The term “Bond Girl” is synonymous in modern culture with women who are glamorous, gorgeous and, most of all, sexy. Everyone wants to be a Bond Girl and if you are fortunate enough to star in a Bond film, it becomes an infinite component of who you are.

It is difficult to live up to the image of the first film Bond Girl, Ursula Andres. When she stepped out of the glittering turqoise water onto the white sand of the Jamacan beach she set the bench mark for all future Bond Girls. Her white bikini has become an iconic style article and last season, the Dr No bikini was once more desirable beach ware. Amusingly in the novel there is no bikini. The elegant beauty who emerges from the water wears nothing more than a leather belt for her knife.

The first Bond Girl whom Ian Flemming penned was a much colder creature. Vesper Lynd, who lent her name to Bond's cocktail, was a challenging enigma for Bond. Both harsh and elusive, and warm and passionate, she is the first woman for whom Bond expresses desires. He even contemplates marrying her at one point in the book. Bond, married in the first novel? It obviously was not going to be a success. In the 2006 Casion Royal Vesper Lynd is played by the French actress, Eva Green. She brings a sultry, Gothic chill to the role making her betrayal and treachery all the more real.

To create the perfect Bond Girl the recipe is relatively simple, even if the compilation remains elusive. Take one drop dead gorgeous model and add a sultry, sassy or sexy personalty and then trim with lashings of diamonds, oceans of satin and killer heels. Complete the transformation with the addition of a name laced with innuendo and your Bond Girl is ready to woo our immortal hero. It would be a mistake to compare Bond Girls to shallow blond bimbos. These are woman of substance and character. They are intelligent, talented and ready to challenge Bond in both ability and endurance. Even in his first book in 1953 Ian Flemming created characters that the modern women could admire. Their only failing is an inherent infatuation with 007, a shallow womaniser and narcissist.

We are now less than a week away from Quantum of Solice, the twenty second official Bond film. Stylish adverts have made this the must-watch film of the season. There are adverts for Bond cars, Bond cloths, Bond candles and even Bond perfume. I am not sure that I understand the attraction of a Bond fragrance but I have to congratulate the marketing team on their versatility. Bond has become a marketing machine of epic proportions and at the hard of this is the glamour of the Bond Girl.

The Vesper Cocktail

"A dry martini," [Bond] said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."

"Oui, monsieur."

"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"

"Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

"Gosh, that's certainly a drink," said Leiter.

Bond laughed. "When I'm...er...concentrating," he explained, "I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."

-Ian Fleming, Casino Royale