay, was excited to add her signature craft to the campaign.

“I love that image, that’s absolutely the Tegaa brand. We are very beachy and very tropical. The first thing that came to my mind was that I wanted them to put a cowry belt over the swimsuit,” she said.

Tia was also pleased with the outcome of her look, “I loved the swimsuit, the details and the little patterns on it. It was very chic. I also love the way the jewelry popped with my skin tone and makeup.”

In African culture, the color white is closely connected with water. In West Africa, the Orishas and worshippers of Yemoja wear white beads, white cowries, and white cloth to symbolize their connection with water.

Tia successfully modeled the sensual and mysterious appeal of Iconic Bond girl, Ursula Andress. Even more, she added a cultural meaning by giving the Bond girl look an African fashion-forward makeover.

“I think that African fashion is timeless and classic, especially in a fashion world that is often Eurocentric. So this was definitely a great step in the right direction.”

All 10 episodes, plus a bonus overview, are currently available on The Africa Channel.com and Demand Africa.